This June marks the end of my third year of service at Monticello First United Methodist! The North Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church met last week (June 12 -14) in Athens. I have been reappointed here for what will be my fourth year with you. I have to admit that the time seems to have flown by much more quickly than I was aware of. I had planned to be well into a full retirement by now. As most of you already know, I had not ever planned on being the minister at Monticello First United Methodist Church. The way that this appointment came about was not of my doing. I do remember Psalm 19:21, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless, the Lord’s counsel,
that will stand.” (NKJV) Apparently God still had some use for me: age and long, long service not withstanding.

            My experience here has been mostly wonderful and enjoyable. I did not especially enjoy our season of dissent about disaffiliation. However, that question was dealt with and is now in the past. My chief goal upon appointment here was to strive to bring people together and attempt to try to put Monticello First UMC on an upward trajectory. I hope that some of this has been accomplished. I freely admit that I cannot accomplish what I hope to see happen in our church by myself. However, I am also keenly aware that Church is not all about me. What is needed from all our membership is a commitment to the Lord and to the church. I hope that each of us will do what we can to move our church forward.

            This church is blessed to have staff that works diligently for the church and the Lord. Gail, Joneen, Sam and myself, are very devoted to the Lord and to Monticello First UMC. There is much love, prayer, thought and effort put into everything we do. We need the help of all our  members and regular attendees, as we work to carry on the work of the Lord. We are also blessed to have a Leadership Council that works faithfully and diligently to carry out the work of the Lord. Serving in a leadership position in the church, large or small church, is often a difficult and thankless task. Thanks to the staff and the Leadership Council for all the efforts to carry on the life of our beloved Church.

            One of the advantages of serving a church for multiple years is that I now know you and you know me. I love each of you and this church. One of the questions I am sometimes asked is, “How long do you plan on being here?” That is a difficult question to give a definite answer to for numerous reasons which I am not going to enumerate. However, four years may well be enough years of service for me. I often think that this church would be better off with younger and more effective leadership. To this point I have been able to serve the church to the best of my ability, however, nothing lasts forever. There are two constants in human life; God loves us and everything changes.

            I hope that you enjoy the rest of this summer. Remember our Tailgate Service & cookout on August 10th at 6:00 pm to kick off the School Year. It will fly by and fall will come. Remember that our individual church groups will not meet again until after Labor Day, however Sunday morning worship is still ongoing. It is truly not the same when you are not here.

 

Grace and Peace, Ben