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The Citizen, 2017-06-15, Page 181 Evangelical Missionary Church PAGE 18.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017. From the Minister's Study Don't forget the encouragement: Royall By Rev. Mark Royall Huron Chapel Evangelical Missionary Church, Auburn I am turning 55 years old in a couple of weeks. Others in my family are also inching up to the 55 - year mark and I have noticed how many of them talk about looking forward to retiring on their good pensions. The thought of retiring seems surreal to me because in many ways I feel I am just starting to get the hang of this pastoring thing. I feel there is so much more I want to do and realize in my ministry before I retire. However, one morning this past week I took some time to ponder what retirement might look like for me. I told my wife I would like to become part of a church family where they didn't know I was a pastor. I would go in undercover, as it were, and find ways to support and build up the local church like any other Christian would. As I thought about it a bit more, I found myself writing down three things I would do when I become a layperson in a local church. Because of space limitations, I will share just the first of the three in this article but perhaps in the future I can share the other two. Here is the first one: I will write my pastor and church board encouraging letters. I say I will write a letter because people are good at sending texts and cards of encouragement to me. However, I know when someone takes the time to write a letter, it isn't going to be an uplifting experience, Rather, it will contain a list of grievances about what I am doing wrong or not doing right based upon their opinion. I cannot remember ever receiving a letter where the premise of the letter was to be encouraging and thankful. I dread church letters. I chose this as the first thing I would do because of some statistics which came out recently. I can be skeptical about statistics because you can skew things to promote your own agenda and so I usually take them with a great deal of caution and with some reservation. However, these statistics were complied by prominent and different sources that have nothing to gain with the outcome of their study. They were compiled by, The Barna Group, Focus on the Family, Fuller Seminary, and the Institute of Church Leadership. The study focused upon on pastors in North America. Their study revealed that: • 1,500 pastors leave the ministry permanently each month in North America. • 80 per cent of pastors and 85 per cent of their spouses feel discouraged in their roles. iVr CfuisticutTelleaskp June 18: Mt. 18:15-20 FATHER'S DAY - free devotional book gift for dads! "Making Up & the Power of Mutuality" Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater.mg) • Over 50 per cent of pastors are so discouraged they would leave the ministry if they could find another way to make a living. • Over 50 per cent of pastors' wives feel that their husband entering the ministry was the most destructive thing to ever happen to their families (my wife assured me this was not true for her). • 71 per cent of pastors stated they were burned out, and they battle depression beyond fatigue on a weekly and even a daily basis. • Only one out of every ten ministers will actually retire as a minister. I know most of these statistics are the result of the debilitating weight of criticism which outweighs the energizing lift of being sincerely appreciated and thanked. Peter Drucker, the father of modern management and who knew more about management and leadership than just about any one on the face of the planet, understood this. He once wrote, "The four hardest jobs in America (and not necessarily in order) are: the President of the United States, a university president, a CEO of a hospital and a pastor." So, in the very first church where I am a layperson I am going to surprise the heck out of the pastor and church board by writing them an encouraging letter. I can see the chairperson of the board now, unfolding the letter getting ready to read it aloud before all the members of the board. I can picture the pastor beginning to sink in his seat expecting the worse when suddenly... there are only words of praise and thanksgiving being expressed and heard. The words for the letter chose only to celebrate the good and the positive aspects of his work. I wish I could be there to see the look on that pastor's face. You may have to pick him up off the floor BRUSSELS United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Everyone welcome ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH Trinity ( 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, JUNE 18 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-6687 Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, June 18 Please join us and see our renovation process making us more accessible to you All are welcome OFFICE: 519-523-4224 first. It would be fun. In every church I pastored there have been people and families who have really sought to come along side of me and my wife as great sources of encouragement. My present church is no exception. I am humbled by people's selfless generosity towards me. One family gave us the funds to take a holiday. Just this past week a lady in our church gave me her snowblower with an electric start. She heard me whine over the course of this past winter about having to dig out of my laneway. Another gentleman and his wife in our church picked up that snowblower in their truck and delivered it to me last Sunday. One family gave Glenda and I the biggest turkey, which we shared with our family. Over the course of last year an envelope with $300 would show up in my church mailbox periodically with no explanation but I know someone was wanting to encourage me. I was. One boy in our church has volunteered to cut our lawn this summer. If you saw my back lawn you would know the sacrifice of this encouraging gesture. Even now as I write this article in the front room of my home, a man from our church is in our back family Continued on page 19 Jou re 9nviteJ L join Ws 9n Worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am - Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN v REFORMED CHURCH -.-i, "' "It Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen /j\ ()a\. Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 eftad¢d¢ eon uftlbatv agee, e to rize Sunday, June 18 You're Invited Brussels Business & Cultural Centre to come worshi at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. -' �, Sunday School for children with us _ 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers �• % during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 • discover why we are growing �.�W4J-.-.-JM _fYG.-ys F y ..-'` 'Y • lT IR� �+. fir.: b� 1� i •i ra� .4 .� R yRy� fi??x r Huron Chapel Every Sunday @ 10:30am in Auburn huronchapel.com THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.