My Refreshing Summer Plans: Ordination, Conferences, Sabbatical.

May 17, 2012 — Adam Rumball

I want you to know some of my summer plans. I hope, pray and work towards the realization of these goals. Please pray and encourage my pilgrimmage! :)
Ordination:
I need to finish my Ordination Paper. This is a written statement of what I believe about major categories of theology. It is a requirement for ordination as a Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Pastor (FEB)Pastor. Ordination, to me, is a really special process of the local church blessing me with the subjective affirmation of being a called and competent minister as well as a legal credential from our religious order for acting as an agent of the Ontario government during weddings. Once the paper is done, a council will evaluate me on everything and hopefully set a date for an Ordination Service in late June. I have seen a few ordination services in the last years and they are special events! Once I have a date, I will invite you to celebrate God’s goodness at HPBC! Please pray for the meaningful culmination of this beautiful and challenging process. :)
Conferences:
Moody Pastor’s Conference at Chicago’s Moddy Bible Institue: May 21 – May 24.
Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Pastor’s Conference at Muskoka Bible Conference: June 11 – June 14
July Sabbatical/Restorative Vacation:
I plan to take all of July off as restorative vacation. I want to be ready to rumble for the challenges and opportunities of the new fall ministry season. I am brian storming and planning for destinations. I’ll gratefully accept any travel tips and recommendations. People have suggested a train tour of Europe, Canadian costal cottages, African adventure, etc. My Sunday morning preaching responsibilities can be fulfilled from our church leadership, a partner church and/or FEB friends. The goal is to rest, reflect, gather my thoughts and feelings. It has been a very active 12 years of ministry. The last four years of my life have presented unique ministry and personal life challenges. I am grateful to God for every one of the experiences he has allowed me so far, yet they have taken a toll on my heart and head! Sometimes my emotions and energy are not where I want them to be! I am tired and want to refresh and heal so I can keep loving God and serving people well! A sabbatical of one month allows me to temporarily disengage from normal surroundings in order to rest, heal, grieve, refresh, reload, resharpen my passion. I want to recharge my battery in order that I can return ready to rock in September! Leaders who last take time off to recharge their battery! I want to be a leader who lasts!
This summer, I look forward with hope to my Ordination, Conferences and a Sabbatical so I am ready to embrace my role in the exciting stuff God has planned for many people during this coming fall ministry season in the Parkdale-High Park neighbourhoods and the precious city of Toronto! :)
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My Mother’s Day Sermon: 4 Verses on the Motherly Love of God the Father.

May 17, 2012 — Adam Rumball

Our Father God relates to his people like a good mother relates to her children.

During personal distress of work changes, moving house, relational conflict, physical and mental illness it is comforting to know that God the Father (Matthew 6) will soothe our souls with his love, as a mother nurses and protects her children.  Mother’s can relate to this imagery.  The Bible uses the analogy of motherhood to describe God the Father’s love for us during distress so we learn about the character of God and motherhood.

Here are 4 passages that I shared with the church on Mother’s Day:

  1. Psalm 131:2. David’s soul was like a weened child in prayer relationship with God.
  2. Isaiah 66:7-12. God promises the hope of satisfying abundance for his distressed people like a child who is nursed, carried n Mom’s hip and bounced on her knee. Read the imagery of verse 11-12!
  3. Matthew 23:37-39. Jesus longs to protect and shelter God’s people, as a mother hen gather’s her chicks.  Now Jesus is not a hen, but it is an analogy of God’s the Father’s motherly heart through the ministry of God the Son.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:7. God’s ministry to the church, through the Apostle Paul, was like the motherly gentleness of a nursing mother. In verse 11-12 of the same chapter, Paul’s ministry is balanced by the characterization of fatherly guidance.

On Mother’s Day, my Mom was present for the sermon and we went out for brunch at a nostalgic restaurant.  In both settings, I was grateful to have the opportunity to thank my Mom for her love over the years. She has given me the experiences over time that enables me to better understand this side of God’s character.  Good mothers glorify God’s character in words and deeds! Thanks for your comfort over the years Mom. :)

If you are reading this and wonder whether God’s arms of love are open for you to receive his love, then you need only to look to Jesus on the cross.  There he spread his arms wide for all to see that God’s love is available to any who come to him and seek refuge there. He quiets the greatest distress of sin’s guilt through making an atoning sacrifice for us.  What a comfort to know he died and rose again for me.  Jesus’ arms are open wide for us.  Will we find solace there?  I hope and pray that the motherly love of God the Father becomes a deep comfort to your soul during your distress.

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