Rochester has been good to us...

This is our last Sunday at Calvary E. Free church here in Rochester.  It has been a wild ride for the past 7 1/2 years and the ride has been a blast.  It is so hard to leave.  Many tears have fell from my face both private and public.  As I have told my own kids on more than one occasion, sometimes it is hard to follow Jesus when he asks you to make a big change.  Especially when you have so many close friends in the place you are being called away from.  So, today is going to be difficult.  This whole last week has been difficult and in a way, paralyzing.  I have so many goodbyes to say that I have not really said any.  So if you are wondering why is Darin so silent....that is why.  I don't do well with goodbyes and emotions other than happy.

So, thanks for all the love and support for me and my family.  But also remember that we are called not to be comfortable and enjoy life but we were called to enjoy God and to make disciples.  We are here for only a short time and that time is getting shorter as we live it.  The world needs disciple makers.  So pray for the Brown's as we drive out of town on Tuesday.  Pray for Harvest Community Church as they do their best to receive us from our journey.  Pray for Calvary as they grow into the next phase of ministry.  Pray for your own families that you will become the disciples you are supposed to be so you can go and make disciples.

unable to accept your refusal

Digging through my files I found this little treasure.  I am not sure who sent it to me originally but I do know that I cannot take credit for the idea, though I do think it is really funny and if you choose to use it please tell me what response you get.

Dear[Interviewer's Name]:
Thank you for your letter of [Date of Interview]. After careful
consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your
refusal to offer me employment with your firm. This year I have been particularly
fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters.
With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for
me to accept all refusals.

Despite [Firm's Name]'s outstanding qualifications and previous experience
in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet with my
needs at this time. Therefore, I will initiate employment with your firm
immediately following graduation. I look forward to seeing you then.
Best of luck in rejecting future candidates.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Yep, it is really happening....

For those of you from Calvary here in Rochester who missed church yesterday or if you are from out of town here is the story I read (Yes, I read it because I was sure I would choke if I just told the story) yesterday in the services.  I actually made it to the end in the second service but choked in the first.  Please be praying for our family (emotions, finances, housing, transition, finances, ending well, oh, and finances) as we move down this road that is sure to be difficult.  Thanks  --  Darin

The letter:

Many of you know that when I came here back in 2007 I came here a little bit damaged from my previous church experience.  It was not a healthy situation and it actually made me question my calling into ministry but Calvary has been an incredible place of healing and restoration.  I remember one of the statements that Dave Genberg said to me after one of my first staff meetings.  He said, “Calvary is and has been a pastor making type of church.”  He was right.  Through all the many transitions we have gone through this has been a great place to heal and to grow.

About three years ago someone from back in Washington asked me what it would take to get me to move back to the area.  I told them I was in a healthy church and knowing most of the churches in the area there in Washington I knew none could provide the health I needed and was getting here at Calvary.  I did say that if one particular friend who was planting a church in the area called I would consider it because of what he was doing and how he was doing it.

On April 30^th I got an unexpected phone call from this friend who was planting the church that is now 5 years old and looking for a youth and family pastor.  This phone call was very disruptive to say the least.  I was not looking for any changes especially after the other transitions happening here at Calvary.  He proceeded to fill me in on what they were doing and what they were looking for and asked if I was interested in it at all.  I asked him why he was calling me.  We had not really communicated at all since moving here but for a few short interactions on social networks.

He said that after looking at all the resumes he had received he was not really impressed with any of them and then felt like the Lord put my name on his heart to call.  So he called, then he came out to visit.  After he visited here I spent some time up at Camp Victory to process and pray.  Then after that short visit to camp I decided to move forward in the process to see where the Lord was leading.   Shortly after this my whole family was flown out to Washington for a visit to see if this was going to be a fit.  We were there for a fast weekend, met the leaders, the families and some old friends who now attend this church.  There is a great need for a shepherd to lead them as they strive to help equip families to make disciples. 

So, to make a long story short after much prayer, tears, loss of appetite, sleepless nights and stressful days I have decided to accept the position at Harvest Community Church in Selah, WA and will be leaving Calvary at the end of the summer.

  

So, thank you for allowing me to heal and grow and serve as your high school pastor for the last 7 years.  It has been my pleasure to serve you and your families.  Thank you so much for your support and prayers.  I only ask that you continue to pray for me and my family as we go through a difficult transition this summer.

MOMENTUM>>>>>>

Ever felt like you were so far stuck in a pattern of sin and disobedience that it seems impossible to get out of it?

Ever feel like there is just too much and it is just not worth the effort to change?

Ever feel like it is just to hard to follow all the rules all the time?

Ever feel like the pattern that you are stuck in has so much momentum that you just can't pull out of it?

Come this Wednesday to midweek at Calvary E. Free and see what you can do about it....

Am I invisible?

So, do I have anything worth saying that anyone else would want to read?  That is a good question and one worth pondering.  I remember hearing Bill Hybels say once, and I will have to paraphrase cause I am not good at word for word quoting, that as a leader you should be able to learn something from anyone.  I tend to agree.  If you spend enough time with someone and you are asking the right questions you can learn something from anyone.

I remember spending time at a shelter for the homeless or struggling and I gleaned so much wisdom from the people that were there.  It may have come from an angry at the world person or a genuine heart of "help me I made some mistakes" but it was refreshing and real.  I can remember learning from children, from teens, from the sick as well as the educated (sometimes the over educated).  You don't have to have a piece of paper hanging on your wall to have permission to pass on wisdom from the things you learn as you walk through life.  You and I are not invisible.  Though it may seem like it at times.  Always remember that Jesus sees you, he notices you, he loves you and he cares for you.  He is interested in what you have to say.

So, Do I have anything to say that may be worth hearing?  Probably.  It may not be what you were looking for but if you have enough patience you could learn from a cricket I suppose.

Tomorrow night we will kick off a series called "The Invisibles" for our midweek program at Calvary.  Come and give us your 2 cents worth.

Get educated on how to search Google better.

What are you thankful for this year?

This year at thanksgiving around the table I asked my kids to come up with two things that they were thankful for.  One had to be about God and the other could be whatever.  My boys both said, "I am thankful that Jesus saved my sins and for my family",  and my daughter said, "I am thankful That God made me and the Bible."  What did your family say?

Comment below....