New Year's Message: Jan 6

The orange ball cap says TED. It doesn't stand for "The Episcopal Dementor" (a la Harry Potter). I like to think of it as "Ted Energizes Development." It's my coach cap for the second half of our transition time together (September 2011 - April 2012). We've done some fine work so far and have good information about Lamb of God from your surveys and focus groups. The Transition Task Force will put that together as a profile to be used by the Call Committee our Board of Trustees will name. Then working closely with Connie Schmucker (ELCA Florida Bahamas Synod) and Michael Durning (Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida), we'll move forward to name a candidate to be the senior minister for this community of faith. The orange cap you'll see during my Transition announcements on Sundays will remind you that the race is on and that each of us has a lap to run. Candidates for the position may be found by using resources of our Synod and Diocese, but it is even more likely that one of you will know someone who knows just the right person. When the profile is available we want to make sure that each of us sends it to every Lutheran and Episcopalian we know.

Sundays Forums at 9, between services, are a key time for the transition moving forward. Each Sunday in January our forums will be working on church finances. In February I'll be teaching BS with Ted, using Bible Study as a resource to talk about best church practices for Lamb of God. In March, we'll be in the final stages of the call process and updating you at the forums each week.

For more information always check the Lamb of God website.

Get out there on the field and start running laps!

Half Way Through: Dec 23

Some are counting days to Christmas, but I mark the calendar today as half way through my time with you as the Transition Pastor.  We started in September and our plan is to conclude in mid April, two weeks after Easter.  We have a lot to do, so enjoy the holiday, eat lots of cookies, and get ready to work it off together in the New Year. 

Real Lutherans: Dec 16

Judy and I are in Dresden, Germany today with our grandchildren and their parents, attending their local historic Lutheran Church ( www.maria-am-wasser.de )  I think the Germans have got this whole Advent/Christmas conflict worked out.  They decorate for Advent, lots of candles, even a tree in the church.  There was an 18 piece brass choir today, and after there was good food, coffee and gluhwein.  But still the lessons, hymns and sermon were of stern Advent material.  It was a good balance. 

More from the Task Force: Dec 9

Our Transition Task Force has already held three Sunday Focus Groups for about 45 people, who spent most of a morning working on our values, core identity, opportunties, and hopes.  While I'm away for two Sundays, one of the team will speak during the Transition moment at the 10 am service.  Marianne and Glenn Whitehouse, George Alexakis, Billy Gunnels and Tom Small make up the Task Force.  They are planning two more Focus events, one especially geared for families with small children (date to be announced), and one for as many as possible after church on Sunday January 13.

Finding the right direction: Dec 2

An old definition of "right" is that when you are facing north, the hand to the east is your right hand.  Of course, first you have to find north.  For our transition process, "north" is being steadily fixed on discovering and describing our values and developing our congregational profile.  While each of us has a part in this, the key people who keep us on course are the Board of Trustees, Staff, and Transition Task Force.  Even during this busy season, they are holding us steady.  Give them your support and your prayers.

A Better Choice: Nov 25

While I can't remember the number of Thanksgiving services I've attended, my memory is clear that almost always they've been poorly attended and included the hymn "Come, ye thankful people"  with that Florida inappropriate line "...e'er the winter storms begin."  What winter storms?  The plants in the field next door are new, the tomato and strawberry harvests are in February. It's Florida.  So I'm thinking....  Would I rather be in a poorly attended service with an awkward hymn or at Lamb of God where 700 volunteers prepare and deliver 6700 dinners in three counties to people in need?  Not a hard choice for those who love the Gospel! 

No Potholes: Nov 18

There is a famous pothole near one of the bridges from the island where I live.  All the locals automatically veer around it and watch tourists clunk into it.  Churches have potholes, too.  Think what it would be like to be a first time visitor, perhaps not familiar with church terminology, and be told that the restrooms are off the narthex.  What's a narthex?  Part of our work in the transition is to find and smooth over all the potholes in our church life for newcomers and for our search for a new pastor.  Whenever you hear someone say "Everyone knows that..." it is probably a pothole which needs to be filled.

Think Community, not Family: Nov 11

Count up the people at the biggest family gathering you can remember:  a birthday, graduation, Thanksgiving.  How many in your count?  Typically we come up with numbers like 5, 10, 13, 22, perhaps as many as 50 at a big event.  Sometimes church members think of congregations as their "church family."  WRONG.  A congregation is a community, made up of many families, many groups.  Most of us identify with one or more ministry groups, circles of friends, but at our best we are a community of many diverse families and groups, each one with a different recipe for birthday cake or turkey dinner.  This is why it is so important for everyone to add ideas to the focus groups and profile we are building to search for a new pastor.  The next time someone says "church family" whisper in their ear "COMMUNITY."

Strong giving needed now: Nov 4

Rumors are rife during an interim.  The first one was that the transitional pastor has everything in hand and the congregation can relax.  NOT TRUE.  Hard work for all is the gift of transitions.  Another one, which put the staff and board of trustees into fits of crying and laughter, is that the Lutheran Synod and Episcopal Diocese are paying for the transition and we can all hold back on our giving.  NOT TRUE.  We pay our fair share to both synod and diocese and we will need even more resources to hire the next pastor than were used before. As the board puts together the 2013 budget they need to know that we are in a strong position. No holding back in giving now.

Better than nailing to the door: Oct 28

While we celebrate Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses to the church door in 1517, there's a better way to get your point across in 2012.  Fill out the survey online at the lambofgod.net website.  You have the same deadline Luther did, October 31.  Also attend one of the Focus Groups on Sundays November 11, 18 or December 2.  Like Luther, we who love the church always have a vision of how it could be better.  Share your vision.

Important Steps Taken: Oct 14

The Transition Task Force was approved by the board.  Marianne and Glenn Whitehouse, George Alexakis, Billy Gunnels and Tom Small will work with me to listen to you, learn from the survey, and compile the profile which a subsequent search committee will use to find our next pastor.  We'll hold Focus Groups on Sundays November 11, 18 and December 2.  Sign ups will begin soon on Sundays.  Most important is that each of us completes the survey by October 31.  See the survey on the website at www.lambofgodchurch.net  or pick up a copy on Sunday. 

One pastor won't be enough: Oct 7

Take a breath, I'm not talking about hiring more than one clergy person. I'm thinking just about Sunday morning. The greatest job and privilege of a pastor/priest is to call the community to worship and preside at and welcome all to the altar. But it takes many teams of people to make this happen: the crew which sets up the building, the staff who work on the planning weeks ahead, leaflet folding crew, altar guild, tech team, greeters, ushers, breakfast and coffee teams, communion ministers, opening announcer, readers, musicians, singers, church school team (way over 50 - 60 people and I'm sure I've forgotten some). That's just Sunday. Shall we move on to Monday? This is why everyone must be on the team as we go through the transition to a new clergy leader for Lamb of God.

A Perfect Pastor: September 30

Of course we will find the perfect pastor and everyone will be happy. Surely people have done this before. There must be good examples. How about that Holy Apostles Church? Remember Peter (the pastor told him “Get behind me, Satan), or Philip (the pastor wanted him to find food to feed the 5,000), or John (in today's gospel, the pastor tells him to stop whining because someone else could do a good work), or Thomas (he wanted the pastor to really prove it), or James (his mother tried to get the pastor to give him and his brother a place of honor, and she was basically dissed), or Judas (let's not go there...) I guess it's an open question: if Jesus were the pastor, wouldn't everyone be happy?

Find a new pastor yet? September 23

Do you have a name for the next senior minister for Lamb of God?  What, aren't you looking?  Some one knows some one who knows just the right person.  Somewhere in the country, possibly in the north, a Lutheran pastor or Episcopal priest has looked at the leaves falling and thought "I should move to Florida."  That could be the first nudge of the Spirit.  Now we have to use all our networks to find the right person.  Use family, friends, colleagues in every place you can think of.

Everyone is on the team: September 16

Every member of the congregation at Lamb of God is on the transition team.  Each of us will need to add our perspective, be part of a focus group, or task force.  Perhaps you may feel a call to a leadership role.  Think about it now.

Introduction September 9

Just call me Ted.  I know when a phone caller asks for Edward that someone wants to sell me something.  I've been called Father, Pastor, Canon, Padre, and uMfundisi.  Try to avoid calling me "Reverend" which is like calling a judge "Honorable Smith."  With children at Lamb of God, we decided on Pastor Copland.  If you'd like to know more about the Rev. Canon Edward M. Copland click on www.emcopland.com