How are you called?

January 19, 2009

This past Sunday, I preached about how we are all gifted for ministry and called by God to be in service to/with others (you can listen to the sermon here).  I shared my call story and invited everyone to be open to God’s Spirit leading them to recognize and live out their own callings. 

I included in the bulletin the following list of opportunities to be in ministry, hoping to help the congregation discern God leading them in their lives.  May it also spark better understanding for you in your calling!

Possible means of being Gifted and Called by God

 Below is a brainstorming list of ministries within the local church ministry and beyond it, to which God may be calling you to use your spiritual gifts.  Some of these ministries are already in place and you are invited to join them.  Others are opportunities for us, as God calls us, to use our gifts and graces.  May you be open to God’s leading! 

  • Be a part of a vision team for big picture and future direction of the church.
  • Offer coordination for the nursery care on Sunday mornings.
  • Be part of a team to offer lay congregational care – visitation, prayer, phone calls, etc.
  • Join those who prepare the elements for communion and organize servers.
  • Join the hospitality (Shepherd) team for welcoming new people.
  • Be part of the team organized to follow-up with new visitors.
  • Join the website team as we work on a new site – help create content & multi-media.
  • Help to follow up with persons who have not been present in worship to check in.
  • Organize opportunities for people to get connected to our ministries.
  • Connect with the students and staff of the Northwest Kansas Area Technical College.
  • Facilitate a cassette tape and CD ministry for people who cannot attend worship.
  • Help the church with better communication through a newsletter – be the editor!
  • Organize a prayer team and prayer ministries – prayer room, prayer vigil, chapel – etc.
  • Be a Parish Nurse – working to strengthen the health of our congregation.
  • Be the Camp Lakeside coordinator for our congregation – to help students participate.
  • Become a team to actively organize service opportunities in our community – and doing so in connection with other groups: Genesis, other churches, the city, etc.
  • Join to strengthen our ecumenical connection – be the person of contact
  • Organize a spiritual retreat – a Sabbath Retreat
  • Teach and facilitate discipleship classes – Disciple Bible Study, and others
  • Be a part of a fellowship team – organizing sports and recreation opportunities.
  • Take the lead to organize a mission trip – near by or further away.
  • Join to find best options to have projection in our worship space with a screen.
  • Get trained and facilitate equipment within the technology booth.
  • Be a sponsor and/or chaperon for the youth ministries with the directors
  • Be a mentor for a future confirmation class.
  • Join a ministry to strengthen the stewardship (financial, energy, etc.) of our church.
  • Help lead or facilitate in the worship ministries at Good Samaritan & Wheat Ridge – Sunday worship (within the ministerial alliance) or 3rd Thursdays.
  • Be our Disaster Response Coordinator.

 How might God be calling you to use your gifts and graces for others?

Posted in Church Leadership, Goodland United Methodist Church, United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »

Shaylin says her first word!

January 19, 2009

Today, the 19th of January, Shaylin said her first word!!…ok, so maybe she made a special sound, which we interpreted as a word….ok, so maybe it was also in Hebrew!  :)   Yes, Shaylin said her first Hebrew word today, ya`áqöb (it is translated as “Jacob” in English)!  No really, she said it correctly in Hebrew.  We will let you know when she says her first English word too! 

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

New Page – More About Me

January 15, 2009

It is amazing that the most popular page/post of this blog is the one about me (232 views as of Jan 15, 2009).  I guess that is normal.  If I like a site/blog, I usually want to learn about the author…and am often left wishing there was more info.  So, this is my attempt at providing a little more story, background, and juicy details (OK, not really)!

Clergy Family:
Maybe the most unique part of my story is that I am a UM clergyperson, as is my wife, her sister, and the sister’s husband!  Yep.  All four of us (two sisters and their husbands) are UM clergy.  All four of us went to seminary at Saint Paul School of Theology and now serve in the state of Kansas.  Here is a pic from when Shelly was ordained, with all of us together in a row.


Pastoral Journey:
I have been very blessed with some really cool (and very diverse) pastoral placements since 2000.  I first served as the circuit riding pastor (not a horse but a Dodge Stratus) for three small-membership congregations south of the Kansas City Metro area – Parker, Beagle, and Fontana UMCs.  It was a really great first appointment.  The people really took as part of their ministry the raising up of new clergy leaders.  I was blessed!  I lived half of the week in Parker and the other half in Kansas City, MO. 

When I graduated from seminary (with a Master of Divinity degree) I moved to Northeast Philadelphia.  It was culture shock no doubt, but a really cool adventure!  Over the course of the first two years I served as the pastor of two congregations in urban settings with changing neighborhoods (Tabernacle Memorial and Central/Rehoboth UMCs).  I served part-time while attending Princeton Theological Seminary seeking a Master of Theology degree in Biblical Interpretation: New Testament.  (I had thought I might be called to a ministry of teaching in a seminary.)

My third and final year in PA was one where I served and focused my ministry on one congregation – Bristol: Harriman UMC.  It was an opportunity to focus more on my local church ministry and the importance of its context and local community.  I also enjoyed my role within the Conference Committee on Finance and Administration.

In 2006 Shelly and I shared in being placed together in a larger membership church in Olathe, KS.  Yes, we came back to our home state.  We were both Associate Pastors (not main preaching pastors, but had other more specialized ministries).  I served as the pastoral of discipleship and evangelism for Grace UMC of Olathe.  Much of my ministry was that of adult education, helping people get connected, and reaching out with various ministries. 

I hope to provide more information – or change it at times.  Let me know your thoughts!  Dustin

Posted in Church Leadership, Clergy Couples, Family, Kansas, Ministry, Theology | Leave a Comment »

Economic Advisory Committee

January 11, 2009

Six weeks ago, while I was in transit – in the midst of our move at the end of November – I was invited to be a part of the Economic Advisory Committee for the General Council of Finance and Administration of the United Methodist Church.  I had worked with the recently elected General Secretary, Moses Kumar, when he served in Eastern Pennsylvania, and he invited me to be on the committee.  In so many ways I find this a great honor and I am excited about being able to bring a local church perspective to the meetings and visioning of this committee. 

Our first meeting was on December 5th, the Friday before my first weekend at Goodand UMC.  It probably wasn’t the best timing for me, but I enjoyed the work we did and helping connect my new congregation to the larger ministry of the United Methodist Church.  The committee sought to gain a sense of our current economic situation (in the U.S.A. and around the world), while also doing our best to assess what we can expect in the coming months.  A report was crafted; here is a link to it in pdf.  I invite you to read this report.  I was quoted in the report, and would enjoy to hear your thoughts of my comments.

How do you see the current economic situation affecting your ministries?  How might this recession shape or give new focus to your church community?

Posted in Church Leadership, GCFA, United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »

Morning Devotion – 2009-01-12

January 11, 2009

Download Dustin Petz – Morning Devotion

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I’m Back!

January 9, 2009

Hello all!  It has been a little crazy moving this past month, celebrating the Advent and Christmas seasons, getting to know many of my new congregation in Goodland, and trying to get unpacked.  We still have a lot of boxes to go through.  Thanks for everyone who offered us so much care and support in this transition!  We appreciate you!

I look forward to getting back into the flow of blogging and communicating about my ministry, what is going on at Goodland UMC, and sharing my reflections about discipleship on the way!  Sorry for the long break.

Website:  We are working on a new website for the Goodland United Methodist Church, which is in its early stages, but I am hopeful!  I just made it live, so here is a link.  We will get our church’s domain name connected soon.

Radio Spots:  I will begin on Monday, the 12th of January, a new radio ministry – new to me.  On KKCI and KLOE at 6:10am MST each day of the week, I will have a short devotion as part of the Good Neighbor Hour programing.  I have recorded the first week’s sessions, and have plans to connect those recordings to this blog and the church’s new website, so that people can listen to them again or hear ones that they missed. 

Shaylin’s Baptism:  Shaylin was baptized on January 4th by the United Methodist Clergy of her family: Jenny, John, Shelly, and myself.  It was quite a site to see.  I don’t have all the pics ready, but will get them up soon.

Shaylin’s First Christmas:  Don’t you just love this cute pic!

Posted in Church Leadership, Family, Goodland United Methodist Church, Kansas, Ministry | Leave a Comment »

Giving God Thanks!

November 27, 2008

It is with great thanks to God and those around me that I post today!  We (my family and I) are truly blessed.  This past year has been a one of much chaos and great blessing and so I take this time to reflect and say thanks. 

We were blessed with the birth of an amazing little girl, who continues to be healthy and a joy – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have great family who support us, challenges us, and love us – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have had a great journey with Grace UMC these past 2.5 years – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to begin now a new journey with Goodland UMC – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have had a great home in Olathe, and now a great parsonage in Goodland – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have Shelly graduate from Drew with her D.Min. degree – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have such great relationships with our clergy peers throughout Kansas and to be connected in so many different ways – thanks be to God!  We are blessed to have ministries where we can grow our walk with God and deepen our understanding of what we are called to do and be and pastoral leaders – thanks be to God! 

We are blessed.  Thanks be to God.  Thanks be to those who shape and form our lives.

For what do you give thanks?

Posted in Family, Ministry | 4 Comments »

Grace to Goodland – 6 of 6

November 14, 2008

Today I offer my final reflection in this cycle where I have sought to name my grief and hope in this transition.  I actually need to get packing (not a figure of speech, but literally!), so I may have only a few posts for a few weeks.  First, here is our schedule:

  • Last worship services at Grace (all five) – Nov 22 & 23
  • Loading our stuff onto the truck – Nov 24
  • Unload in Goodland – Nov 26
  • See family for Thanksgiving – Nov 29-30
  • Start at Goodland – Dec 1

One of my joys (along with being able to teach classes as part of the Lay Academy, organize the Lay Academy, work on the new website, and learn more about ministry and visioning in a large church) has been working on the Site Planning & Expansion Task Force.  Since I arrived in 2006 we have been looking at and reflecting on our current space and the ministry to which God is calling Grace.  It has been a joy to help bring together statistical data to describe and illuminate our situation.  It has been a joy to hear of people’s visions for ministries. 

I see Grace moving forward in a building project within a few years, if not in the coming year.  I have been able to learn about and work through the capital campaign and initial drawings of the space we seek.  My grief is that I won’t have the blessing of learning and helping to lead through the whole process.  I am a guy who likes numbers, visioning, imagining spaces, conceiving of ways to bring transformation to people’s lives, …oh and blueprints!  Especially blueprints!  I will miss the difficulties and joys of seeing this possible project through and then helping Grace reach out in ministry and discipleship with this new tool.  Blessings on the team who has been working on this for these past years. 

Who knows, maybe building space for ministry is still in my future!

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Grace to Goodland – 5 of 6

November 13, 2008

Today’s reflection is one of joy for being in Goodland, KS …in two weeks!  I love Western KS.  I love the open spaces.  I love the wheat fields.  I love the general tenor of the people that live there.  They are my people!  I am excited about being in the smaller community and going to the local sports events.  I look forward to maybe participating in harvest – I used to drive a combine during harvest you know (an 860 Massey-Ferguson with a 30′ header)!  I look forward to living closer to my extended family – my mother’s side from Cheyenne County, my wife’s father’s family in McDonald, and even my family in 2-3 hours away in Hays, McCracken, and Russell.  Finally, I am excited to live closer to the Rockies (this is the joy that many people of Olathe highlight for us!).

Posted in Church Leadership, Family, Kansas, Ministry | Leave a Comment »

Claim the Name 2.0

November 12, 2008

I am excited that Shelly is in Nashville for a few days meeting with people of the United Methodist Publishing House regarding their new confirmation curriculum. This is a great opportunity for Shelly and I hope one that is bringing and will bring her much joy! Shelly loves to write. She loves to help young people connect with their faith – ask questions, explore the tradition, and connect with the larger body of Christ. I am so proud that she is connected to this new curriculum journey.

Posted in Church Leadership, Family, Ministry | Leave a Comment »

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