It is now January of 2013 and the Mayans were wrong and we are still here. With that being said, I would like to take a look back at the year that was truly amazing for the Tod Family. If you received the wonderfully designed Christmas cards from my Wife, Jennifer of Turquoise Feathers Studio, LLC, you know that 2012 was a big year for us. Just to lay out a couple reasons for why 2012 was such an amazing year for us.
I accepted my first position in ministry as the Community Youth Coordinator at Groesbeck UMC in Cincinnati, OH on Jan. 2nd 2012.
Jennifer & I tied the knot at the Harrison Center for the Arts in Downtown Indianapolis, IN March 10th, 2012.
Jennifer & I moved into our first apartment in March in Downtown Cincinnati, OH.
Jennifer & I graduated from Herron School of Art & Cincinnati Christian University (respectively) on May 12th - May 13th 2012.
I transitioned into the position of Pastor of Student Ministries at Groesbeck UMC in Cincinnati, OH.
We introduced Indie Tod into the world as we adopted our first puppy in August of 2012.
I accepted the position of Student Ministries Pastor at Twin Oaks Christian Church in Woodhaven, MI.
Jennifer & I moved to Southgate, MI in the Down River District of Detroit, MI.
I introduced the rebranding of the Student Ministries at TOCC entitled The Uprising
Jennifer accepted the position of Graphic Designer & Social Media Director at Mousetrap Mobile in Royal Oak, MI.
Jennifer's freelance graphic design business became an official LLC under the name, Turquoise Feathers Studio, LLC in November of 2012.
I preached my first sermon at the main sunday morning service at Twin Oaks CC on Dec. 30th, 2012.
As you can see, this year has been as crazy as they come. We are looking forward to not moving as well as transitioning into new jobs. But we are also excited about the new opportunities that will come to us in 2013. Just a few things we are looking forward to are, Turquoise Feathers becoming a huge company, Missions Trip to Dominican Republic, Moving into our first house. It should yet again be an exciting year in 2013 and I will keep you updated through this blog.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Indie Thoughts // Normal Mind
Showing posts with label GUMC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GUMC. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Our First Home...
It has been quite awhile since I have been able to blog, but I am going to promise you that will stop this week. I will begin back on my weekly tradition this week.
From where I left off, my beautiful wife Jennifer and I had a pretty big decision to make. Beginning of August we were approached by a Pastor in Michigan about the opportunity for a position in youth ministry. From the very beginning of conversations with Randy Wheeler we were excited about the opportunity, but most of all saddened by the fact that it meant we would be leaving our home in Cincinnati.
I started my time at Groesbeck Church in January of 2012 fresh out of college and ready to see what God had in store. I could not have asked for more. My time spent at Groesbeck was great and an amazing learning experience as I had an opportunity to work with some great students and volunteers at the After School Program as well as mold the minds of our six student leaders. Nothing excited me more than to see the passion in the eyes of the students of CHAOS//Student Ministries. It truly was a wonderful experience.
But as you know, we felt that when we were offered the position of Student Ministries Pastor at Twin Oaks Christian Church we truly felt that God was calling us out of our ministry at Groesbeck and to partner with him in a new city, a new church, and a new home. It was a huge risk, but my wife and I find that the best situations always come out of a little risk.
Therefore, as of August 31st, 2012 we began to call Southgate, MI and Twin Oaks Christian Church our home.
Again, Groesbeck Church, thank you so much for the hospitality, the friendship, the love, and the fun that we had with you all for a short time. We will be praying for you and the journey that you guys are on.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
From where I left off, my beautiful wife Jennifer and I had a pretty big decision to make. Beginning of August we were approached by a Pastor in Michigan about the opportunity for a position in youth ministry. From the very beginning of conversations with Randy Wheeler we were excited about the opportunity, but most of all saddened by the fact that it meant we would be leaving our home in Cincinnati.
I started my time at Groesbeck Church in January of 2012 fresh out of college and ready to see what God had in store. I could not have asked for more. My time spent at Groesbeck was great and an amazing learning experience as I had an opportunity to work with some great students and volunteers at the After School Program as well as mold the minds of our six student leaders. Nothing excited me more than to see the passion in the eyes of the students of CHAOS//Student Ministries. It truly was a wonderful experience.
But as you know, we felt that when we were offered the position of Student Ministries Pastor at Twin Oaks Christian Church we truly felt that God was calling us out of our ministry at Groesbeck and to partner with him in a new city, a new church, and a new home. It was a huge risk, but my wife and I find that the best situations always come out of a little risk.
Therefore, as of August 31st, 2012 we began to call Southgate, MI and Twin Oaks Christian Church our home.
Again, Groesbeck Church, thank you so much for the hospitality, the friendship, the love, and the fun that we had with you all for a short time. We will be praying for you and the journey that you guys are on.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Just another week...
Yes, it is the middle of August 2012 and there is really not much to talk about in life. We are in the midst of something amazing here at Groesbeck Church with a rebranding campaign in full swing. We are just one month away from the relaunch of our Contemporary Service at 11:00am on Sundays and we could not be more excited about the opportunities that are going to come our way as we begin to serve the church.
But when I really think about it...what seems to keep coming to my mind is why we do what we do? What is the purpose of living a life as a pastor to a congregation of people who are looking for something. It is really just that. All of us inside are seeking something in our lives whether it be fame, fortune, love, happiness, but all of those things still really cannot fill the void that seems to get more vast every second of every day. That is the amazing gift that we pastors have the opportunity to share on a weekly basis.
The idea that hope can be find in a relationship with Christ Jesus and Christ Jesus alone. It makes all those other things seem insignificant. It brings to light the reason that we pastors stay up late and wake up early, visit the sick, preach on sundays, counsel during the week, because there is a community we are a part of that is looking for something. We have that something and it is our job to show that to them.
God has revealed in me that despite all things, he power and hope reigns true in all things. It is an exciting feeling and most of all a feeling that makes me want to drive to work every morning. A feeling that excites me when I have the chance to interact with students. A chance that excites me when I am able to share the gospel with a student and they get it. There is not a better feeling in life then knowing that you shared the gift of life with someone, the gift of life in Jesus Christ.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Time to Submit it...
In January of this year I accepted the position Community Youth Coordinator at Groesbeck United Methodist Church (soon to be changing to Student Ministries Pastor). This role includes directing and implementing an after school program for High School age students from Colerain HS and the surrounding area. With this comes funding and with this funding comes grant writing.
I am currently submitting a grant for Congregational Revitalization to the West Ohio Conference of United Methodist. It is an exciting opportunity that begin in February when I had the opportunity to travel to the conference offices in Columbus and sit through a seminar explaining just exactly what it meant to write a grant. After just over a month of editing, writing, and collecting it has come time to submit and in just two short days I will be submitting the grant for evaluation and approval at the West Ohio Conference. It is exciting, but also nerve-racking realizing that some of what we do here at CHAOS//Student Ministries could be dictated by the verdict that is returned after the submission of this grant. What I have come to realize is that not only is this a nerve racking opportunity, but it is also an opportunity to trust the living God who all in all is in control of all of our lives and the decisions that occur.
It got me thinking, in what other areas of my life is it important to submit and trust the Lord. I begin to think about my own personal finances and the well being of my family, the car troubles we find ourselves in as well as the continuing growth that comes with being an adult and I realize all of it. All of it must be submitted to the Lord, for in the midst of everything that seems to be so nerveracking and intimidating he finds a way to provide and not only provide for us, but be glorified in the process. When we think about life through that lens it makes it so much simpler. Asking the question how are my actions glorifying the Lord today and I am fully submitting and trusting the will of God to lead me through my life?
till another day,
normallyINDIE
I am currently submitting a grant for Congregational Revitalization to the West Ohio Conference of United Methodist. It is an exciting opportunity that begin in February when I had the opportunity to travel to the conference offices in Columbus and sit through a seminar explaining just exactly what it meant to write a grant. After just over a month of editing, writing, and collecting it has come time to submit and in just two short days I will be submitting the grant for evaluation and approval at the West Ohio Conference. It is exciting, but also nerve-racking realizing that some of what we do here at CHAOS//Student Ministries could be dictated by the verdict that is returned after the submission of this grant. What I have come to realize is that not only is this a nerve racking opportunity, but it is also an opportunity to trust the living God who all in all is in control of all of our lives and the decisions that occur.
It got me thinking, in what other areas of my life is it important to submit and trust the Lord. I begin to think about my own personal finances and the well being of my family, the car troubles we find ourselves in as well as the continuing growth that comes with being an adult and I realize all of it. All of it must be submitted to the Lord, for in the midst of everything that seems to be so nerveracking and intimidating he finds a way to provide and not only provide for us, but be glorified in the process. When we think about life through that lens it makes it so much simpler. Asking the question how are my actions glorifying the Lord today and I am fully submitting and trusting the will of God to lead me through my life?
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Book Review - Onward by Howard Schultz ...
Coffee has been a huge part of my life since I was 12 years old. My first interaction with coffee or a coffeeshop was a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks in Bloomington-Normal, IL. At they time my coffee taste buds were not so high and I needed a lot of sugar added to handle the coffee taste. But as I continued to grow up and my palette was toughened, I moved from a white chocolate mocha, to a vanilla latte, to drip coffee with a little bit of sugar, and now finally good old black coffee. My relationship and growth with coffee has grown from merely a small to go cup of coffee to a full on experience. In each city I have lived in over the past 5 years I have a specific coffee shop that has become home (Coffee Hound, Starbuck's, Corner Bloc, Mojo's, Strange Brew, & Coffee Emporium).
Although I have a heart for local coffee shops, there has always been a place in my heart for Starbuck's Coffee Company. I am not really sure why, but there is merely something about my start of my relationship with coffee that links me to Starbuck's. This link has only continued when I got ahold of the story of Starbucks book Onward written by their Founder & CEO Howard Schultz himself.
This book is written in the view of the story of Starbuck's and their journey from Pike Place to the thousands of stores across the world. Howard spend much of the book writting about the importance of leadership and leadership by communication. Reading through his words you can clearly see that coffee was not just grounds and some hot water, but coffee for Howard is a lifestyle, coffee for Howard is an experience.
What I could take away from this is the connection between the Starbuck's business model and the business model of the local church. So much of the time we think of church as being merely a Sunday morning event that we are required to be a part of because scripture says so, but this is not our product, our product is a lifestyle or an experience. The Lord has called us to a build a church that is centered on bringing people into relationship with his son Jesus Christ and in doing so leading them on the path of sanctification. With this responsibility we cannot merely "sell a good cup of coffee", but we have to make people realize that a relationship with Christ is so much more.
Like Howard, I look forwarrd to examining the ministry I am a part of and begin to understand if I am merely adding hot water to coffee grounds or if I am creating a once in a lifetime experience that will change the way people live their lives.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Monday, April 2, 2012
And the Vote was...
If you have been following Groesbeck United Methodist church in Colerain Township for the last couple of months, you know all about the Consultation process. This being a process that was voted on and issued by the West Ohio Conference of Methodist Church (for those of you who are non-denominational, this is the form of organization for the Methodist Denomination in West Ohio). Led by our conference leaders Sue Nelson Kibbey and Brian Brown, our church was chosen as one of only 12 in the 1100 that call themselves West Ohio Conference members. This is truly an honor to be considered for this and our church members as well as staff were really exciting to see what this meant.
Therefore, over the past months there have people evauluating our church, all the way from our building structure to our worship style. They explored all areas of our church community and at the end of their time of evaluation they gave us 5 prescriptions. These prescriptions were 5 changes that they believed needed to be made in order to take our church to the next level. After a month of town hall meetings and conversations the church membership body took a vote and by a wide margin the prescriptions based (92.7%) and will be initiated over the next 3 years here at Groesbeck.
This exciting time of evalutation mostly makes me felel as though I should praise the Lord for the gift he has given us as a church, but it also reminds me that there are some huge opportunities that must be taken advantage of over the coming years. We, as a staff and church body, have an amazing opportunity to change the lives of thousands of people in the Colerain community through the changes and development that will come with these prescriptions. All of which are centered on our core task to go and make disciplines.
With all that being said, I would ask for your prayers in the coming years for guidance from our loving and faithful Lord as well as leadership. We are feeling callling to shared the gospel with as many people in the Colerain area as possible, therefore we need your prayers.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
Therefore, over the past months there have people evauluating our church, all the way from our building structure to our worship style. They explored all areas of our church community and at the end of their time of evaluation they gave us 5 prescriptions. These prescriptions were 5 changes that they believed needed to be made in order to take our church to the next level. After a month of town hall meetings and conversations the church membership body took a vote and by a wide margin the prescriptions based (92.7%) and will be initiated over the next 3 years here at Groesbeck.
This exciting time of evalutation mostly makes me felel as though I should praise the Lord for the gift he has given us as a church, but it also reminds me that there are some huge opportunities that must be taken advantage of over the coming years. We, as a staff and church body, have an amazing opportunity to change the lives of thousands of people in the Colerain community through the changes and development that will come with these prescriptions. All of which are centered on our core task to go and make disciplines.
With all that being said, I would ask for your prayers in the coming years for guidance from our loving and faithful Lord as well as leadership. We are feeling callling to shared the gospel with as many people in the Colerain area as possible, therefore we need your prayers.
till another day,
normallyINDIE
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