Assignment Searching - Ministry

While there's always Monster, CareerBuilder and others for all kinds of jobs, I discovered several handfuls of sites devoted specifically to church ministry or Christian organization postings:

Church Staffing.com

Willow Creek Association Job Exchange

Simply Hired Ministry Positions

Staff Your Church

Pastor Search Network

Ministry Search.com

Ministry Jobs

Christian Jobs - MinistryEmployment.com

Kingdom Careers

Intercristo

MinistryList.com

Christian Career Center

Christianet.com

ChristianJobs.com

Christianity Today

Christian Employment Resource

Bethel Seminary

Manhattan Christian College

Christian Leadership Alliance

Gallons and Liters

The Coke Zero bottle caught my attention over lunch today. It was a 2-liter bottle.

I've seen 3-liter bottles of soda on the grocery store shelves, but never 4. Are we too wimpy a people group to be able to carry 4-liters? Why don't you see gargantuan sized soda bottles in the bulk section of the store? There's huge cans of pudding, why not soda?

The sizing in general is noteworthy when compared with the soda bottle sizes I grew up with. In the Philippines, at least in the 1980's, the largest soda bottle available on the market was a 1-liter. We'd buy a case of 12 at a time. The standard size was 350ml, (that's milliliters for you non-Canadians) and it was a big deal, a huge marketing bonanza when the bottle makers introduced the 500ml. The standard aluminum can of soda is around 350ml I believe, but I don't think I've seen anything that gets to the 500ml size, 20oz maybe. Those were all glass bottles by the way. And the thrifty stores, to recoup the refund for returning the empty glass soda bottles, would give you your soda in a cellophane bag instead of giving you the bottle.

Speaking of all this, has anyone ever seen USA milk packaged in metric containers? Why is milk always in quarts, pints and gallons? How would it sound to yell up the stairs, "I'm heading down to Weiser's to get a liter of milk"? Or to ask the dairy stock person for a 3-liter bottle of milk?

It must be because the US cows can't squirt in metric.

Who is the wealthiest person you know?

Who is the wealthiest person you know?

While reading Internet coverage of the financial woes of our nation, the graphic on one of the articles was a TV screenshot of a financial expert who attends the church I served in back in Princeton. Having always respected the individual, I Google-ed to see what information I might find about their take on the current financial environment. One of the links was a Forbes.com page that reported, assuming I read it correctly, that this person earned $23M in 2007. Maybe it was just a good year, but that's got to be one of the wealthiest people I know, at least when it comes to financial wealth.

As I thought more about it, I know a lot of wealthy people when the definition of wealth is broadened. I know a lot of people who are wealthy by way of their family. God has blessed them with generation after generation that share a deep love for God and are serving Him faithfully in ministry and non-ministry positions alike. I know a lot of people who are spiritually wealthy, men and women, who through time in His Word and prayer investments have gained a love and relationship with their Saviour that forms a solid, unmovable foundation. God can bestow wealth on us on many different ways and I hope I don't miss out on it because I'm only looking at it through a human perspective.

So who is the wealthiest person you know and based on what definition of wealth?

Beyond the wealth, I've been negligent in playing my part during the current stresses. I need to be praying for our government and financial leaders alike. Like the individual I've referenced here, God has His agents strategically placed throughout our country and the globe to do His bidding. As in the past, He gives them the wisdom they need to make the decisions before them. I could be doing a better job supporting their efforts and asking God to protect their families through prayer.

Dinner with Oma: Opa's cars

My grandfather, Opa, as he's affectionately referred to, had a sweet spot for cars. While talking with Oma the other night, she got to reminiscing about all of the different cars in the family. And while others will likely be able to give a more accurate encyclopedia of the family vehicles - I after all was on the other side of the Pacific - I thought a car tribute would be in order.

The 1967 Chrysler Imperial was Opa's toy. From what Oma shared, Opa dreamed of a convertible, but practicalities must've reigned the day. Fortunately, the '67 Imperial didn't have a side door post between the front seat and rear seat windows which meant that with all the windows down there was maximum airflow as if it was a convertible. Chance would have it that I went with Opa when he picked up his new-used toy. Power everything, V-8 Chrysler power plant. It was a ride and one that Opa enjoyed every moment he was in it.

A 1966 Chrysler New Yorker was the family auto for a decade or more and was passed around to various aunts and uncles depending on the needs. In the late '80's my family had use of the beast of a thing. That was unfortunate for the two college students on an all-night road trip back to college in their little Mazda. The New Yorker had a dent in the bumper. The Mazda was totalled. And I had breakfast with two college-aged strangers the next morning.

This was Oma's car. It was a white, mini limousine, electric everything with plush leather and wood interior. Even as a middle school-er, it was regal to ride in that car. Oma added some perspective however, being a diesel engine, she was often stuck having to fill up at truck stops since they were the only service stations to carry diesel.  She also shared about a time when Opa had Oma take him to the City Line station only to announce as he exited the car to catch his train, "Oh, you're out of gas" and only for Oma to run out as she was crossing the bridge.

Dinner with Oma

At 86, get-togethers with my Oma are more and more precious. After living for so many years thousands of miles from grandparents, I've been fortunate to be within 25 miles of Oma for the past 10 years. And while I haven't leveraged it to its maximum potential, we have shared some special times together. My greatest joy with Oma is listening more than talking, especially when she gets going on stories from the old days like she did Saturday night.

Most of Saturday night's stories centered around trains...

There was the time when one of my uncles, as a young lad, became sick to his stomach while on a train trip. While feeling bad and hopeless for her sick son, Oma shared that she was glad there was a Pennsylvania Railroad porter who took care of cleaning up the train car.

Or when she noted that the Lancaster stock yards, which according to her, were once the largest stock yards east of Chicago or the Mississippi, would be torn down, Oma recalled passing them on western-headed train trips. "We would usually be enjoying dinner in the dining car by the time we reached Lancaster."

She also complained about having to share the upper birth with her youngest daughter, who would sleep soundly on the trip while Oma slept but a few winks.

Oh, to live during the glamorous days of railroading! And to see my aunts and uncles in their childhood days :)

Maybe it's because so much of my immediate ancestry revolves around railroading, a particular interest of mine. Maybe it's because so many of my childhood years were spent separated from family. Maybe it's both of those things combined with an appreciation and respect for the earlier generations, for the examples they've led, the foundations they've laid and the wisdom that is packed within their minds just waiting to be tapped. Whatever it is, I relish the opportunities to listen to the stories of yesteryear.

Links for 2008-09-23 [del.icio.us]

Links for 2008-09-23 [del.icio.us] Posted: 24 Sep 2008 12:00 AM CDT The Associated Press: Design changes unveiled for Lincoln penny So long as this proposal won't cause any delays in the Fed printing more money, I guess I'm okay with it. While fun to collect, I wonder how much it costs to do special commemoratives like this.

Overheard in the dinner line at a retirement community...

One retiree, waiting in line said to another, "Did you get your t-shirt?"

Instantaneously, I knew the topic of the question.

I'd considered heading out in time for the 9am opening, but decided a laid-back Saturday morning was more valuable than a free t-shirt. And as the men would confirm for me as we awaited our seats for dinner, the t-shirt was indeed devalued for the gentleman arrived at 9:45 only to find them plum out of t-shirts.

They of course, had trekked out to Park City for the opening of the new Apple Store this past Saturday. I was intrigued that a new Apple Store caught the interest of a 30-something year old and 70-something year-olds alike. I seize such opportunities to share conversation with strangers and when I asked for his assessment of the new store... "It's like a can of sardines, there's no room to move around!" I anticipate my next trip to Park City to check it out for myself.

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My Strenghts: Connectedness

Tom Rath describes the Connectedness theme in Strengths Finder 2.0, p. 73 in the following manner...

"Things happen for a reason. You are sure of it. You are sure of it because in your soul you know that we are all connected. Yes, we are individuals, responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious. Others may label it spirit or life force. But whatever your word of choice, you gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilities. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. Your awareness of these responsibilities creates your value system. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. The exact articles of your faith will depend on your upbringing and your culture, but your faith is strong. It sustains you and your close friends in the face of life's mysteries."

My Strengths: Belief

The Belief theme, as defined by Tom Rath, p. 57 of Strengths Finder 2.0...

"If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics -- both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. "I know where you stand," they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live our your values."

My Strenghts: Learner

More from Tom Rath's Strengths Finder 2.0, p. 133...

"You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered -- this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences -- yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments whre you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the "getting there."

While this description, as with most of the others, appear to fit me well, I'm not planning to start taking yoga classes anytime soon. 

My Strengths: Strategic

From Tom Rath's Strengths Finder 2.0, he describes the Strategic theme on p. 165...

"The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, "What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?" This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chose path -- your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: "What if?" Select. Strike.

My Strengths: Responsibility

As defined by Tom Rath in Strengths Finder 2.0, p. 149...

"The Responsibility theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Your good name depends on it. If for some reason you cannot deliver, you automatically start to look for ways to make it up to the other person. Apologies are not enough. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution. This conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right, and your impeccable ethics, combine to create your reputation: utterly dependable. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done. When people come to you for help -- and they soon will -- you must be selective. Your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should."

Links for 2008-09-16 [del.icio.us]

Links for 2008-09-16 [del.icio.us] Posted: 17 Sep 2008 12:00 AM CDT Crossroads Career® Services, Inc. Network - Hearing and Following God's Calling National career networking organization; local group meets every Monday night at LCBC

My Strengths according to Strengths Finder

After reading Marcus Buckingham's Now Discover Your Strengths, I took the web-based Strength Finder assessment (you need to buy the book to take the survey). My top five strengths according to the assessment are listed and defined below. I'll devote each of the next five posts to each strength area.

RESPONSIBILITY

People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

STRATEGIC

People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

LEARNER

People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

BELIEF

People who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.

CONNECTEDNESS

People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

Copyright © 2008 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

An Apple Store at Park City

I just received a special notice from Apple that they're opening an Apple Store at Park City on September 20 at 9am.

Come to the new Apple Store, Park City, and bring your curiosity. It's the place to test-drive any Mac or iPod, experience iPhone, and catch free workshops to learn all the latest tips and tricks. When you get there, find our Concierge in the orange shirt. The Concierge is your guide to everything from checking in for an appointment to instant checkout. And if you're one of the first 1000 visitors, you'll get a free AppleT-shirt.*

Searching... all in the family

It was surreal to find myself at a networking meeting Monday night with my father-in-law on one side and my brother-in-law's, father-in-law on the other. I consider myself fortunate to by in my mid-30's searching for God's next assignment, while they're in their late 60's and 50's respectively. But there the three of us where, looking to network with others who are seeking God's next assignment. All in the family.

Links for 2008-09-14 [del.icio.us]

Links for 2008-09-14 [del.icio.us] Posted: 15 Sep 2008 12:00 AM CDT NFL TV Distribution Maps A site that tells you what NFL games will be on TV in each local TV market and what commentating teams will be calling each game. Welcome :: Karl Rove As a Josh Lyman wanna-be, this site is great. Of course, so is Karl. Track the 2008 election in-depth.

Links for 2008-09-11 [del.icio.us]

Posted: 12 Sep 2008 12:00 AM CDT Scheffey Integrated Marketing - Lancaster, PA Marketing and Ad Agency A very impressive, Lancaster-based, marketing company that offers the full breadth of marketing services (print, advertising, branding, logos, websites). When they say integrated, they mean integrated.

Conduncting a God-centered assignment search in a me-centered world

To stay true to a whatever God wants me to do, wherever He wants me to be mentality as I seek His next assignment is proving to be quite challenging, but not for the reasons I would've expected.

Every opportunity as a possibility, when the register at McDonald's has a message that says, "Now hiring managers" my immediate reaction is contemplation. Maybe that's where God wants me. When I hear of positions that are slightly beyond my qualifications, I don't move along right off the bat, I consider whether God may somehow be able to use me in that assignment. I'm not taking anything off the table until it's clear that God's taken it off the table. And I'm open to anything, because I want to be completely usable to Him.

That's proving to be a challenge as I network with people, they want to know what it is I want to do. The networks are accustomed to me-centered job searches based on prior experience, training and personal pursuits. Following that path limits me to a select field that I only want to focus on if that's what God wants.

Jesus appropriately identified that several men who were trained fishermen had skills that were transferable to being fishers of men. I wonder what the resumes of Andrew, Peter, James and John contained prior to the day Jesus strolled up to them on the beach? On paper, did they have experience relating with people? Had they had opportunities to develop strong communication skills and a chance to speak to large crowds?

I am open to God taking me from what He's had me doing for the past 14 years and doing whatever His next assignment for me will entail. Communicating that desire in a way that others can figure out is a challenge, especially to those who don't share a common bond in Christ.

Seeking God's Next Assignment

As I look over the years God has given me in my lifetime, there are stacks of evidence of how God has revealed His purposes and ways through prayer, His Word, circumstances and the church. It is based on that evidence that I have confidence that He will make His next plan(s) for me known in His time. I am exploring what His next assignment is for me and Beth. If God places an organization on your mind or the name of an individual in relation to our exploration, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

My desire is NOT to do something big for God. I am solidly focused on only doing what He wants me to do. If He chooses to assign me to something big, that's His decision and I'll follow. If He wants me to wash dishes, that's what I'll be doing. As Beth and I have talked about it, that's our heart's desire. Additionally, we want to be only where He wants us. If that's in Lancaster County, here we will stay. If that's in Kabul, Afghanistan, that's where we will be going. Our confidence is high that God will reveal our next step when it's His time, we just hope we will have the faith and the guts required to take those steps.

In the meantime, we are exploring every conceivable opportunity, looking for signs of God's leading in every conversation and development. While my experience to date has focused solely on church ministry, we are open to whether God wants to use me in a ministry/non-ministry situation alike. And while I've been involved in leadership/management, that too we aren't using to limit what God might have in the future. We are open to whatever and wherever.

Having sensed a possible leading toward being a bush pilot, we went to Missions Fest Lancaster a few weeks ago and talked with a missions representative. There we learned that we're too old, mid-thirties mind you, for the mission organizations to be able to make use of us in that line of ministry. Mechanics of any age are welcome, but unless the Holy Spirit comes upon me in a substantial way, I think I'd do more of a disservice to the spread of the Gospel as a mechanic than I would be adding help to it. :)

One thing God has confirmed for Beth and me, until He takes my Dad home, caring for Dad is one of His assignments for us. Lancaster County is of course an area well equipped for caring for an aging parent with dementia, but we don't see that as limiting where God wants to place us. If God wants us in Kabul, He will provide a way for us to continue to care for Dad.

If God places an organization on your mind or the name of an individual in relation to our exploration, I'd appreciate hearing about it. Otherwise, your prayers that our ears would be delicately tuned in to God's leading, that our faith would remain strong and that we would have the guts to respond when He reveals our next step, your prayers in those regards will be greatly appreciated.

Lord, find us faithful.

Assignment Complete - Part 2: The Final 9

God gave me the privilege of serving nine others that weren't listed in the last post: Joan, Karen, Elaine, Charlene, Megan, Cindy, Jodi, Jay and Marlin. While I had a role in bringing seven of them onto the Grace team, they too are following God assignments, I was just a pawn in what He was doing.

These nine servants of God and thereby Grace Church, do so, for that very reason. Each of them has a deep love for God and giving Him their very best each and every day. They felt led by God to serve Him at Grace Church and are being obedient to those assignments. As God gave me the chance to get to know each of them and serve side-by-side with them, I came to appreciate their love for God. In addition to being good people, I came to admire and respect the work they do. In my pre-Grace God-given assignments, I had the opportunity to fill the roles each of them fill.

Believe it or not, I was the facility person. When the furnace didn't fire on a wintry Sunday morning, I was the one crawling into the furnace rooms to diagnose and get the thing re-fired. I created the weekly Sunday bulletin, printed it, folded it and stuffed it. And one week I was the one that forgot to insert the clip-art images and instead published a bulletin with empty boxes. I processed the purchase vouchers and cut the weekly checks. I did the monthly payroll. I answered the phones. I was the computer troubleshooting guy. I accomplished a lot in each of those areas and also my share of mistakes. Having these experiences gave me a tremendous understanding, respect and admiration for the work each of my team members did.

Few of us were/are professionally trained for what we do, but that's nothing new in the history of God's creation, the local church. The first church staff's weren't professionally trained either. In addition to being individuals who love God and people I admire and respect, I valued their contribution to my ministry.

My strengths lie in analyzing problems/situations and breaking them down. When not in check, I over-analyze which adds a challenge to decision making. Working with this team, I came to value their opinions and intuition. I trusted what they could bring to the table to guide me. We would not have been as effective as we were had it not been for what each of them brought to the table.

I thank God for the opportunity to have impacted their lives and more importantly, how God used them to impact mine. So closes my almost 10 years at Grace.

Assignment complete - part 1

Like an elementary student, my God-given Grace Church assignment is complete. I've accomplished everything God wanted me to get done during my time at Grace Church, the workbook's been turned in. That portion of my journey is complete.

As I reflect on my Grace Church years, I praise God for all that He accomplished in me and through me during my tenure. And while I have many gratifying memories to cherish, I think my greatest joy focuses on those whom God brought through Grace for me to serve.

My contribution to the history of Grace Church is more apparent in what God did in and through my team than anything else. They were the ones who invested significant energy into serving the body of believers commonly known as Grace Church. My job was just to release them to do God's work. They are the people who deserve the credit for what God accomplished. As best as my memory can recollect, here are the wonderful people that God gave me the opportunity of serving on my Grace Church team...

Nancy Mitchell and her cleaning team

• Karl Mitchell
• Devon Mitchell
• Rachel Mitchell
• Aubry Kilby
• Justin Lehman
• Phyllis Willard
• Amanda Rohrer
• Renee Weaver
• Kaley Keener
  
• There are several if not many others that I'm not remembering

David Bernhardt
Tim Enderle
Bobbie Kissinger
Chris Willard
Mona Graham
Lucy Snow
George Bailey
Khyle Keener
Steve Weaver
Eric Leisey
Nathan Imhoff
Justin Bitner
Andy Schell
Ty Getz
Andrew Spotts
Gail Crouse
Ken Ecker

There are nine people I intentionally left off the list.

Doing what God's prepared me to do

I didn't notice it until this week, but it appears that God has been preparing for these moments most of my life.

I was raised in a culture that valued the elderly and in which the family unit stayed together. In the Filipino culture multiple generations lived together, at times in the same house, with the grandparents assisting in raising the grand kids with the younger generations caring for the grandparents. I have vivid memories of being with my Filipino friends and helping them do tasks for their grandparents etc.

Though only in grade school, I observed both my grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles care for my great grandmother who in spite of a stroke or two lived to be a hundred and something years old.

I also observed my parents, aunts and uncles care for my grandfather when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. That was followed by watching my parents, aunts and uncles care for my grandmother as she suffered from poor health.

Through Pastor Young's preaching through the Timothy's, one of the last messages series he preached at Grace, God made it clear to Beth and me that we needed to apply Paul's instructions to Timothy for us to care for our family.

Though I didn't see it at the time, the progression is clear to me today. And as I've visited Dad in the hospital over the past week, on more than one occasion, as I've been feeding him or making conversation with him, the thought that's crossed my mind is, "This is why I am here and what I'm supposed to be doing." I didn't take notes as I watched my parents, aunts and uncles care for our extended family, but somehow I'm recalling what I observed and applying it in caring for my Dad. It's truly God's work that I can recall what they did, let alone have the grace and patience to apply it. Our motivation is solely out of obedience to what Beth and I feel God has called us to do.

Until God directs otherwise, this is what I'm supposed to be doing right now and it's something God's been preparing me for over most of my lifetime.

Karen celebrates 20!

This week, Karen celebrates 20 years of service at Grace Church. Like many of the behind the scenes staff, her professional training is in areas other than what she's been doing for the past two decades. Her formal training and early career were invested in teaching English in the public school system. But after kids and other twists and turns, God brought her to Grace and plugged her into an accounting role. It's an everything in it's place and a place for everything type of role for Karen in that her personality, strengths and weaknesses are well matched for the role she plays. She looks for the rights and wrongs on financial matters and applies a Scripture-backed above reproach mentality to direct the day-to-day handling of the church's money. In 20 years, you process a lot of purchase approvals and payrolls.

Congratulations Karen on 20 years of service at Grace Church!