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02/10/2011
Pastor Ken has been reappointed to the Eureka UMC, in Eureka, KS.
Stay tuned for more information about our new pastor, Hyun-Jin Cho
By Rev. Kenneth Baker
December 2010
"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. (6) I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. (7) So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (8) The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. (9) For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. (10) By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds."
(1 Corinthians 3:5-10
Friends, by now you should have heard that as of January 1st, I will be reappointed to another Church. In the past couple of weeks since I made the announcement in Church, there have been a great many conversations regarding the past, present, and future of our Church. Many have noted how it seems that just about the time you get used to one pastor, he or she gets moved and you start all over again with a new one. We pastors sometimes get frustrated as well. But, ultimately we feel it is a process driven by God, and that it is, therefore, although frustrating, in God’s good hands. The passage above notes the seasons in the life of a Church, with different persons meeting the needs of the Church at various stages, then handing off to the next person, thus cooperating with God’s efforts to meet the ever-changing needs of the Churches. Ultimately it helps me to remember that it is actually much less our Church than it is God’s Church, and therefore, with God in control, it is in good hands.
As I transition out of this Church, rest assured that the Bishop and the Cabinet are working hard to identify the right person to continue the pastoral work at LUMC. On another page I have included a statement by our Bishop detailing how appointments are made, which I hope will help you understand some of the ins and outs of the process. If you have further questions about the process, feel free to give me a call. As well, the Pastor-Parish Relations committee, under the leadership of Bonny Fugett, are working with our District Superintendant (Evelyn Fisher - who serves as our representative to and from the Cabinet) to facilitate the process of bringing a new pastor on board.
That all being said, know that I will miss you and will hold you all in my heart. I cannot begin to say how much you have meant to me, nor can I describe even now the emptiness that is beginning to grow inside me. But this I know – God will bless us both and we will continue the journey together, yet apart.
With much love,
Pastor Ken
For more information, see Reappointment letter
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(Mat 28:19-20 NIV) Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""
The Mission of the Lecompton United Methodist Church
The Lecompton United Methodist Church will provide a universally accepting opportunity to worship God that will: welcome, encourage, enlighten, and nurture the personal growth and spirituality of the community, the members, and their families
¶120. The Mission (of the United Methodist Church)
The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs.
¶122. The Process for Carrying Out Our Mission
We make disciples as we:
—proclaim the gospel, seek, welcome and gather persons into the body of Christ;
—lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ;
—nurture persons in Christian living through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley's Christian conferencing;
—send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel; and
—continue the mission of seeking, welcoming and gathering persons into the community of the body of Christ.
Pastor Ken to be reappointed to Eureka UMC
"During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia
standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had
seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that
God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (Acts 16:9-10
Dear friends,
For the last four-and-a-half years, it has been my joy to have been your pastor. My years here have been fulfilling and joyful as you have made me part of your lives and welcomed me into your homes and into your hearts. You, too, have become part of my own life as I have lived here and shared lives, loved Christ, and served our community together. You have become my family and I am filled with love for each of you.
It is therefore difficult for me to share with you the news that as of January 1st, I will be reappointed to be the pastor of the Eureka United Methodist Church, in Eureka, Kansas. This appointment came about because of an urgent need in the Eureka Church; a need the Bishop and the Cabinet felt needed to be responded to swiftly; a need our Bishop and appointive cabinet felt I would be well-equipped to meet.
As well, alongside my love for you, our church, and our community, I have recently been feeling the call God placed upon Abram, to "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1). I have spent a great deal of time in prayer trying to understand what this meant, and after discussing this with our District Superintendant during my September supervisory meeting, I stepped out in faith and expressed to her that should the need arise, I would prayerfully consider a move. I will admit that I was astonished the other day when she asked me to meet with her and another District Superintendant to discuss a possible move, but then, I am often astonished when God acts swiftly when His people, even I, respond with a “yes” to His plans. After spending more time in prayer, I said “yes” to God, and have accepted this new appointment.
In the next few weeks, our District Superintendant, Rev. Evelyn Fisher, will be meeting with the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee to discuss your needs, and help select another pastor who will be a good fit for this community. If you have thoughts about a new pastor that you would like to share, please contact Bonny Fugett or any of the other persons on the PPR Committee.
As we make this transition together, my door remains open to you – to answer questions or “just to talk.” As well, I will need your help, your understanding, and prayers. In the meantime I am still your pastor. My love for you and my commitment to you has in no way diminished. I will continue to be there for you, to love you, and to serve God together with you. And although my pastoral relationship with you will change as of January 1st, my love for you will always remain. Please pray for me, even as I hold you constantly in my prayers.
In Christ’s love, Pastor Ken