REFLECTIONS FROM PASTOR KIMIn early January I had the distinct pleasure of sitting with approximately 30 other clergy persons from across the Iowa Conference, as we met and learned more about Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai. Please find information below which introduces you to our new bishop. I encourage you to consider joining the trip to Ames Collegiate UMC to witness Bishop Kennetha's installation service as representatives of Oakland UMC and the Aldersgate District. Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey! Pastor Kim Kennetha Bigham-Tsai Resident Bishop, Iowa Annual Conference UMC Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai was elected lo the episcopacy by the North Central Jurisdiction in November 2022. She will be the resident bishop of the Iowa Area beginning in January 2023. Before her election lo Iowa, Bishop Bigham-Tsai was the Chief Connectional Ministries Officer for the Connectional Table, which is the visioning body of the United Methodist Church and the steward of resources to carry out that vision worldwide. Before leading the Connectional Table, she served on its board as a member of the Executive Committee and was the chair of its Leadership Discernment and Community Life Committee. She also has served as a General and Jurisdictional conference delegate or alternate since 2012 and, in 2022, was the co-chair of her delegation. While serving in Michigan, Bigham-Tsai was the chair of the Board of Church and Society, and served on the Conference Leadership Team, Board of Ordained Ministry, and Conference Trustees. She has been active in justice issues, serving as a member of Black Methodists for Church Renewal and on the board of Justice for Our Neighbors. Bishop Bigham-Tsai served local congregations in East Lansing and Kalamazoo, Ml, bringing a pastor's heart and strategic visioning to her appointments. She served as a conference district superintendent from 2015 - 2018. Bishop Bigham-Tsai grew up in the Baptist church in Austin, Texas. She is the second oldest of five children in her family, and she credits her mother with helping her learn to preach by teaching her a love for words. After earning a degree in sociology from Harvard University, Bigham-Tsai served in lay ministry with urban youth in the A.M.E. church in Boston and pursued a career in public relations and writing before responding to God's call to professional ministry. She was ordained in The United Methodist Church in 2009. Bishop Bigham-Tsai and her husband, Kee, have been married since 1994 and have two children, Keeton and Kamden, and a German Shepherd named Kylo. They are committed to a ministry of inclusion that begins at home. https://www .iaumc.org/bishopsoffice
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REFLECTIONS FROM PASTOR KIMI'm pretty sure you all know this about me, but toward the end of each year I pray about a word that will guide me into and through the new year. It is absolutely amazing when I look back with 20/20 hindsight how often the word completely fits the way the year played out. My word for 2023 is "Innovate" and I am so excited to know why God has placed that word on my heart! This definition comes from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Innovate- to make changes; do something in a new way; to introduce as or as if new to effect a change in. Innovate can be both a transitive and an intransitive verb. If we remember back to elementary English classes, a transitive verb is one that only makes sense if it exerts its action on an object and an intransitive verb will make sense without one. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV The hardest part of being a person on faith is not knowing, am I right? I mean we try to do all the things, be the example, walk the walk, share Jesus (the list is long), and yet when we come right down to it, it all hinges on faith. While we may be convinced that God walks with us, there are others who have other explanations why things happen. The difference between us and them is our faith. We have belief that God does have plans for us, that God does walk with us, that God's plan is better than our own. Just like those who claim no or different faith, we mess up, often on a regular basis, but yet we know we have never-ending love and eternal life despite our shortcomings. That opens us to be ever mindful of God's voice in our day, to taking time to listen, discern and be creative in God's name and to God's glory. So how will God call me with "innovate" in 2023? I'm not sure, but the word and its meanings are an answer to prayer, so I live secure in the fact that God knows the reason why and how it will work out. Perhaps it is personal; a call to deepen my faith, learning and/or discernment. It could be something that you and I will find out together in our Faith Family. We will have to wait in faith to see. What are you praying for in the new year? Please remember to not just talk, but to listen to God's reply. His voice is filled with peace and wisdom, whether we stand in the dark or the light. Be intentional in asking God His plans for you and how you should respond. God and I are still working on that part, but I have no doubt He'll fill me in eventually! Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim Reflections From Pastor Kim The season of expectation is upon us! It’s the “what” that we are expecting that may be the issue though. We expect joy and songs and parties and gifts and yes, exhaustion. How is it that the season of love, joy, peace and hope becomes the season of chaos? We try, right? We do all that we can to be prepared and plan in advance for guests, travel, family and friends that make the season bright. When we get right down to it, we often find ourselves wrapped up in the secular expectations of the world, instead of the expectations that come with the sacredness of being wrapped up in the peace of connecting deeply with our Savior as we await the celebration of his birth. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” John 14:27 NRSV STEP BACK! We have just spent a season working through characteristics of discipleship and thanks giving. Hopefully we have not forgotten the depth of God’s love that we explored there in the justle and bustle of holidays. Step back and take time. Get out your calendar. Right now!! Schedule in time to spend with God, even if it’s five minutes each day. Schedule in at least one longer period per week, where you have time to rest while you look and listen for God’s response to your prayers. The peace of Christ is like no other. As He says these words He is ensuring the disciples that He is not leaving them alone, but instead is leaving them with an Advocate. We know that Advocate to be the Holy Spirit. Christ is with us in ways and at times we can’t comprehend. He does not leave us in chaos, but instead calls us to experience his peace. My prayer for you is that in this holiday season, you experience that peace. Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim REFLECTIONS FROM PASTOR KIM We are about to embark on an adventure!! I'm sure you are saying to yourself, now Pastor Kim, what is new about November having a focus on Thanksgiving? Well, that in and of itself is not necessarily an adventure, but is rather a reminder to be thankful at all times. Our adventure is going to deepen how we express our thankfulness and the spiritual growth that comes in both giving and receiving. Read Matthew 19:16-30 We will be exploring scripture and practices of giving, receiving and thanks giving. How have traditions in the church and the secular world changed or stayed the same? How do we encourage our faith and our hearts to step out when our minds are calling us to duck and cover? There is so much to explore that a few weeks will only touch the surface. Won't you join us? Let's learn together to lead together in times that seem to never be as certain as we claim the past to be, and in times when division seems the activity of the day, no matter what day it is. Together we can make a change in the world with acts of giving, receiving and thanks giving, reflecting Christ and our faith in our Savior to a world that is hurting for a Savior they have yet to claim. Let's grow as the Church (people, not building) together! See you at church! Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim REFLECTIONS FROM PASTOR KIM Dear Pastor, I've been in the church my whole life. I'm not sure there is anything I don't know. Sincerely, The Rest of Us "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,” Proverbs 1:5 So, let's pretend we DID know everything, Proverbs still advises us to seek guidance, to figure out what all that knowledge means and what to do with it. We just chatted on Sunday, September 18th about how even though we long for perfection, in this lifetime we will never quite reach that goal. What does that mean when it comes to knowledge? There is a phrase that is worded something like 'knowledge is power.' Think on this for a bit. We can know all there is to know, but have we comprehended what we know? Do we understand the things we cram into our brain, or do we just "know" them? Perhaps that's where we all come up short? I know I am certainly guilty of thinking, "Well, I know that!" Know what? Every. Single. Time. I. Say. That. I. Am. Proven. Wrong. Sheesh! See, when I get to thinking I've got the world by the tail and can lay out a plan to solve the problems of that world, God goes, "Hey, Kim! Hold up there a second. What about. .. " UHG! I detest that God knows me better than I know myself! Remember, God knows our laying down and our rising up. God knows our faults that we won't acknowledge and the gifts we won't acknowledge, as well. God is there before our crazy thoughts take hold, and when our pride and our prejudice take over our common sense. God is front and center in walking with us, even when we choose not to seek understanding and God's will, but our own understanding. Unfortunately, the church many of us grew up in does not look the same as it did in the fledgling years of our faith lives, but God is still here. The years that very near the whole community was in church on Sunday morning or at every activity. That doesn't make the church today or tomorrow wrong, it just makes it different, but God is still here. Our communities look different, our lives look different, the expectations of schools and community events looks different. We've also been trying to erect healthy boundaries and expectations, both of ourselves and of others. So much is different! God is still here! Yet, so much is still the same! God is still here! "I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 Do not give up! Different is not bad, it's just different! Together we can seek God's Will for Oakland UMC, the community of Oakland and the surrounding communities. We don't know it all, but together maybe we can learn to understand God's plan for us today and tomorrow. Let hope rise eternal in our hearts, our homes, and our communities. To God be the glory, for God is still here! Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim Reflections from Pastor Kim What. A. Summer did your summer fly by at the speed of warm, and maybe even scorching sunlight? It all went way too fast for me, including my time in Spiritual Renewal. What a gift it was to spend time with family and friends, but most importantly have dedicated, uninterrupted time with God. Before I left I told you I'd give you a synopsis of my experience, so here is just a little sampling of an enormous amount of reflections. It is not complete by any stretch of the imagination, but I will hit just a highlight or two. "O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3 I have so many reflections of my time in silence and solitude, and time in God's Creation. I started out being very intentional, as I am inclined to do. There were books and needle crafts, and scripture readings lined up and a purpose for nearly every moment of my Renewal time. Then I went for my first session with my Spiritual Director and was instructed to put everything away. "WHAT? But, but, how do I spend any time with God," I replied. "With a blank canvas, and open mind and an open heart," came the reply. Huh! I had that immediate pit in my stomach that I had when I felt I hadn't prepared well for a test. I wasn't sure how to do nothing, and though I tried valiantly, and still try to leave some nothing time in each day, I often fail miserably. I was reminded, however, that failure is a lesson of what not to do, so I continue to work on honing the skill. "Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there, if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast." Psalm 139:7-10 What drilled deep into my heart during this time, amongst a few other things which I'll share with you in time, is the never changing, always present love, acceptance, grace, power and glory of God. In order to fully acknowledge that takes time. Time without interruption or distractions. Time to sleep, even at times you would think were not appropriate sleeping times. Time to set all things aside to just be in God's presence. Time to let go. Time to not just give God our list of never-ending whining demands, but to sit in silence with God and listen for that voice to reply to our heart. And when we doubt or wonder, to sit again for confirmation. I hope you'll be with me on this awkward journey through really letting go, and letting God fill our days to the extent that we forget to count the minutes with God, and instead focus on the minutes until we can sit with God again. Be Blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim Luke 11:1-13 Praying with Boldness When I was a child, my prayers were predictably child-like. While I learned from Sunday School to pray for what I needed, my needs at the time were pretty basic and surface level. Eventually, as life began to get more complicated, I outgrew my prayers. But instead of my prayer life growing with me, I just stopped praying altogether. It was a long time before I “re-learned” how to pray and tried again. In fact, I sometimes still struggle at being honest with God about my needs and desires. Perhaps your prayer life is as complicated as mine. As a pastor, I’ve heard from many people over the years that struggle with prayer, especially public prayer. Many of us tremble at the thought of praying in front of people, worried that we might get the words wrong or sound silly. At the same time, we might find that our prayers are not answered in the ways we expected or hoped. In the midst of these complicated dynamics, Jesus instructs to pray with persistence, boldness, and shamelessness, asking specifically for what we need and desire. In this week’s Scripture reading, the disciples ask Jesus for instruction on how to pray. He responds with a version of the Lord’s Prayer: He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ Perhaps the most meaningful line for me is the petition to, “give us each day our daily bread.” With this prayer, we ask God to give us whatever we need to make it through the day, including physical, material needs, but also spiritual bread like patience, forgiveness, and faith. This wonderfully unspecific prayer allows room for the wisdom and love of God to search our hearts for our innermost needs and desires. However, Jesus also proceeds to teach the disciples about the need for specific prayer. He illustrates this point through a story of a man who prays with persistence, boldness, and shamelessness. Driving the point home, the story is followed by some of the most famous words of Jesus: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Jesus tells his disciples that he wants to know exactly what’s on their hearts - all of their perceived needs, desires, heartache, pain, anger, joy, and gratitude. Jesus wants us to recognize him as a best friend, ready and willing to be in conversation, ready and willing to share and participate in our lives. Why would we hold anything back from our most loving, forgiving, and understanding best friend?
Sometimes it's still hard to find the words. That is why one of my newer practices is to write a personal letter to God. You might find that a blank sheet of paper and pen (or word processor) allows the words to flow more freely and honestly. The truth is that prayer can be a vulnerable space that requires a lot of trust. But Jesus’ message is clear: when you pray, pray with child-like faith, ask specifically for whatever you need, pray boldly and without shame, and pray as if you are having an open, honest conversion with your best friend. Blessings, Pastor Mark Johnson Reflections from Pastor Kim—Part 2 of 2 School is out, baseball fields buzz with practices and games, campers are pulled through town on the way to times of rest and relaxation, and most days a jacket is a fleeting thought, at best. It would seem that summer is moving its way into our lives and we are ready! For many, summer is a time of building. Whether it’s an addition to the house, adding some parking room or landscaping, building on what was there before to make spaces available that are a reflection of how they may currently be used, and perhaps even some dreams of what could be in the future. Often you will hear that to build reflects hope and begets a special kind of energy. That does ring true when we think of the things we’ve mentioned above. We can’t wait to see how a new space will enhance our days and our activities. As people of faith we build on what has gone before. We can’t imagine stumbling across the desert for forty years, yet the story of the Israelites is part of the firm foundation on which our faith is built. While we are reading with The Bible Year, we find it hard to understand the violence and death as we read Judges and Kings, or the devastation of the story of Job. Yet it was those stories and those people who take us on a genealogical journey to the New Testament, where in a short recap in Matthew we see the lineage that brings us to the birth of Christ who was foretold in the midst of power struggles and prophecy. In these stories we sometimes have questions about our faith, and yet we find reassurance that others have gone before, walking new paths, both doubting and finding strength and reassurance in God, and building on traditions of those who have gone before. If we are at our best, we build the many areas of our lives with intent. We look at what has been, what is possible and even what we hope and pray will be. If we want to be able to give more money to entities who do amazing things in our communities, we likely have to look through our budget, see where we’ve spent our money in the past, where we are spending our money now and how we would like to spend in the future. We do research, we make a plan, and we put everything we can into making that plan come to fruition. We do the same if we want to add more devotional time to our days, we want to step away from work more fully when we are off the clock, when our kids have a fabulous idea for a vacation, and the list goes on. With intent we explore and we build a plan. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. “ Isaiah 43:19 The Oakland UMC Build Team is currently in the midst of this process. They are looking at building projects of the past, then looking at our current needs and dreaming a bit about the needs for the future of Oakland UMC. They are exploring how to have a strong foundation for future ministry, ministries that are easily accessible to all. They are exploring safety precautions, storage, materials, drainage and so many other details that help in securing a firm foundation and fruitful ministry. In the midst of all this are prayers asking for guidance and a path that clears before them to indicate the Holy Spirit’s leading. Whether we are talking about “repair” (see last months newsletter) or “build” we know that God is faithful to have a plan for Oakland UMC and has ministry for us to carry out in God’s name. When things get crazy and it seems like the wilderness of life is taking over, God makes a way for us to fulfill this call on our lives. God doesn’t guarantee things will always be the same, but instead that God will always go with us into the unknown. Both repairing and building are important steps in our lives and in our activities. As a Faith Family we work together to both repair and build in many contexts. May God’s blessing be upon us as we move through this summer ponder “what ifs,” “how abouts,” and “can you imagines.” May each thought and action give glory to God! Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim Reflections from Pastor Kim—Part 1 of 2 Ahhh, spring! A time of “repair” in so many different ways. There’s cleaning out the gutters from the leftovers of fall, clearing flower beds, and checking soil temps so the seeds we are anxious to plant have the best environment possible for growth and flourishing. As I considered this offering of words, it also brought me to a wondering of what “repair” looks like for Oakland UMC. First, we’ve just come through the season of Lent, Holy Week and the glory of Easter. So we’ve had time to reflect, look at what is moving inside of our faith—the very soul that exists within us. If we are completely honest, we likely have found things that need a bit of a spruce up; cracks that let things in that can destroy our foundation over time; holes in our umbrella of faith which let’s the world around us encroach on our faith; stumbling blocks in our faith journey that can cause us to fall and become battered and bruised; a lack of structure away from ourselves to support us when the ground under our feet shifts. Whatever it is that has this season has made known to our souls, this is the best time to deal with the issues. Now, before time passes and the issues become overwhelming. Then I considered how we repair our physical bodies; braces to support us, new joints, partials or dentures, hearing aids, chiropractic or massage time, and chemo treatments, just to name a few. We run tests, we analyze the creaks and groans, we do the research, get estimates for the repairs and move forward as we are able. If we are true to the thought that we are an instrument of God, we make sure we are always as able as possible to carry our God’s call. We also consider preventative actions so that the issues do not become overwhelming. “Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.” Matthew 4:21 Also coming to mind were our teams who are working to care for the building that houses our worship and other activities, specifically the Repair Team. Our 1909 building has been through over a century of shelter for the OUMC congregation. It has come to a time when there is great need to do an inventory of foundation cracks, roof leaks with internal damage, loosened bricks and the results of those many years of faithful service. Just like our human selves, buildings need repair—some more than others, yet all have that need. Our Repair Team is doing the research and getting the estimates so that we can move forward. Just like the above, we hope for those repairs to not become overwhelming. Jesus sat with the fishermen as they repaired nets. Jesus sits with us as we repair our souls. Jesus sits with us as we walk through our human physical repairs. Jesus sits with us as we look at the condition of the building that houses our Faith Family activities. Jesus sits with us. Jesus sits with you. To God be the glory. Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
Pastor Kim REFLECTIONS FROM PASTOR KIM Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? These are all questions I am asking myself just past the halfway point of Lent. Do any sound familiar to you? Place yourself in all the “I” and “me” spaces. First is WHO – Who has this Lenten season been about? Me and my unending schedule and tired self, or about Jesus and the role He plays in my life, as well as my need to dig deeper into my faith? Who am I in the servant Body of Christ? Who am I as a Child of God? Second is WHAT – What does this season do if not to bring me closer to my Savior, become connected to a deeper understanding of God’s Word in my life, and preparing myself for the Easter morning “Alleluia?” Third is WHERE – Where am I spending my time during each day? Is it in the busy-ness of the world or in the faith-ness of my ever-constant search for deeper faith? Am I letting the schedule of the world overrule the schedule I need to keep for my faith and reliance on God strengthening moments? Fourth is WHEN – When will I learn to focus on the important stuff, and not the pinpricks and irritating grains of sand in life, and instead focus on love of self, neighbor, siblings in Christ, and through that strengthen my love of God, Christ, and Holy Spirit? When will I be strong enough in my faith to leave the familiar behind and instead reach out and grasp the Will of God with both hands, moving into uncharted territory that is anything but familiar? Fifth is WHY – Why do I resist faith-filled abandonment into a life of selfless service and dedication to God who loves me even when I mess up royally? Why, when I unintentionally say words with inflection that breeds misunderstanding, stumble through familiar territory that should be an easy journey, make mistakes that make others wonder if I should be known as a Christian, or any myriad of things, do I feel that I am not worthy of the love of God who offers grace and love despite my societal shortcomings and finger pointing of self-righteous humans? Sixth is HOW – How does my daily life move me closer to the leading of the Holy Spirit in directing my daily steps? How do all the things I’ve mentioned first through fifth come together to give me a better understanding of who I am not by worldly standards, but by God’s standards? How often do I become negligent of my faith because it’s easy or less difficult or boring or overwhelming in ways that just floating through the day is not? “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 12:28 (NRSV) Do you see what happened there? All the things that have the potential to bring me joy in the Lord, I turned into a long to-do list of tests and hoops to be passed and jumped through. The only thing e need is this, “Who am I in the servant Body of Christ? Who am I as a Child of God?” John Wesley would probably remind us at this point in our wondering, that God is a God of prevenient grace – the grace that goes before. God is ready and waiting for us to come to the foot of the throne and rest in that “pre” grace. God sits there with us, offering not just a grace that comes only through Him, but lifts up for our hearts and souls a Savior, who is Christ the King. God offers us innumerable chances to call on Jesus as Savior in our lives. WHO keeps us from calling out? WHAT lets us call out and then worship from afar? WHERE do we let this Savior and this grace be evident in our lives? WHEN will we quit trying to hide our true selves, even though God knows who we were before we were born? WHY do we not witness to a world which so badly needs to see a higher calling on their lives than they currently seek? HOW do we lift up the broken hearted, broken spirited, broken lives people in our midst? If we break it all down, it rests on the foundation of relationship. Relationship with God, ourselves, our neighbor, our world. Being in relationship takes more than one person. That reminds us that we must walk these worn roadways of faith together. Supporting each other in Christian love and coming together in relationship building fellowship. How does the world know what we fail to bring into the light; that God awaits their acknowledgement? May we each spend the remainder of our Lenten season focusing on seeking answers to the questions, not the questions themselves. In the midst of all that we say and do be glorifying to God! Be blessed, be a blessing, and take someone with you on the journey!
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