I put in my two weeks notice today at Apple. As much as I’d like to be working at the Apple Store and sharing about the products that I use every day and love, I’m also looking forward to being able to put to use my years of education and ministry experience.
Starting September 1st, I’ll begin my position at Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA as Minister for Youth & Young Adults. My primary responsibilities - as I understand them - will be to work with the junior high and high school youth ministry (I’ve been given permission to “blow the thing apart” and start new), help coordinate fellowship activities for young adults (18-35), do some creative alternative worship and help assist with with other pastoral duties when necessary (preaching, sacraments, pastoral care, visitation, etc).
We’ve been meeting more and more people from the church, and learning more about the worship and community life at Asbury UMC. They are a very musical church, and are actually putting on a production of “Fiddler on the Roof” at the end of September (they’re also trying to get me to play the role of Perchik). There is also the possibility that I could be ordained into this position, as long as the appropriate Presbyterian and Methodist folk are equally excited about the possibility.
Sarah and I will also be moving out to Livermore in a month or so - I’ll put up photos of the place as soon as things are finalized, but most likely we’ll be moving to a house (a “duet” actually - similar to a duplex) - similar square footage as our apartment right now, but it feels like a home, has a washer and dryer, a HUGE nicely landscaped backyard and a finished garage that can be used for a study, den, hang out space…lots of possibilities. Livermore is about 36 miles south east of Berkeley, so this means Sarah will be commuting, but she doesn’t have to go in every day, and Livermore is about 10 degrees warmer than Oakland (which Sarah is really looking forward to), so there are some things we’re really looking forward to. The house we’re looking at is in a nice neighborhood, near a park, about 1 mile from downtown and close to Livermore’s 40 wineries!
Anyway - that’s the news. I have a job. I’m looking forward to seeing how this job will affect pomomusings, as I will hope to be blogging more about youth ministry and theology (as I give myself some time to set aside for reading and continuing growth and learning). We’d appreciate your prayers as we enter this time of transition and moving, and as I prep for starting this ministry position, and Sarah gets ready to start her PhD program.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s fantastic! Congratulations. Asbury is lucky to get you. I’ll be praying.
congrats man
I know this will be good to get the theological juices flowing
I’m in the same boat I don’t think as much about that stuff since it’s not my primary job
I totally miss it
Great news, Adam.
how cool! i’m looking forward to seeing how this all works out for you (and me!).
peace to you in this transition!
Awesome, congrats man.
Clearly, the Methodists are desperate. Best wishes, man. Ordination possibilities? Congrats.
Congratulations Adam! It’s good to have a witness that all the looking does eventually pan out. Oh and house near wineries??? I’m totally coming to visit!
Grats!
I’ve got a good friend at First Pres in Livermore. If you bump into Christina Graham say “hi” for me!
Hot damn! Thatta boy!
Welcome to Livermore. Yes, it’s hot. But it’s a dry heat - so’s a blowtorch :)
For Sarah, Berkeley is along bus and BART ride, but handy in a pinch. The Bus runs almost as often as the train, and runs 24/7 (so if you stay late, after BART closes, you can still get from Berkeley to Livermore).
If you are in a Duet, chances are it’s a new home? You have a Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Agway nearby. Let me know if you want any stuff, I might have it.
Don’t forget the Livermore tech swapmeet every month - good for techies. Not too much mac stuff, tho.
Watch your cellphone coverage, not every square inch of the Tri-Valley is reached by every company.
The Tri-Valley is a three-layer tiered society, and the two largest employers have some interesting racial challenges. Demographically, look for some challenges - but, in general the UMC paradigm has a little better fit here.
I wish you many blessings!
Peace.
This is great. Long before CHM worked at her church in DC, they performed the Vagina Monologues. Now that would blow things apart.
That’s a pretty hefty job description! Good luck, the first year is always filled with its own challenges and joys… including kids who aren’t thrilled with change. :)
Congrats!
Check out the site: http://www.ymexchange.com/
Many UMC youth workers hang out there (and me too).
welcome to our umc youth min world. can we claim your blog on “the methoblog” now. haha! we will allow you to still dabble with your presbymergents. http://www.methoblog.com
Hey, Adam! Sounds like your taking a good step here. I have a sort of nuts and bolts question for you: how is it that you are able to administer sacraments at Asbury if you aren’t ordained? You mention that’s one of your duties, when needed, but then later you mention you might be ordained. I only ask because I’m not familiar with the Methodist take on that sort of thing. I personally think anyone should be able to administer them (priesthood of all believers and all), but know that some denominations only allow the ordained to administer sacraments. Is it different with the Methodist?
One more thing- where’s New Music Friday, man? :)
> how is it that you are able to administer sacraments at Asbury if you aren’t ordained?
In a previous life, I was ordained as a certified lay speaker, and was allowed to “administer” the sacraments. I could not “consecrate” them, but that was done once a year, and they were kept in the church, for weekly use.
I don’t know what the rules are today, or locally (I was in Dallas), but the CLS ordination was a fairly quick process, and pretty much anyone with a ministry did it - not just for pulpit supply, but youth pastors, employment counselors, Stephen ministry,…
I recently met a UMC campus minister who was talking about seeking ordination into the PC(USA). Made me begin wondering: Do we cross-ordain between UMC and PC(USA) due to our “mainline status?” Aren’t there some pretty substantial and base theological understandings that would prevent this from happening?
Not to question your particular call, Adam, but just some thoughts I have had this past week.
Sounds like a great fit! Wonderful news!
@Cody, I won’t be able to administer the sacraments until I’m ordained - that was just in the plans so they included that in the job description. If the current pastor prayed over the elements, or did whatever it is that Methodists do, then I could do the rest, but…not much more until I’m ordained.
@wb, yah, there probably are some differences between Calvin & Wesley, etc., but…there are things that I actually like Wesley better on (communion being one of them), and…to some degree, youth ministry is youth ministry. I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts on that when I actually start at the church and start learning more re: the differences, but I’m feeling pretty okay with it right now.
Ah, yes, WB, but it isn’t it precisely the definition of “mainline” Protestantism not to esteem theological distinctives? It’s only those “crazy fundamentalists” who still think it matters whether you subscribe to TULIP or what have you, right? Mainliners are SO beyond upholding traditional theological tenets (see, e.g., what happened to the Heidelberg Catechism @ PC(USA) GA this summer)….
Adam (and Wes),
Hello! Congrats. I am in South Central Michigan as the Pastor of a smaller Presbyterian Church. I am working closely with the Methodist Church in the same town and actually participate in the regional Methodist Minister prayer gathering.
To answer Wes’s question - nope the polities of the Presbyterian Church and United Methodist’s don’t mix at the top, but there is room at the church level. Not much discernable difference in the worship (a bit different sequences and as always we Presbyterians really focus on the Confession of Sin and pardon - Methodists aren’t as big on that).
Methodists have Bishops and they are important to people seeking ordination. The Methodist minister here has a M.Div but does not have full ordination. He practices under a “local” license (think Presbyterian Certified Lay Pastor), but does weddings and the sacraments. Ordination is a multi-step process and is handled by the regional “Conferences” (think Presbytery) and has a review committee (think CPM), but the Bishop has the last say. IN ADDITION - remember that Methodist Bishops pick who goes where and assigns pastors to churches - SO - be careful about ordination because once you are ordained, you may be asked to move. I would imagine as unordained you are an employee of that particular church and have some say.
Deacons also exist, but I am not sure what they are for, as it seems to be a step in the full license process but also is obtained by lay people.
I have had some fun and humorous conversations with the Methodist ministers here - they maintain there are no more 5 point Calvinists in the world (they have a point) - but I counter with that the current UMC has little reflection of what John Wesley exposed in the mid 1700’s. I think I might have studied early Wesley more than them in Seminary. I tell them also that when people first have an ephiphany they tend to become Baptist, when they learn toread scripture they become Methodist, and when they learn to think theologically they become Presbyterian!
I also think that it is more difficult for Methodists to be ordained in the PC(USA) than vice-versa. PC(USA) policy requires them to take all 5 of the ordination exams and also to go through the inquirer/candidate process.
Good Luck!
Adam,
I worked with Asbury quite a bit when I did youth work in the area. Great folks. Their kids had more character in their pinkies than I have in my entire body. Godspeed to you in this new endeavor!
Michelle
Adam,
Just noticed the cover shot you made on the Outlook. Hope Apple is giving you a cut of the publicity.
.
As for “to some degree, youth ministry is youth ministry”–that’s a pretty bold and simplistic statement. I have actually come to see how much of youth ministry has greatly and determinately impacted the full life of a church
With many of Young Adults, and now Middle Aged Adults, having been the bumper crop of para-church youth ministry experiences (i.e. Young Life). Is it any surprise that there is a surge of Young Adult pastors (myself included) to pastor the contingencies that have only known “Youth pastors.”
This results in the primary understanding of church to be something that is fun, entertaining and most important relevant. It makes worship inward focused and an emotional event. As an associate here has articulated it results in emotive gnosticism.
So I would argue that the theological foundations of our particular traditions should drive everything youth pastors are seeking to accomplish.
@Wes, I feel like I should clarify.
When I said “to some degree, youth ministry is youth ministry” - I didn’t mean that it didn’t affect other ministries in the church or that it wasn’t an important ministry.
What I meant was that “Presbyterian youth ministry” is going to be fairly similar to “Methodist youth ministry” when it all comes down to it - the nuts & bolts are pretty similar.
Congrats Adam….lets talk soon!