Good Morning Friends, Family and Internet Wanderers. May has
been a busy month of attending Weddings, conference events, and church
retreats. It has been a month of much ministry and many blessings and June
looks to be similarly loaded. But despite the business I am finding myself in a
place of peace as I seek to follow the path God has lined up before me.
Thanksgiving
A few weeks ago our church had its annual general meeting in
which each committee member was required to present on what they had done the
past year. I lead two committees and also had to report on the program I am in,
essentially letting the church know what I am doing with their investment in
me. You may remember that it was at this meeting last year that the church
voted to hire me, and that prior to that there was a small but vocal group who
were opposed to it. It was from that group of people that I was strongly and
unexpectedly affirmed, especially because there was not really supposed to be a
time of affirmation. I continue to make mistakes and fall short in some areas,
but even so my church is affirming and supportive of my service. I am so
thankful for the affirmation and the confirmation that God is at work through
me.
This past month the church went on a retreat and the week
after I took two of our older students to Briercrest in Caronport SK for a
conference. Both of these events took the entire weekend, and offered concrete
and dense times of relationship building.
In my experience it is these times of prolonged contact that allow the students
to really open up and give leaders the opportunity to affirm them. Over this time I had the chance to very
intentionally pour into students and hear some of their candid struggles. I sometimes
lament the small size of our group, but it is then that I remember that even Jesus
had a small core of people he poured into. I am thankful that God has entrusted
me with these students and it is my prayer that he will this ministry to impact
them for him.
Last weekend after preaching on Sunday I took off to Hecla
for a pastors retreat. The location and the food were amazing but I would still
consider it work as a signification portion of this retreat involves sessions,
teaching, and the rest is often networking and brainstorming. All of this was really good, yet what I am
most thankful for is the time I was able to spend with two other younger pastors.
I was able to share some prayer requests and listen to their wisdom. That
interaction did much to encourage me and I am thankful for them and the peers
(that word still feels weird) I have.
Prayer Requests
As I wrote above this time of year is incredibly busy for me.
This is partially to do with the end of the regular church year programming and
partially to do with my Lead pastor taking a short study leave. I find that
when I am busy I often find myself forgetting things or not giving proper
attention to each task before me. Right now June is completely full as was May,
but my hope is that in both July and August I will be able to plan for the
coming year of ministry and also take a much needed break. Please pray for rest
and guidance as I seek to juggle all my responsibilities and then plan for the
future.
Another thing that is happening this month is that I will be
house sitting for a couple in my church. During that time of house sitting I
need to pack up my things from the apartment I am currently living and find a
place to live for when the house sitting period is over. My hope is that I find
a suitable living situation in early or mid July so that I can use some of my
vacation in late July to move with ease. Please pray that God will provide a
good living arrangement for me, and please pray the same for my roommates as
they search for a place to live as well.
Finally it has been some time since I have given a financial
update, and that is mostly because of how generous you all have been. At last
count I have raised enough money to last me until sometime in October. That is
amazing and I am so thankful. At the end
of May was one year in the Elevation program for me and I have 3 more to go.
Please pray that the finances would continue to come in and that God would
bless the gift and the givers.
Thank you so much for your partnership in prayer, I could
not do this without you.
God Bless
-
Stefan Klassen
