Radical Hospitality and Extravagant Generosity

Unidos por Cristo is a mission church; it is not self-sustaining. Our ministries rely on the hospitality and generosity of other churches, individuals, the Greenville District, and the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The hospitality and generosity take various forms, but I would like to highlight two United Methodist churches in Greenville:

One of these churches sends a check every month marked "pastor's salary," for which I am very grateful. This same church, when I went to visit to thank them for their support, told me to consider their missions team as my extended staff. Wow! I have staff!

The second church has said (if churches could talk), "You need to transport 7 people? Here's a 15-passenger van! You need a place to stay? Here's a house!" I'm not kidding. At the beginning of my time here, I spent the night with another pastor at her parsonage in Washington. However, for the past few weeks, she's had a mold problem at the parsonage that still isn't completely gone. I mentioned to another pastor about needing a place to stay, and he suggested the retreat house of this church. A block away from the church, it has 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths. The kitchen is stocked with disposable kitchenware. Many small groups affiliated with the church meet at the house, so there are tons of chairs. There are also tons of books, as it is a retreat house. This house is such a blessing! When I went to pick up the key one time from the church office, I mentioned my need for a vehicle that held 7 people. Five youth, my husband, and I were going to a ballgame and we would not all fit in my RAV-4 or my husband's '98 Mustang. The church office staff told me to fill out a short form and let them copy my driver's license, and I could borrow the church van! Ask and ye shall receive!

The Most Pleasant Surprise: the Youth

Before seminary, I was an elementary school teacher. I love kids and I love being around them! Also, I've always claimed to like the little kids better than the big kids and that all middle school and high school teachers are crazy to teach that age group. Now, in addition to being pastor, bible study leader, counselor, worship planner, cleaner, etc., I find myself in charge of the church youth group.

Leading a youth group is doubly weird for me because I was in a youth group for only two years of the whole time I was a youth. My family moved a lot in those years and only one of the three churches we attended had an active youth group. In a nutshell, I was dreading becoming the Youth Minister.

But, God is full of surprises and the youth at Unidos por Cristo are one of them! There are eight youth who come, rising sixth through twelfth graders. In four meetings, there has not been even a hint of misbehavior. They do what I ask them to do. They participate and choose our activities (some of which I suggest and some of which are their ideas). Youth group is the one activity at Unidos por Cristo that is primarily in English. And afterward, or after I talk with one of them on the phone, I feel rejuvenated! I am excited! It's as if I were teaching third graders, or playing with four year old's. I enjoy the youth!!