ErcPreach
07-15-2007, 06:26 PM
Hey folks! I'm thankful to God for the opportunity to be with people who hold worship in such high esteem, because I believe that is absolutely the first thing God calls us to do (e.g. The Ten Commandments, etc.) It's there - the only thing we get to do on earth that we'll get to do in heaven.
Now about me - I guess I"m somewhat of a speckled bird, because I have a hunch that probably most of you guys are young and involved in a worship/praise team, etc. I'm not so young. I turned 68 this past week, but I don't feel that old inside, even though if you saw me, you'd probably say, "Who is that old geezer?".
How old am I? Well, put it this way - througha quirk of the appointment system in the UMC (South Georgia), I ended up retiring from ministry last year. Ha! I retired on MOnday and accept a so-called "retired" appointment on Wednesday. The only thing retired about me is the salary:). I was appointed to a "renewal church" who had been part of the Holy Spirit renewal from the git-go, but the conference decided to send some folks who were not in tune with the flow, and some bad things took place.
This little ole church doesn't use hymnals (overhead - we're technologically challenged at this time), nor a choir. We have a fair-to-middling praise/worship team and the congregation doesn't care how long the service lasts as long as the Spirit is moving. When I took this church, I felt like, "Please b'rer fox, don't throw me in that briar patch!" PTL.
Before I was in ministry, I was a high school band director and played just about every wind instrument and participated in dance bands, symphonies, ice shows, circuses, you name it - then the HS began to meddle with me, and I ended up in ministry in the UMC, graduating in 1975, probably before most of you wore born. I had been a traditional choir director while I was band directing, but thanks to the HS and FGBMI I began to see a mind-boggling difference between the performances of most choirs and real worship. "Nuf" said about yours truly.
My heart is in minsitry - pastoral and worship. We're having a Life in the Spirit Seminar in September from Aldersgate Renewal and hopefully follow up with a Worship in Spirit and in Truth Seminar from the same group. I just want to make sure that we're all on the same page as far as worship goes.
I'll put my two cents worth in every now and then when I think I can put something in that makes sense and ministers life. But most of the time, I'll just be in the background.
By the way, I'm in ministry for the durartion until my brain turns to mush or I get so feeble I can't walk up to the pulpit. Does the Bible say anything about retirement? I prefer to think "re-fire-ment", amen?
O by the way, my name is Eric Sizemore and I pastor Grace UMC in Tifton, GA. Thanks for tolerating my ramblings!
ErcPreach
Now about me - I guess I"m somewhat of a speckled bird, because I have a hunch that probably most of you guys are young and involved in a worship/praise team, etc. I'm not so young. I turned 68 this past week, but I don't feel that old inside, even though if you saw me, you'd probably say, "Who is that old geezer?".
How old am I? Well, put it this way - througha quirk of the appointment system in the UMC (South Georgia), I ended up retiring from ministry last year. Ha! I retired on MOnday and accept a so-called "retired" appointment on Wednesday. The only thing retired about me is the salary:). I was appointed to a "renewal church" who had been part of the Holy Spirit renewal from the git-go, but the conference decided to send some folks who were not in tune with the flow, and some bad things took place.
This little ole church doesn't use hymnals (overhead - we're technologically challenged at this time), nor a choir. We have a fair-to-middling praise/worship team and the congregation doesn't care how long the service lasts as long as the Spirit is moving. When I took this church, I felt like, "Please b'rer fox, don't throw me in that briar patch!" PTL.
Before I was in ministry, I was a high school band director and played just about every wind instrument and participated in dance bands, symphonies, ice shows, circuses, you name it - then the HS began to meddle with me, and I ended up in ministry in the UMC, graduating in 1975, probably before most of you wore born. I had been a traditional choir director while I was band directing, but thanks to the HS and FGBMI I began to see a mind-boggling difference between the performances of most choirs and real worship. "Nuf" said about yours truly.
My heart is in minsitry - pastoral and worship. We're having a Life in the Spirit Seminar in September from Aldersgate Renewal and hopefully follow up with a Worship in Spirit and in Truth Seminar from the same group. I just want to make sure that we're all on the same page as far as worship goes.
I'll put my two cents worth in every now and then when I think I can put something in that makes sense and ministers life. But most of the time, I'll just be in the background.
By the way, I'm in ministry for the durartion until my brain turns to mush or I get so feeble I can't walk up to the pulpit. Does the Bible say anything about retirement? I prefer to think "re-fire-ment", amen?
O by the way, my name is Eric Sizemore and I pastor Grace UMC in Tifton, GA. Thanks for tolerating my ramblings!
ErcPreach