If you were in church on Sunday, September 11th, you’ve already had a chance to meet our new pastoral intern, Michelle Henrichs. Michelle comes to us as part of a field studies program through McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Michelle, along with some thirty other students, will spend part of this next school year doing “on the job training” in local churches. It is a great opportunity for her and for us as well.
Michelle is coming into ministry as a second career and is juggling all the demands of being a wife and a mother as well as responsibilities in her own home congregation…not to mention her schoolwork! And while Michelle is younger than I was when I made my career change, I can’t help but see some parallels. In talking with Michelle one is blessed to hear a young woman who is clearly hearing and responding to a call from God. As much as she has on her plate right now, I don’t think she could not do what she is doing for God has put a clear path before her.
So where do we enter into all of this? Again I go back to my own experience here at Bay View. When Pastor Lowell invited me to join the ministry team back in 1999 he was doing more than allowing me to preach once in a while. He was entrusting to me our most precious commodity, which of course is all of you. And it was “you” who invited me into your homes and into your lives and through those invitations I began to learn what ministry was all about.
We now have that same opportunity to invite Michelle into our lives and not just into our Sunday morning worship experience. Now we do have to keep in mind that Michelle is ours for only fifteen hours a week! But please, seek her out. Get to know her. Ask her about her call to ministry. If she offers to lead a class here, sign up for it!
Michelle will gain much from working closely with Pastor Kelly but she will truly gain so much more from all of you. So Michelle, welcome to the circle! Welcome to the circle of love that is Bay View United Methodist Church! May your time with us be a blessing to us all as you continue this strange and marvelous journey God has called you to!
Blessings,
Pastor Andy