Our journey to Hesston
Today, I am going to be writing about our journey to Hesston. It all began about this time last year. We were content ministering in Iola, KS. My ministry included leading the children's and youth ministry as well as some preaching and teaching adult Sunday School. The church was in the process of building a new church. Our children and youth ministry were growing. Things were going well!
Then I received an email. I remember it clearly-it was June 30. I was sitting in Steve and Shirley's living room checking email on their laptop. The email was from Steve Toews and he mentioned he was a graduate of Denver Seminary and would like to talk with me. I received a phone call the following Monday and Steve asked if I was interested in applying for a ministry position at his church. As I mentioned above, I was not looking to leave Iola. However, I said I would pray about it and talk it over with Bethany.
At lunch that day, I brought up the subject with Bethany. I was expecting her to not be in favor of moving as she does not like change. However, her response was "go ahead and send a resume." I then spent the rest of the week asking God, "Should we send in a resume?", because I wanted it be God's Will first and foremost-not about us. After asking many other close friends to pray, I decided to send in the resume.
One of the important aspects of this process was the ministry job description. I had printed it off from their website and began processing whether my spiritual gifts and passions would be a good fit. I sent the job description to other close friends whom I asked to see if they thought it would be a good fit for me and for my family. Everyone responded in the affirmative and said it sounded like a great opportunity and how it fit so well with my passions and gifts. One friend even said, "it sounds like they knew me and created the position with me in mind." Based on these conversations and God's peace and leading, we moved forward in the process.
I met Steve Toews in El Dorado on July 10 to talk about the church, denomination, the process, and my experiences and passions. I left that meeting very excited about the possibility even though I had not even interviewed. Bethany and I went to Hesston MB Church on August 3rd to interview. We came for the worship service "anonymously" and were blessed by the whole day. It was Promotion Sunday and it was so great to see all of the teachers especially men involved in teaching the children. Bethany and I experienced a great time of worship. People kept telling us, "this is not our normal worship as it was all hymns that Sunday." We just experienced a powerful move of the Spirit in the music, Scripture readings from worship team, message, and welcoming attitude of the congregation. It was really hard to stay anonymous!
The week following the interview, we spent 4 days in Branson for our 10 year anniversary. It was a great time without kids. It gave us some great time to converse about the possibility of moving and how our family would fit in Hesston. At the end of the week, I had a peace from God regarding the ministry in Hesston.
I hate waiting. However, we spent the next four weeks waiting to hear whether we were moving on to the next step of the process. I finally had decided that they went with another person, when I received a message on August 29th that they wanted me to come and candidate for the position. I was so excited (I was subbing at McKinley that day) and at my first break, I called Bethany to tell her. We went to candidate on Sept. 12-14. It was two full days of meetings and interviews and teaching. I was exhausted by the end of the weekend, but it was worth it when we received the phone call on Sunday night that they wanted to call us to be the Associate Pastor of Family Ministry.
God taught us a lot during that time. He taught us patience and really strengthened our marriage through the process. We discovered better who we were as well as being able to use my gifts in an area that I am passionate about: ministering to couples and families. It was a wonderful journey and I am still amazed at how God has worked in and through us over the last year. I never imagined living in Hesston, KS (to be honest I didn't know where it was before talking to Steve), but now I cannot imagine being anywhere else. That is how it is with God and following His Will! Thank you God for guiding and directing us and for allowing us to hear you!
Then I received an email. I remember it clearly-it was June 30. I was sitting in Steve and Shirley's living room checking email on their laptop. The email was from Steve Toews and he mentioned he was a graduate of Denver Seminary and would like to talk with me. I received a phone call the following Monday and Steve asked if I was interested in applying for a ministry position at his church. As I mentioned above, I was not looking to leave Iola. However, I said I would pray about it and talk it over with Bethany.
At lunch that day, I brought up the subject with Bethany. I was expecting her to not be in favor of moving as she does not like change. However, her response was "go ahead and send a resume." I then spent the rest of the week asking God, "Should we send in a resume?", because I wanted it be God's Will first and foremost-not about us. After asking many other close friends to pray, I decided to send in the resume.
One of the important aspects of this process was the ministry job description. I had printed it off from their website and began processing whether my spiritual gifts and passions would be a good fit. I sent the job description to other close friends whom I asked to see if they thought it would be a good fit for me and for my family. Everyone responded in the affirmative and said it sounded like a great opportunity and how it fit so well with my passions and gifts. One friend even said, "it sounds like they knew me and created the position with me in mind." Based on these conversations and God's peace and leading, we moved forward in the process.
I met Steve Toews in El Dorado on July 10 to talk about the church, denomination, the process, and my experiences and passions. I left that meeting very excited about the possibility even though I had not even interviewed. Bethany and I went to Hesston MB Church on August 3rd to interview. We came for the worship service "anonymously" and were blessed by the whole day. It was Promotion Sunday and it was so great to see all of the teachers especially men involved in teaching the children. Bethany and I experienced a great time of worship. People kept telling us, "this is not our normal worship as it was all hymns that Sunday." We just experienced a powerful move of the Spirit in the music, Scripture readings from worship team, message, and welcoming attitude of the congregation. It was really hard to stay anonymous!
The week following the interview, we spent 4 days in Branson for our 10 year anniversary. It was a great time without kids. It gave us some great time to converse about the possibility of moving and how our family would fit in Hesston. At the end of the week, I had a peace from God regarding the ministry in Hesston.
I hate waiting. However, we spent the next four weeks waiting to hear whether we were moving on to the next step of the process. I finally had decided that they went with another person, when I received a message on August 29th that they wanted me to come and candidate for the position. I was so excited (I was subbing at McKinley that day) and at my first break, I called Bethany to tell her. We went to candidate on Sept. 12-14. It was two full days of meetings and interviews and teaching. I was exhausted by the end of the weekend, but it was worth it when we received the phone call on Sunday night that they wanted to call us to be the Associate Pastor of Family Ministry.
God taught us a lot during that time. He taught us patience and really strengthened our marriage through the process. We discovered better who we were as well as being able to use my gifts in an area that I am passionate about: ministering to couples and families. It was a wonderful journey and I am still amazed at how God has worked in and through us over the last year. I never imagined living in Hesston, KS (to be honest I didn't know where it was before talking to Steve), but now I cannot imagine being anywhere else. That is how it is with God and following His Will! Thank you God for guiding and directing us and for allowing us to hear you!
Steve Green came to Hesston a couple of yrs ago and he said similiar, "I've never heard of Hesston, but now I never want to leave." :D Neat to hear your story and our family is glad your family is here at HMB and in Hesston. God is good!
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