On My Way Out the Door
United Methodist ministers are itinerant clergy. This means that we are not “hired” by the churches we serve. Rather, we are appointed to serve a congregation by our Bishop. Each year pastors are subject to be assigned to a new church.
I have had the distinct honor to serve the First United Methodist Church of Monticello for nine years. This has been the longest tenure of any pastor since the inception of the church in 1809. Monticello has been a wonderful home for Nannette, Angelia, and I. When I use the word home I mean it literally. Monticello has been our home and will always hold a special place in the hearts of all members of the Brown family.
On June 9, I will preach my final sermon as pastor of the First United Methodist Church. I have been appointed as the new pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Toccoa and will begin service there on June 23. That same day the Reverend Stephen Soulen will assume the pulpit of the Monticello church. The Reverend Soulen comes to Monticello from Meriwether County, where he has served as the pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Manchester.
Stephen and his wife Melanie, who is also an ordained United Methodist clergy person, have lived in Jasper County previously when he served as pastor of the Shady Dale Circuit. He will be a wonderful pastor to the people of the church and an asset to the Monticello community.
Therefore, this will be the final column that I write for The Monticello News. I’m not exactly sure when I started writing this column or exactly how my column became an every week item in the paper but, I count it a high privilege to have occupied this space the past few years. I would like to thank Kathy Mudd, editor of this publication, for the opportunity. This column has become very important to me because I know that more people read these words each week than hear my sermons on Sunday.
I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the folks who have stopped me in the grocery store, in the post office, and in the Dairy Queen the past few weeks to tell me that they would miss reading these words. You have been very kind to offer your appreciation and it has warmed my heart to hear your kind words.
Each week I hope that I have tickled the mind and sometimes moved the heart. Over the last few years I’ve never asked everyone or anyone to agree with the things that I have said. What I have asked is that everyone at the very least spend a little time in thought concerning the matters I have written.
With that thought in mind I want to leave with a few observations about life in our community and life in general. There are a few things I want to say before I head to north east corner of our great state.
To the political and governmental leaders of our community I would like to say—more can be accomplished through cooperation than through confrontation. When personal agendas are put aside and all work for the betterment of our community it is amazing what can be accomplished. I thank everyone who has served our community in leadership during the time my family is lived here. Public service is often a thankless job and I offer thanks to those who have served.
To everyone in our community I would like to say—educating our children is a priority. We are blessed in Monticello to have choices about our children’s education. One can choose purple or one can choose blue. That’s a choice for each family to make and there is no right or wrong choice. Each family must decide what is best for their children and make their own decision. The truth is that our entire community has a stake in the education of the kids at the blue building and the education of the kids in the purple buildings, and we should strive for the success of the all the young people in both places.
To the naysayers in our community I say—stop and smell the roses. Is Monticello a perfect community? Absolutely it is not. However, I dare anyone to find a community this side of heaven that is.
Monticello has a lot to offer. No, we aren’t filled with five star restaurants or glamorous nightlife, but we live in a place where folks have your back in hard times and will celebrate with you in good times. Sometimes Monticello folks may not like each other but at the end of the day they love each other and that makes this a pretty good place to live.
To the church folks of Monticello I say—let’s remember that our primary task is to make disciples for Jesus Christ. It is my observation for the most part the churches cooperate fairly well.
From establishing the Care Corps and Food Bank, to pooling resources for Community Bible School, Christmas Cantatas, and the ML&J fund, the church folks of Monticello and the churches of this community can and do work together and do great things.
However, there are times human pride can get in the way and we become a little smug and self-congratulatory. There have been times I’ve been guilty of this and placed Methodism above Christianity. For that I apologize.
Above all to those in our community who have not come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior I say—choose Jesus Christ today. In life we have many decisions and choices we must make. Some are trivial like what to have for breakfast, while others are more important such as choices about careers, marriage, and family.
As important as some of the choices are they pale in comparison to the choice we must make about Jesus Christ. Choice about career, marriage and family define our lives to be sure but the choice we make about Jesus Christ shapes eternity.
Thank you Monticello for loving me and for loving my family. While I’m no longer a pastor in this community, I will always be your friend a couple of hours up the road.
May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever more. Amen.