You are faint-hearted from sufferings of serving the Lord (Ephesians 3:13).

The darkness of doubt closes in on your emotions.

You feel powerless to change circumstances.

How do you pray for strength? Here is the POP method I invented.

1. Pick it. Select a passage on prayer or a topic you are experiencing.  You can find these using the tools found in the back of most translations or from experience with previous readings that you have recorded.  For example, look at a passage I preached on recently: Ephesians 3:14-21 copied below from the English Standard Version.
2. Observe it. Read it with an eye for attributes of the Triune God (Father, Son, Spirit) and the promises in the passages.
3. Pray it. Ask that those promises become actualized and those attributes are recognized in your life.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength (Ephesians 3:14-21)

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What response does that beautiful prayer evoke from your soul?

Here are some responses of mine.  Please pray them for me too, in support of God’s work in me and others.

• Heavenly Father, I know you hear me as I kneel and pray.
• Heavenly Father, help me comprehend of the expansive love of Christ, which is like an ocean, enveloping me.
• Christ, teach me your love for me so that your way of love can overflow from my heart.
• Holy Spirit, fill me and empower me.
• Heavenly Father, strengthen me by the Holy Spirit, in my inner being because this is consistent with your rich glory.
• Heavenly Father, root me and ground me in Christ’s love so I can be filled to your fullness of character.
• Heavenly Father, I believe that you are abundantly able to do more than we can ask, dream, think, plan or imagine.
• Heavenly Father, use Christ in me as an instrument of your glory in the church for generations.
• Triune God, give me spiritual strength to know your love and power at work in me when I am discouraged, faint-hearted, doubting or powerless.

Next time you need spiritual strength POP a passage on prayer, like Ephesians 3:14-21!

Related articles

• Here’s a Prayer That Will Change Your Day – Ephesians 3:16-21 (dianneguthmuller.com)
• Women in the Word Wednesday ~ Ephesians week 2 (bonesinmyheart.wordpress.com)
• Praying through Ephesians 3 (veritasmizzou.wordpress.com)
• Praying “Enough” (beamuses.com)

This past Sunday I talked about “calling”.  In Christianity, the word is used often, but requires definition.  The root word is the same root as voice.  We get vocation from the root word. I define a calling as a distinct and personal divine invitation to redemptive faith action that couldn’t be clearer if it was a text message or phone call.  I asked the congregation if they have discerned what God was calling them to do?  I explained the Apostle Paul’s calling to reveal the mystery of God in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached Gentiles. Read about it in Ephesians 3:1-2 & 7-10.  One piece of supporting material I used was from John Polhill‘s chapter in Preparing for Christian Ministry called “Towards a Biblical View of Call”.  It it he lists 6 types of call after the general call to salvation.

The Call: Some Biblical Examples – by John Polhill

1. The Dramatic Call: Exodus 3:1-6, Isaiah 6:1-8, Ezekiel 1, Acts 22:6-21, Luke 1:26-38
2. The Reluctant Call: Jeremiah 20:7-10, 14-18, Jonah, Exodus 4:1-17, Isaiah 6:6-7, 1 Corinthians 15:9-11, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
3. The Family-Influenced Call: 1 Samuel 1-3, Luke 1:5-23 & 67-80; Mark 3:21, John 7:5
4. The Community Call: 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:5, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 & 14:32
5. The Redefined Call: Acts 6:1-6
6. The Misdirected Call: Mark 5:1-20

Do you know what God is calling you to do?  When he invites you to join him, go for it.  Jesus said, “Follow Me!” first salvation and then into ministry.  I hope you hear his voice invite you to join him in a special role of redemptive action.  May you experience joy and fruitfulness in your calling.  May God use you as a custom made tool in his kingdom work.

• What is your calling?
• How did/will you discern it?
• Has it developed over time?
• Have you ever prayed, asking God to call you into ministry?
• Ask someone about your calling!

Related articles

• A Call to Ministry (hillsbiblechurch.org)
• My Top 10 personal devotional themes with Bible verses from 2011 plus a prayer verse for 2012. (adamrumball.com)

What are the new opportunities at High Park?

Well, recent facts from my workplace circumstances have the potential to impact this city of Toronto and local neighbourhoods of Parkdale-High Park for generations and on into eternity. It is an exciting time to be a leader seeking to move people onto God’s agenda!

Please read, share, pray and advocate.  Thank you.

HPBC’s Mandate to Prayerfully Explore All Future Vision Possibilities.

Related articles

• 1 Mission, 4 Values, 15 Goals: Laying our strategic plan tracks at High Park Baptist Church (adamrumball.com)

Jan 14 Toronto Star Article: http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/nfl/article/1115341–denver-broncos-tim-tebow-inspires-toronto-pastor

15 Things I like about Tebow: http://adamrumball.com/2012/01/11/15-things-i-like-about-tim-tebow-ideas-for-torontonians-about-faith-life-workplace-and-celebrities/

Jan 15th Tebow Talk: http://www.highparkbaptist.org/?p=1173

Mentions:

India Times: http://oneclick.indiatimes.com/article/03XB87k80ze4c

Black Christian News: http://www.blackchristiannews.com/canada/2012/01/toronto-pastor-inspired-by-tim-tebow-will-preach-courage-challenge-on-sunday.html

Here are some conversation starters worth exploring with colleagues:

• Does your worldview impact your workplace? Should it?
• Where are the boundaries between public life and private belief?
• How important is value integrity and tolerance at work?
• Where is the obnoxious or annoying line at work?
• What does religious discrimination look like in your workplace?

Torontonians may feel too sophisticated to learn anything from the cliche of a religious sports celebrity.  However, Tim Tebow has used recent fame to draw attention to his faith and that raises important issues for all of us about the role of worldview in the workplace.  Gaga is against bullying.  Tebow is for prayer.  What are you for?

I like Tim Tebow.

It may be because I am a Christian leader with football background, but I think there is more to it then just surface affiliation.  I listed 15 ways that I like how Tim Tebow makes us think about the place of faith life realm of workplace.

15 Things I like about Tim Tebow:

1. His faith impacts his job performance.  Love him or hate him, what he believes matters to how he works!

2. He thanks his mother for not aborting him.  Abortion is a touchy subject, but he has a personal position.

3. He leverages the opportunity present by secular media for redemptive purposes today. Obnoxious or opportunist.

4. He harnesses the team to get results (game wins) despite being young and unorthodox for his position.

5.  He talks about finding joy in the journey of everyday life, not just the destination he hopes for. He knows why he is here.

6.  He is confident is his personal relationship with Jesus Christ and let’s the social consequences of annoying people or coming across as obnoxious be what they may!  This might be at the heart of the matter.  He is not ashamed of the Gospel of God.

7.  He is a physically strong person with skills and courage.

8.  He is an athlete who honours the name “Jesus Christ” instead of using it as a swear word.

My Tebow "Te-bow" after playing touch football with U of Toronto Athletes In Action at King's College Circle.

9.  He prays in public, and I assume privately too.

10.  He handles criticisms from colleagues and clowns with dignity.

11.  He wins the trust of management, fans and teammates through strong effort.

12.  He puts Bible verses on his face paint at U o Florida. (ex. Phil 4:13, John 3:16)

13.  He is dating a beautiful girl with self-control.

14. He remembers where he came from.

15.  He knows where he is going.

Celebrity Christians

Good examples are powerful, yet there is something off track about using celebrities to sell Christianity as cool.  That is not what I am doing above.  What I am doing is getting you thinking about issues in your life precipitated by current events.  You should become a Christian because you want to follow Jesus as your Leader and Redeemer, not because of celebrity product placement.  However, we all need human examples to interact with, be they in our family, friends, neighbourhoods or professional football games.

For more on strategies for living faith in a sports context, read these sites.

www.athletesinaction.com – Athletes In Action

www.fca.org – Fellowship of Christian Athletes

80+ players praying on the field after Queens U vs U of Toronto!

Related articles

• My thoughts on Tim Tebow (shawnmwilson.com)
• Tim Tebow makes lukewarm Christians feel bad via UsneakydevilU (pumabydesign001.com)
• An Atheist Who Supports Tim Tebow (patheos.com)
• My Problem With Tim Tebow. ~ Jeff Fulmer (elephantjournal.com)
• Tim Tebow’s 316 yards inspire ‘John 3:16′ searches (bayintegratedmarketing.wordpress.com)
• Tim Tebow Got a $250,000 Bonus for Beating the Steelers (celebritynetworth.com)
• Why I Love Tim Tebow (yeldaba.wordpress.com)
• One Christian Blogger’s confession: I’m Embarrassed by Tim Tebow (rabbittrails.net)
• 15 Things I like about Tim Tebow: Ideas for Torontonians about faith life, workplace and celebrities. (adamrumball.com)
• Tebow Time: 10 Thoughts and a Cloud of Dust. (Nathan Busenitz on Jan 12)

We Negotiate agreements in many areas: family schedules, budget allocation, service contracts, work project triangles, neighbourly needs, dating developments, job descriptions, organizational mergers, social jusctice activism and property sales.

As leaders, we need to negotiate agreements with integrity and tolerance in order to have better relationships and results.

I suggest that you read or re-read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.

Here is the skeleton of their method:

1. Seperate People from Problems.

2. Focus on Interests, Not Positions.

3. Invent Options for Mutual Gain.

4.  Insist on using Objective Criteria.

I appreciate the tables, diagrams and stories they use too.

Here are my keys to integrity and tolerance in negotiating a winning deal.  I have collected these after my years of good and bad experience in negotiating deals and navigating change:

1. Clarity: Knowing what is important to you and why.  Know your “deal breakers”.  Have a perspective.

2. Diversity: Consider that what is important to you may not be important to others. Compassion assertiveness.

3. Ecology: Accept the reality of finite resources for wise stewardship (time, energy, money, language and knowledge).

I hope this post helps you and yours to negotiate agreements with integrity and tolerance in order to have better relationships and results.

Related articles

• 3 Things I Learned from “Getting to Yes” by Fisher & Ury (fictionfromthefuture.wordpress.com)
• How do I negotiate a better salary? (career-advice.monster.co.uk)
• Negotiating Skills (morenewsfromafar.wordpress.com)
• Tuesday’s Tip: Five Cloud/SaaS Contract Negotiation Tips For 2012 (forbes.com)
• The Top M&A Fallacies to Avoid Deceptions (joyante.wordpress.com)

I know what it feels like to be anxious – ex. heart rate goes up and I talk too much or too soon.  I know what it feels like to have God’s peace – ex. heart rate goes down, I listen patiently and speak wisely.  I prefer the later, but I learn the hard way.  I know how to worry myself sick.  I experienced ‘panic attacks’ in the past. I know more now about how to practice the peace of God.  I have have had ‘waves of peace’ in the past and present.

Here are some principles and passages that make a difference for me, if or when I practice them in my faith life. I hope they help you and yours to secure a state of God’s peace next time anxiety flares up.  Here is some perspective.

6 Leadership Lessons on securing God’s peace during my anxious moods:

1. Working definition of ”God’s Peace” is a state of wholeness and rest resulting from an active trust in the character of the Triune God revealed in the Bible.

2  Turning my “problem list” into a “prayer list” helps.

3. Working on God’s priorities for today always beats worrying about my problems with tomorrow.

4. God’s Peace is the presence of the Lord, not simply the absence of distress.  ex – Loving Enemies.

5. If anxiety is a fruit of fear, then peace is a fruit of faith.

6. Personal preparation is the key to performance in the moment.

*Read the points underneath the passages for additional detailed.

Here are 4 Bible passages that have helped me experience the secure Peace of God in place of anxious, fearful and low-faith times.

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 26:3-4:

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Philippians 4:4-9:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Matthew 6:25-34:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Next time you get anxious, I hope you experience God’s peace.  Try these ideas for practicing faith in Jesus:

1.  Praying your problems to your Provider of Peace (Phil 4:7-8 & Matt 6). Make a list of your worries and petition God for help!

2.  Practice the Father God’s Kingdom principles in the present (Phil 4:6 & Matt 6:33-34). Do what he asks today!

3.  Ponder the pleasant and positive things of God (Phil 4:8, Matthew 6:26-32b). Mediate on special/Biblical and general/natural revelation!

4.  Pick “Peace of God” people to imitate (Phil 4:9). Interview or read biographies of peace who show peace with God!

Here is a special resource for Pastors like me:

“Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What” by Peter L. Steinke

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 7,200 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Lake Scugog, Christmas 2011. Scenic views of nature help me reflect on biblical ideas for my life.

Christmas and New Years week is a natural time for looking back and reflecting on 2011 as well as projecting and planning for 2012.  It feels like our lives come under the microscope of analysis as we do things like see family and friends at reunions, read and make “top ten” lists and/or resolutions.  At this time of year, we naturally evaluate how we used the 365 days and what look for gems of what profited us in our most valued relationships.  For me 2011 was an especially steep and taxing year of growth and learning through tests and trials.  I know I will learn a lot in 2012 as well, but I hope for a smoother road and protective grace to buffer my heart and mind.  I’m an ironic mix of tired and enthusiastic these days.  I hope and pray that 2012 to be my best year ever, personally and professionally.  You probably do too.  So, in order to fuel your seasonal reflection, here are some Bible verses that God has used this past year of 2011 to set me in the right direction of heart and mind for a fruitful 2012!  Perhaps you might want to look at this list as you plan 2012.  Perhaps you have some key verses from 2011 to share in the comment section.  Maybe you want to memorize one of these for 2012.

In 2011, God used these verses to teach me about my calling:

1. Contentment:

Philippians 3:8 - Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

1 Timothy 6:6 - But godliness with contentment is great gain,..

2.  Effectiveness:

John 15:5 - I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Micah 6:8 - He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

3. Opposition:

Hebrews 12:3 – Consider him (Jesus Christ) who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

4. Interpersonal Attitudes:

Colossians 3:12-13 - Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

5. Teaching:

2 Timothy 2:1-2, 22-26

1-2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

22-26 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

6. Progress:

1 Timothy 4:15-16 - Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;…

7. Temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Timothy 6:9 – But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

8. Joy:

Nehemiah 8:10 - Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

9. Mindfulness and Though Life.

Romans 12:2  - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 10:5 – We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,…

10.  Heaven:

Revelation 22:3-5 - No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

My encouragement prayer for everyone of you readers in 2012 is from this verse, which has been massively encouraging to me during tough times of this year:

Colossians 1:11-12 - 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Image via CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

At a recent public speaking event, I was introduced by the vibrant Emcee to the curious audience as a “Baptist Pastor and Social Media strategist“.  Those are not two phrases you would expect to hear describing the same person, right?  Those terms have incongruity initially, but I think they are a match for a man with a message who wants to improve his impact in 2012.  Perhaps you share that ambition?

My 150th blog post is about my use of social media past, present and future.

1.  How did you get so involved in social media?

In the last few years, I have had seismic shifts in the tectonic plates beneath my life.  People, places and things that were central to my life changed entirely.  Like an earthquake, the changes happened dramatically and in a short period of time.   These life changes opened windows of opportunity for rebuilding with innovative communication.   I wanted to find ways of communicating ”who I was becoming” and “what I was doing” in my new life, city and job to the dispersed and diverse range of old and new relationships so that I could find and foster a new community for the future.  That was my goal: connecting.  I adapted to my surroundings in many ways to ensure my survival, success and service in my new life as a thirty-something single Pastor in Toronto.  Social media tools aided me in the quest for communication and community building. A turning point occurred during three pivotal conversations with colleagues. They tipped me into action by modelling and training me in some basic use skills that were enough to get me out there are sharing my life and ministry.  It has been very successful so far: Web savvy neighbours have joined the church, local leaders learn about what a pastor does, ideas for event involvement have been promoted, teaching is archived, friends and family feel connected to me.  I have creative outlets for sharing my exciting life and ministry adventures.  That is the why and how of my social media involvement. At present, I am active with Facebook and Twitter accounts plus WordPress websites.  I am not on Google+ or LinkedIn yet. I am a Mac.

2. How do I plan to utilize social media tools in 2012?

The purpose has progressed from the initial stage of transitioning my personal and professional life into the Toronto chapter (described above).  Now, I want to use it to improve and expand my personal and professional impact for this chapter and the next.   I am now a Toronto Christian teacher and leader with some street credibility.  I want to take it up a notch this year!  Statistical and anecdotal evidence indicates that my main readers are leaders.  I want to communicate, by example and principle, leadership lessons from my life to service minded people around the city, province and country.  They may be interested in politics, religion, education, finance, the arts, sports, health care, law, business, mercy & justice works.  I will try to publish events and ideas that others may learn from.  The goal has evolved from connecting into impact.  Tools that best serve that purpose need evaluation.  I think I will focus more on my websites as the content source and use twitter and facebook to drive or draw viewers there.  There may be greater future value in that strategy.  I am currently contemplating how to optimize my employment of these tools and maybe add more video with VideoPress or You Tube.  I am evaluating other media tools for the tool belt in 2012.

3.  What is the biggest challenge to your impact improvement through social media.

First, the discipline of editing content that I have created.  Second, knowing how and when to use each tool for the optimum impact.  In a nut shell, the challenge is consistently sharing the right content through the right tool at the right time for the right result.  Each tool has a different place in the timeline of events and target audience that helps me communicate ideas among various people.  Email sends correspondence for record keeping, fact exchanges and behavioural directives.  Books are a for extended manifestos, stories or “how-to” manuals.  Wordpress is like a magazine article forum for essays, reflections or report style updates (like this).  YouTube is a video clip sharing database (VideoPress compares).  Twitter is an information stream about personal and corporate brands in various markets.  Facebook is a social relationship network.   The biggest challenges to improving my impact are wisely packaging and shipping the content I create.  Threats to improving impact are me sharing too much, sharing too often, sharing too little, targeting the wrong people, using the wrong tools, publishing to early or too late.

Strategy Summary:  My impact may improve in 2012 with wise packaging and publishing of leadership lessons and involvement ideas from my life and ministry experiences through optimized social media tools.

Discussion Question:  What is your social media strategy for 2012?

Related Articles:

• How to Automate Your Social Media Marketing Like the Pros (hubspot.com)
• 5 New Year’s Resolutions for the Social Media Professional (socialmediatoday.com)
• 10 Fundamental Tips for Social Media Community Managers (hubspot.com)
• YouTube Gets Way More Social With Facebook, Google+ Integration (hubspot.com)

Building our church’s strategic plan (outlined below) reminds me of the work and reasons for laying these TTC Streetcar tracks (picture above).  Both are parallel in a slow construction process that results in securing effective and efficient service to citizens.  The Roncesvalles Renewed program included laying new tracks for streetcars.  Our strategic plan involved laying new “tracks” for our ministries.  Solid as steel, straight as an arrow.  For the last few years, our church, like neighbourhood has been under renewal and reconstruction.  Just as the new street car tracks were laid, so our ministry leaders have laid new tracks for our church to progress. Ding, Ding…ALL ABOARD!!!

Dear RumBloggers,

It has been a busy fall season and I apologize for not writing to you sooner.  This blog is a way for me to express some of my life and work so I thought you might be interested in knowing one of the major things I have been working on implementing this year.  This is our church’s strategic plan.  This document is what our board, members and ministry department leaders are aligning their efforts with.  These are our Street Car tracks.  It is the fruit of patient and humble consultation, Scriptural reflection and prayerful alignment.  The process was stretching and strengthening! As a church, we owe much to Robin Pifer and Gary V Carter for the consultation and coaching they provided throughout.  I am proud of the progress we have made to get into this and optimistic about our future in fulfilling it!  Read it, pray it through and give your time treasures and talents to making it happen!

Our Mission, as High Park Baptist Church, is to be “followers of Jesus Christ impacting lives in High Park Neighbourhoods”.  High Park neighbourhoods are those located in the Parkdale-High Park riding of Toronto.

We are motivated by Great Collective Calling to live out the Great Commandment and Great Commission in our Great Community (Matthew 22, Matthew 25, Matthew 28, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:42)

Here are the 15 Goals for our 4 Values : Worship, Serving, Outreach, Equipping.

Value 1: Worship – A prayerful community worshipping Jesus Christ passionately in Spirit and in Truth.

Goal 1:  Worship using Bible and prayer in all meetings.

Goal 2: “Service design team” energizes Sunday with diversity and harmony.

Goal 3:  Whole group obedience the Great Commission & Great
Commandment by asking for recommitments in public at important
seasonal transitions.

Goal 4: Rediscover spaces and aligning use with the mission by
Building Improvement Group (BIG) which has a ‘BIG inside’ and ‘BIG
outside’.

Value 2: Service – Serving and encouraging with trust, compassion and care.

Goal 5: Develop and display a clear discipleship process of enfolding.
Ex. Root Group Strategy.

Goal 6: Create and communicate a simple process of decision making to
assure decisions are made and implemented as intended. Ex.
Organizational Chart.

Value 3: Outreach – Extending Christ’s freeing love to the Spiritually hungry.

Goal 7: Expect and work toward a 5-10% conversion growth rate for each
of the next 5 years.  This requires an attitude shift and presents a
measurement challenge.

Goal 8: Identify and equip an “evangelist team” to develop connecting
points in High Park neighbourhoods.  Specialists for effective
leveraging of local events.

Goal 9: Equip and train everyone to be part of the “outreach team”.
Corporate responsibility and fairness demands that we share the work
load. Opportunities to minister belong to all believers.

Goal 10: Assemble teams to pray in strategic places in High Park
neighbourhoods; to notice and describe the categories of people here,
as well as needs and opportunities for creative outreach.

Goal 11: Conduct two outreach training opportunities and three
outreaches to bless the community. Leveraging local events better. 2
handed approach to Christmas and Easter events.

Value 4: Equipping – Empowering followers of Christ to maturity in ministry.

Goal 12:  Equip every member to be a passionate, optimally placed
minister, ready to “pay a price” as an effective steward (Time,
Talents, Treasure) pursuing the vision of the church to glorify
Christ.  Support and steer those who seek service.

Goal 13:  Write and evaluate ministry descriptions for any and all
programs. Develop a new culture of excellence, responsibility and
accountability.

Goal 14:  Evaluate each staff member (paid and volunteer), as well as
all programs and ministry systems, then make adjustments.  Attitude
shift required.

Goal 15: Effectively manage the clear leadership structure.

Reflection Questions:

1. How does this compare to the plan at your church or organization?

2. What can you do to help achieve these goals?

During this weekend’s Roncesvalles Polish Festival, High Park Baptist Church had an outreach and awareness tent outside our front door.  It was located between the CanadianArmy recruiting display and a beer tent. I had a blast reaching out for two straight days to our neighbourhood during this lively community event.  The music, food and weather conspired to make a great opportunity to “extend Christ’s freeing love to the spiritually hungry” and meet some new and old friends from the neighbourhoods in the process. I hope you enjoy these 23 pictures.

Excellent Canadian Forces band music. Banner says, "Thank you Canadian & Polish Forces"

Saturday the church was a beehive of activity: Dance studio registration signage and bag pipers in our parking lot. 

Former City Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski aka "KK"

The crowd fills Roncesvalles

Cortney Pasternak, Liberal MPP Candidate w Ryan Hobson

MPP Cheri DiNovo, NDP and MP Peggy Nash, NDP.

Parade started just south of us

Polish Festivalers made these clothing donations between 12-2pm on Sunday. Thank you neighbours.

2 guys in the outreach tent raising awareness for HPBC's Food & Clothing Ministry. We offered free prayer & New Testaments. Our church would like to have a tent with our name on it. This was a loaner.

You see: Our Daily Bread, ESV New Testaments, contact cards, food & clothing donation signs

Presentation board by Food & Clothing Ministry. The bottles are gourmet cooking oils and wine vinegars for donations.

A good view of our neighbours from the tent.

Our neighbours, the Army Reserves. Nice guys!

Workers building the chapel pause to show off they space to a local family

Cheming is the Director of the HPBC Food and CLothing Ministry. Please say "hi and thank you", if you see him around the neighbourhoods.

Twirling skirt. I loved catching this couple's care free dancing around the streets as Polish music played! Great action shot!

Feeding our troops!

More excellent Canadian Forces band music.

It is an "Adam Bomb"...haha..actually, it is a Howitzer shell.

Related articles

• Roncesvalles renewal a relief for neighbourhood (cbc.ca)
• Toronto Pride Parade: My take on Rob Ford, Brian Burke, Peggy Nash, Cheri DiNovo plus my vision for a new “Pride Parade”. (adamrumball.com)
• Get ready for weekend without DVP, Yonge subway (thestar.com)
• Layton’s death did not diminish NDP love in Quebec: poll (canada.com)

Yes, this video is American in origin, yet it speaks to the honest excuses and hang ups that Torontonians have about getting involved in a Gospel-centred local church community. Maybe you will identify a few of these ideas?  As one friend said to me on Facebook, they forgot laziness and busyness as excuses.

Here is what to do:

1. Watch this video 3 times.
2. Consider these reasons for involving yourself in a church this weekend.
3. Use the share button to get the video to a colleague, neighbour, family and/or friend.
4. Get involved in a local church, like HPBC, or one near you that loves and serves Jesus Christ with Biblical vision for faith community.
5. Use these lines in future conversations about recruiting church involvement.

Please know that I am praying for you to realize true peace, power and prosperity in the ultimate and eternal sense, which Jesus Christ makes available in relationship with him.  I think local church involvement is important in that quest for fulfilment.

http://www.highparkbaptist.org/?p=1099

(1) 37 minutes to describe a deep, clear vision of spiritual growth from the Bible passage Colossians 2:6-7 called “4 Images of Spiritual Growth Plans after you Receive Christ”.

(2) 23 minutes to explain our Root Group Strategy through a live testimony and then explain the HPBC Enfolding Process Diagram PDF below that was part of a larger handout.

Listen to my fall launch message here: Rooted In Christ

Read the stuff below as well. If you want the original handout, then I can get you a copy.

Colossians 2:6-7 breaks into the following phrases.

• Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord,
• so walk in him,
• rooted and
• built up in him and
• established in the faith,
• just as you were taught,
• abounding in thanksgiving.

HPBC Discipleship Process of Enfolding Diagram PDF: Sept 2011 HPBC Enfolding Process

HPBC Root Group Strategy:

• Everyone who wants to be in a root group can have one before summer.
• I have been praying that God will raise up godly, organized, hospitable, caring root group facilitators.
• Root Group Strategy: Incarnate the 4 values by gathering in groups of 3-8 around the city by sign up sheets and informal invitations.
• Let’s get organized into root groups again this year.
• The biblical call to growth is served by groups.
• You may feel the need for RG in these symptoms: individual isolation, need for knowledge, capacity to care, burden burnout, spiritual stalling.
• Sundays are not enough to become Christlike fast enough.
• Experience shows the cultivating supportive community is important for you to become more effective in mission and more exhibitive of the values by this time next? September 2012.

Personal Reflection Questions on Root Groups:

Q: How would a Root Groups make you more like Christ?

Q: What has you past experience been with small groups, growth groups, bible studies, prayer meetings? What will be different this fall?

Q: Who are the 3-8 people would you put roots down with this fall in a Root Group? When?

Q: What does the picture of growth described in Colossians 2:6-7 make you want to do differently this fall?

Related articles

• How to Pray for Your Church Leaders, including me. (adamrumball.com)

Entering the autumm season, this passage has offered motivating description to the desired dynamic in my ministry role.

Colossians 1:28-29, ESV:
“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

God works in and through my wise toil in preaching Christ to make everyone more mature…including me!

I gratefully embrace these dynamic of grace and growth in my ministry!

Long lasting, successful and responsible Rescue Swimmers have some lessons for leaders who have meetings.

• Here is how I plan to apply lifeguard rules to my meeting schedule this fall.
• Some rapid fire tips are at the bottom of the post if you are rushing to a meeting and don’t have time for the full article.
• After you read my thoughts, read the “Death by Meeting” by Patrick Lencioni and the Q & A PDF I’ve inserted below.

September means that schedule demands will increase. Are you ready with a plan?

Are you fearful that you will get to November and be sucking wind because you are over scheduled with pointless meetings or over exposure to emotionally draining people? How are you going to help others and help yourself have good meetings? Do you plan to handle the influx of requests for your time, energy and physical presence the same way this fall or do you need a better way? How many times have you heard, “Can I talk to you for a second”, “Are you coming to the meeting?”, “Give me a call when you get this”, “We should get together for coffee and talk.” How do you respond to the diverse quagmire of demands for your face and facts? You can’t avoid it: People seek our advice.

One of my professional goals entering the fall is “apply a triage and timetable to my meeting schedule in order to set boundaries around my emotional resources and my intellectual property while maintaining helpful and accessible demeanour in service to all.”

I have re-evaluated my plan to get the most out of my meetings using my past experiences. Here are some tips from my lifeguarding career that help me answer the question: “When is it important to meet/plan/think face to face?” This goes deeper than deciding who/what issues are legitimately important/unimportant, urgent/not-urgent. It is about creating efficient and effective meetings that benefit all involved. It is about triaging, prioritizing, delegating, referring and best-practices in meeting management to better serve people and protect ourselves. This plan will help me serve more people in a better way. I hope it helps you make a triage and timetable plan.

Lifeguard Lessons:

Lifeguards are taught a phrase to use when faced with a decision about their
degree of involvement in the risky business of a water rescue. Each word is a step that increases the level of personal safety risk and expense of effort for involvement. It works on the “put your own mask on first” idea from the airplane safety videos we ignore. Memorize it and use these measured degrees of personal involvement to get and give the most benefit for your meetings. Here it is: Talk, reach, throw, row, go, tow

1. Talk: A lifeguard on shore becomes aware of a distressed swimmer. They first attempt to talk them into the deck, dock or shore. Never underestimate words. Never underestimate the power of a 3 minute spontaneous conversation. The key is get it up, running and over quickly. For example, when someone at the snack table or water cooler says, “We should grab coffee to catch up sometime to connect?” you could say “sure” then walk away, or not mean it, then feel that hanging over your head. Another response is ask “why would we do that?” and risk offending the person. To have a great 3 minute conversation, consider saying “We can have 3 minutes now to connect if you tell me the one thing on the top of your mind. What do you most want me to know about you right now and then we can have prayer right here and now.” Often that is enough to hear an issue, pray or even refer them to a written or human resource. Everyone leaves happy. Instant gratification. You might even scan the room for a few more 3 minute convos during the break time if you get confident. Work the room. However, if you do not have 3 immediate minutes because you are pressured for time or emotional resources, you may suggest that they write you an email with what they want you to know in order to feel more connected to you. That requires no response in the moment. If the invitation to “connect” seems murky or conveluded, then advise that they write their thoughts down and pray about them for 1-2 weeks and then seek an audience with whomever seems a biggest part of the problem or the solution. This allows them a coping strategy for impulse control, soul searching and reflective thinking. Also, document your meetings in one full sentence. Keep contact info and updated files on people. Think like a lawyer who writes down all billable hours for each client! I try not to give more than 5 hours to one issue. After that, it is a referral.

2. Reach: If the lifeguard finds that the safest approach of talking them in doesn’t work then the reach a pole out to the person. This way the guard is still safe with both feet on deck, yet has offered greater involvement in the rescue. The meeting version of reach is a written reply calling for clarity to catagorize. If the request for face time comes through an email, twitter or facebook or voicemail then say something like this: “Can you write me about what this is regarding and what you are asking me to do exactly. In order for me to be best prepared to give you the best guidance I can, please write what this matter is regarding and list what specific services you are asking me for? Is it crisis counselling, social loneliness, spiritual direction for decision making, theological education, leadership development?”. The request for catagorization has 2 benefits: 1. The reflective prayer and writing often allows the person to clarify their motive and needs. 2. It allows you prayerful preparation as you read their replay and agree with what you see as the best course of action. You may suggest that each item be handled differently. Pastors, like doctors and layers, are allowed to refer and refuse clients. You may decide that referrals to medical doctors, social workers, police, layers, politicians, family, friends may have the greatest help-factor. Some people with dramatic social troubles think professionals (like Pastors) are an on-call rent-a-friend. On the other hand, someone may just want to socialize as friends, and if you want that, then go for it! These ideas can save you hours of a face to face while giving efficient guidance on access to right services that are beyond your scope or scale of service skill.

3. Throw: The Lifeguard throws when the talk and reach have had minimal effect. The throw comes in the form of your response to their written request for action. You can call them or write them to inform them of your guidance. Guidance may be a referral to other services, redirections to other departments, a phone call with you or a face to face that involves all the right people. Think long and hard about how effective a phone call after an email from a requester can be. The emailed agenda and a follow up call cuts hours. Reduce email chains by calling once you have gotten to the agenda of services requested. Knowing when to move from email to phone call is golden wisdom. Jumping to phone call or visit before categorizing service requests can waste time. Not moving to phone or visit at the right time can feel like you are remote and distant. Usually one or two emails can get an agenda for a focussed phone call. Walking into a meeting without knowing what they want is not making the most of your meetings. If someone refuses to do this kind of research and writing, then they are not very likely to take you prescribed advice and spiritual guidance very seriously towards action. Triage your cases because it filters out requests that are outside your specialty, plus it filters the fake drowners who just want attention too! They will get their attention fix from someone with lower boundaries and less professional discipline. You are a specialist.

4. Row: Sometimes the lifeguard needs to escalate involvement by getting off our the dock, deck or beach and onto a surf board/into a row boat or motor boat in order to allow the non-swimming drowner to grab the boat and climb in. I see face to face meetings like rowing out to the person. It is risky and rewarding when it is warranted. Face to face meetings are a big investment of time, energy, thoughts, words and emotion so make sure you are prepared to the event. I love a good face to face interview. I get all the nom-verbs! Always factor travel time into your meeting schedule. A 1 hour coffee across town can be a 3 hour event and may throw off your day plan in many ways. Use face to face as a peak to progress to, not a
base to start from. It can be a group or one on one face time and the same idea applies!

5. Go: This step is when the drowning person cannot hear the encouragement to swim in, or grab the ring buoy or swim to the boat themselves. This is the most dangerous level of rescue because you leave the safety of the deck and get into the water where they are desperate. The only recourse for the life-saving guard is to get in the water too – but about 3 feet away without touching them. They can drown you in the water. Drowning, in the meeting session world, is the death you can die which Lencioni calls, “Death by Meeting”. Drowning you this fall may be: poorly facilitated consensus planning sessions, poorly mediated panel sessions, emotional counselling sessions, light bulb teaching moments, decision-retarded boards, meetings with the wrong people in the room, or dramatic theological conversion teachings that happen face to face. Meetings that save organization and people have a need and a nature from the agents present, the agenda presented and the actions published. I know a friend who says NO to any and every meeting that (1) doesn’t provide an agenda in advance of, (2) is not chaired by a decision oriented facilitator and (3) action items are not published in response to! Be selective about offering your presence to unsafe people. Help them by setting terms first, then decide. Face to face is best for making team decisions within established time and target parameters.

Tow: A Tow is when you attempt to put your life at risk by embracing and dragging the non-swimmer in. This is what you see on ocean rescues, like those depicted in the movie Guardian (2006). The most dangerous threat to a healthy, strong-swimming lifeguard is a desperate, drowning non-swimmer because they will climb the lifeguard like a ladder just to stay breathing. Many rescuers die because they dive into the Tow without all the other steps. In my field, many pastors burnout trying make everyone happy and trying to make people like them by becoming doormats. They try to put out every complaint fire immediately, attend ever meeting even if it is poorly run, listen to chronic-case complainers who always want more attention and invent issues just to get the attention. Only tow somebody when you have gone through all the other steps and the non-swimmer is so tired that they can’t drown you too. Be wise this fall so that you make it to Christmas and they do too. Nobody drown!

Make the most of your meetings with these Rapid Fire Tips:

Know your speciality skills. Put your own mask on first. Ask for a written agenda before attending any meeting. Press for action items and decisions to be sent out . Use phone services like Skype, conference calls. Communicate your response time expectations in voicemail or email signature. Send leaders you are developing to attend the meetings for you. Referring people to specialists is wise and sometimes the nest help they can get. Do not schedule non-urgent meetings less than 2 or 3 weeks out. Book recurring appointments selectively. Create blocks of time for each category of services requested. Develop a list of people you refer clients to. Say “No” to some people’s plans for your life, but give them context of what you are doing and why. Delegate. Consider what you are losing the opportunity of doing when you engage unworthy meetings. Have your execution tools and administrative assistant help in the triage and timetable plan by scheduling and categorizing inquiries. Accept your limited resources of time, energy and ideas. Ask: are the right people in this room? Ask: who else needs to be in this meeting? Ask: Is this the best agenda to effect action? Ask: Will accountability for action be enforced? Read Lencioni’s “Death by Meetings” & this PDF : Author Q & A Pat Lencioni – Death by Meeting

Today’s national news story is the death of Jack Layton.  My condolences to his family, friends, followers and colleagues. Canada has lost a leader.  A family has lost a lover and provider. (I have tweeted a few obituaries and a video from Rick Mercer Report.) When the hopelessness of loss hits any of us, we need hope found in God’s word.  I am posting this trusting that the thoughts will give you hope in your famine of faith.  Yesterday, I the biblical success story of hope and faith I shared in church was God’s redemption story woven through the loyal love found in the book of Ruth.  Trust that God is at work for your benefit even during our hopeless feelings and desperate times.  He is faithful to lead us with love into the life he plans!  Ruth displays that truth in a beautiful story.

A Sacred Short Story

I love the story in Ruth.  The story speaks for itself. That said, my sermon preparation always involves studying secondary sources and literary features of the text in order to grasp the message God intended in the text. This week I benefitted from study aids recommended by Terry Sanderson, Calvary Church. Thanks Terry.  Ruth reads like a Jane Austen novel: cultural practices, strong characters, rich dialogue, reversal of fortune, loyal love! In this one, Jesus is our hero!  Ruth reads like a Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet except in reverse.  In Romeo & Juliet, tribal conflict and tortured love result in tragic loss. In Ruth, God moves people from famine to feast by overcoming tribal difference, providing loyal love in family leading to a prosperous future including marriage, children and grateful praise to God.  The characters are strong and there is rich dialogue.  I recommended that you take 20 min to read the Bible book called Ruth. Enjoy the beautiful story of faith in 4 short chapters.  Here are some major lessons we see in the verses, themes and characters.

A Success Story of Faith

• The light of loyalty in Ruth shines in contrast to the darkness of apostacy in Judges. That light points to Jesus!
• God secures the redemption of desperate people in desperate times. His loyal love causes our loyal love!
• God led this family from a famine into a feast through faith. Do you want Jesus to lead and feed you too?

God’s providential care in what we might call random events or happenstance:

Ruth 1:22. “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.” (Bethlehem means house of bread and they fled a famine of no bread).

Ruth 2:3 “…She happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.” (The name Elimelech means “God is my King”.)

Ruth 4:22, “Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.”  (David would become the King of Israel and Jesus would be his descendent and become our King.)

The Characteristic of Loyal Love, Covenant Faithfulness, Kindness.

I tried to show that the characteristic of loyal love, shown by Ruth (the transliterated Hebrew verb sounds like HESED) paved the way for God’s redemptive plan and that theme finds fulfilment in the person and work of Jesus Christ who demonstrated loyal love to his Church.  Jesus is the greatest loyal lover of his people.  He is the Ultimate Ruth.  Trying to be loyal like Ruth is a noble moral goal, but we will fall short in our relationships due to our selfishness, but there is one who never fails to be loyal to us.  God promises never to leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6)!  Ruth reminds me of God’s love for me, his Child.  Thank you Jesus, for loving me with perfect loyalty.

The Character of a Kinsman-Redeemer.

I tried to also show that the character of Boaz, who is in the role of ‘Kinsmen-Redeemer” (the transliterated Hebrew noun sound like is GOEL) chose to take up his responsibility to purchase the rights to marry, love and provide for Ruth and Naomi (Ruth’s mother in law).  This cultural practice was God’s gracious provision for socially and physically vulnerable and marginalized widows or divorcees.  It may sound like a patriarchal practice that is very offensive to us, but it was God’s gracious provision for (1) Ruth and Naomi, (2) Boaz, who had been alone and childless and (3) Elimelech the deceased patriarch, whose linage would end otherwise.  This role of “kinsmen-redeemer” points me to Jesus, the one who chose to redeem/buy us through the cross so we could be the Church, his bride, whom he loves and provides eternal life in the present, with all our spiritual blessings.  Jesus is our kinsman because he was God in the flesh, sharing our humanity yet without sinful nature or behaviour.  Trying to be like Boaz is a noble ambition, but we will fail in our relationships in trying to fulfill our responsibilities and obligations perfectly because of sin.  Thankfully, there is one who is greater than us and greater the Boaz at being a redeemer and provider: Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful that Jesus spread his cloak of love over me and chose to ‘married’ me.  Boaz reminds me of Jesus.  Jesus is the Ultimate Boaz.  Thank you, Jesus, for redeeming me.

Conclusions:

I drew great inspiration from this story!  Please draw hope during hopeless circumstances from the providential care of God through the loyal love in Ruth’s success story.  I tried to share that hope, rooted in Christ on Sunday and in this post.  I hope that people feeling the loss of loved leaders will draw strength from a relationship with their Permanent Lover, Great King and Ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Enjoy these pics and points from my hard hat tour of a local hospital and see how to help their goals.  One leadership lesson is that a guided tour of a building site is a great way to cast vision, unite community and raise funds!

The Chief of Pediatrics is describing the future facility with knowledge and passion. Inspirational!

Therapy tub in the family birthing centre and neonatal intensive care unit

Safety gear! Here is me on one of the rooftop terraces overlooking homes.

St. Joseph’s Hosptial is in the Roncesvalles Village part of Toronto’s High-Parkdale area.  As you may know, this ‘hood is where I live and work so it was nice to be apart of this developing story.  I am told that this new “Our Lady of Mercy” Wing will provide a leading facility for family-friendly, best-western-practice, medical health care. That is exciting local news, huh! Did you know that 3000 babies were born there last year?  This facility will accommodate 4000 births each year with excellence.  Health care matters to us, so this building should matter to us.

The St. Joe’s Foundation staff, Hospital board members, Redevelopment Project staff and the Chief of Pediatrics were inspiring to hear.  Their knowledge and passion casted a vision for creating a family-friendly hospital experience.  I saw evidence that holistic human needs were considered in the warm, inviting structure. The paint colours were pretty.  For example, labour/birth/recovery/postpartum (LBRP) rooms are best practice and allow mothers to stay in the same comfortable room for the duration of their stay. I also saw private family rooms, furnished patient lounges, space for art, lots of natural light, plus 8 more bassinettes for newborns who require specialized care.  I didn’t see a chapel or prayer area, but the atmosphere is such that I would feel comfortable praying everywhere!  In fact, I silently prayed as I walked through the halls and rooms.  A touching moment in the tour was hearing about The Toronto Centre for Substance Use in Pregnancy (T-CUP) program for chemically dependent newborns and how this space cares for them too.  I know many local families will be served well here!  As local clergy and resident, I look forward to this service opening and serving us soon.

• Family Birthing Centre and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (1rst floor)
• Adult inpatients (2nd & 4th floor)
• Kids floor (3rd floor).

How can I help this hospital?  Advocacy, visitation, chaplaincy and prayer help people experience hospitable healthcare. Formal and informal visitation is part of vocational, Christian ministry. A ministry of presence accompanies a ministry of proclamation.  I have made many Pastoral visits to patients at St. Joe’s.  I have provided bedside counselling and prayer to the sick.  I have also visited new parents in hospital. I have provided crisis counselling and spiritual direction.  I hope to continue my ministry in this new facility.

How can you help this hospital?

Please take a moment and pray to Jesus for all the people who need physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual care in the High Park Neighbourhoods.

Jesus, use these physical means for your eternal ends.

Jesus, help people get healing in every way, through medicine or miracle or both.

Jesus, help us help our hospital and help our hospital help us.

Here is the link, if you would like to give towards the foundation’s goal of 1 million dollars by December 31, 2011: www.foundation.stjoe.on.ca