For anyone who didn’t already know, the pastorate is a desk job (for the most part).

This reality has not boded well for my body. I’ve been wanting to loose some of the weight I’ve put on over the past few years, and I’ve been quite unsuccessful in my attempts.

So, I decided that I would have better follow through if I joined a gym. My reasoning was that I would be paying money to be a part of the gym, so I’d probably be more motivated to use it and not “waste” my money. I also have a friend in the church who has gotten in a really good habit of going every week - and I knew I could count on him for encouragement.

So, I’m two weeks in, and wow. I didn’t know if I would survive the first week. My body was screaming for mercy. But now, after going 6 times, I’m starting to adapt. My workout thus far has been 20 minutes of weight lifting using some pretty amazing machines (they automatically set up the right amount of weight for you based on what you can lift during a “test mode”), and 30 straight minutes of jogging on a treadmill (cardio workout that gets my heart rate up to about 152).

I am beginning to see a difference in myself, and that gets me excited!

~pastormatt

Read Wade’s blog “Questions” and “Clarification“, and be sure to check out my comment here.

~pastormatt

Ben’s Blog, originally uploaded by crashingtothesea.

If you didn’t already know, my brother Ben has started a blog. You can find it at http://bdtietje.wordpress.com

Enjoy!

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]]> http://doayp.com/blog/archives/213/feed http://doayp.com/blog/archives/211 http://doayp.com/blog/archives/211#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:31:12 +0000 pastormatt http://doayp.com/blog/archives/211 .flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

Reading at The Grind Cafe, originally uploaded by crashingtothesea.

This picture pretty much sums up today’s events. It sure is nice to have Ashlee home for the summer!

~pastor matt

Also, please check the comments on the previous post!  There is some good stuff there from Tony Casey (about the history of TRRCC), Matt Rampey and a follow-up comment by me.

I am thankful that we have been able to talk openly about our feelings on this issue.  Feel free to jump into the conversation, but remember — no anonymity allowed!

I’ll keep this short.

10 years ago, when the district voted to purchase the property (which in its self may or may not have been handled 100% appropriately) that has become South Mountain, it was made clear that all our churches should be financially and personally invested into the project.

10 years later, we still have many who fail to support the project.  10 years.  What does proposal 4 do?  It lives up to the encouragement we gave to all our churches 10 years ago.  It gets everyone supporting the project.

We certainly tend to buck when we think of raising our budget, but if we continue to stall on the South Mountain project, it will continue to grow and become a bigger problem for us.   For churches, including mine (Rain Hill), who have failed to get much support going for the project, this proposal finally gets us officially involved (albeit, indirectly).

For the past couple years, our church has operated with a budget in the red.  Yet God continue to provide.  This past year, our total church income was $10,000 less than the previous year.  Will we be even deeper in the red because of proposal 4?  Probably.  But I believe God will still provide.

We can do this.  We committed to do this.  I support this.

I’d love to hear your comments — and I’d love to hear from some of my South Carolina friends who had similar problems with Table Rock Retreat & Conference Center.

Results!, originally uploaded by crashingtothesea.

Results from our vote for DS

To those interested in the future welfare of our District.  We have been made aware that Rev. David Emery now seems willing and open to be considered and nominated as a candidate for the open DS position.

Rev. Emery is greatly admired and we thought his willingness to serve would be of interest to many pastors and delegates in our district.

We want to make Pastors and delegates aware of his availability in order to let them know there is an alternative to the person that will be nominated by the DBA.

Rev. Emery has not asked for this endorsement and he is not aware that this mailing will be sent. Our desire is to have a level playing field for the election at District Conference.

This is a tragedy.  Here’s my reply that I attempted to send the address stated above:

To: ncwd4change,

I am extremely disappointed by the e-mail that was sent to many people in the West District for multiple reasons:

1st - your unwillingness to sign your name to your ideas.  A grass roots movement happens from time to time, and that is ok.  But, mass mailing people with a personal agenda needs to be just that - personal.  I think that sending an anonymous e-mail of this nature is extremely rude and inconsiderate of everyone involved - the recipients, David, and especially Jerry.  Be a man (or woman), and stand behind what you are saying instead of hiding behind an address.

2nd - sending this type of mail is unfair for Jerry.  David has every right to allow his name to come up from the floor and delegates have the right to nominate him, and vote for him.  However, Jerry is the only one of the nominees who has gone through the process, and an attempt to undermine him in this manner is despicable.

3rd - sending this e-mail is unfair to David.  What was said, overheard, or assumed by you or your colleagues was obviously not intended for public consumption as David has not made any of these feelings public.  You’ve already undermined the trust of the one you are trying to get into office.

4th - this type of politicking is only destructive to the district.  We need to be men and women of God who are holding ourselves to the highest level of integrity.  Already, other pastors and districts are aware of this “campaign”, and I can only imagine what it makes them think of us (hint: not good things).

Let’s be a people of God, not of politics.  Step up.  Shape up.  If you really want to change this district - please, let it begin with you.

Matthew D. Tietje

5763 Rainhill Church Rd.
Morganton, NC
h: 828.584.8444
c: 828.403.8705

To add to the cowardice, the address was not accepting incoming mail.  Here’s what I received:

ncwd4change@gmail.com, it’s time to shape up. Seriously.

~pastor matt

I’m not defined by who I’m not.  …Many people…have this person they are convinced they are supposed to be.  They have this image they picked up over the years of how they are supposed to look and act and work and play and talk, and it’s like a voice that never stops shouting in their ear.  And the only way not to be killed by it is to shoot first.

The quote is from Rob Bell in his book Velvet Elvis.  While this book is, in my opinion, comprised of many immaturely developed truths, the 4th movement - Tassels - is a good read for anyone in church leadership.