June Transitions, Growth, and Understanding.

Hello Friends, Family and Internet wanderers!

I hope your summer has been going well. My June was a blur, but a mostly good blur. It was full of business as I finished up the youth year, I attended the Pastors Credentialing Orientation, I received some unexpected and difficult family news, and spent some time covering for the pastor as he took some well deserved time off. This month was very full, but in a good way.

Thanksgiving.

If you have been keeping up with these entries you may remember that I have been having difficulty in my current living situation. Well I am extremely thankful for a retired couple in my church that requested that I house-sit for them as they are away on vacation for two months. While I still am paying rent and the majority of my stuff is at my old place, my mental health had increased significantly. One of the major noticeable changes is that of my own personal devotional times. Over the past few months as tensions have risen at home, I was finding great difficulty with personal prayer and devotions. Thank you for your prayers on this subject, the situation has not resolved completely but the end of June saw significant improvement.

Also in June I was given my first teaching series on which to preach. Now I have not preached a lot, but if I was to count my past sermons, I would need to start using my toes. But this was a first, where I preached three out of four weeks and lead the service on the fourth. And while it was definitely new and difficult, I enjoyed this far more than I thought I might have. Given the choice on the preaching topic allowed me to delve into what God has been teaching me this past year and share it with the congregation. The church also appreciated it and was quite encouraging saying of my last sermon that I was starting to really come into my own as a preacher, and others have asked to know when I am speaking next. It is odd what one finds life giving, but as far as I can tell I am both giving and receiving a lot out of my preaching.

This month I was also able to attend the conferences credentialing process. It was an exciting time of refreshing what the conference stands for and networking with other pastors and leaders. In this time we were able to also work through how to address some serious issues which often come up in the life of a pastor. Now I am one step closer to being credentialed, although the biggest step involves me filling out a complex survey of my beliefs and how they relate to the conference; is it weird that I am looking forward to it?

Prayer Requests

This past month marks the beginning of a lot of transitions in my work at the church, as I switch from regular ministry events to more of a planning and visioning for the next year mode. But more than that it, with some youth graduating and some young adults shifting their attendance I am wondering about the future. As far as I can tell all the reasons for transition have nothing to do with me, in fact I continue to be told I am doing well, yet our groups do not grow. In a conversation with another youth pastor he raised the question wondering if my desire for growth was my own or Gods; I did not know. Please pray for me and the groups I lead during this time of transition and planning, pray that I hear the Lords voice well and that our plans for next year would reflect God's plans and desires for us.

Although I have placed the living situation item in the previous section, as yet I do not have a place to live come August when the lease expires and my house sitting comes to an end. Today I have another showing, but places in my price range are few and far between. Please pray that God would make a way for me to live independently, ideally on my own, but I will live with roommates again if that is His desire for me.

Then finally, this past month my family received some dire news. My mom who has been struggling with breast cancer was informed that it had moved into her skin and liver as well. As far as the doctors are concerned it is no longer a matter of if it will take her, but when. That being said neither she nor the family that surrounds her has given up on her; we are not planning on resigning mom to this. So please join me in prayer for her and for healing. I have known God as healer in the past, this is not something beyond our heavenly father. Please also pray for health as she starts chemotherapy, that the symptoms would not be to harsh.

Thank you for your prayers and support as I seek to live and serve the Lord the best way I can.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen