San Diego First United Methodist Church ~ In Real Life ~ Friday, 25 October 2013 ~ “From Pool to Soul Chlorination” ~ Reverend Craig Brown

San Diego First United Methodist Church ~ In Real Life ~ Friday, 25 October 2013 ~ “From Pool to Soul Chlorination” ~ Reverend Craig Brown

My soon-to-be-sold house has a saltwater pool. In order to keep the water chemical-free, all of the water in the pool has to circulate through the chlorinator. That means that our pump has to be on long enough each day to circulate most of the water through the chlorinator to fulfill its function. While it results in a chemical free pool, my electric bill would tell a different story (we have a solar system for our house to offset this electrical conundrum). To be "chlorinated" means that the water has to come in contact with the chlorinator. It is something like the week I recently had in my own life. 

Thanks to my predecessor at First UMC of San Diego, Rev. Jim Standiford, I attended a gathering of United Methodist pastors from around the country who lead churches of a similar size to ours.

We have about 2,800 members in our church so there are some peculiar issues our church faces, especially concerns leading a larger church. 

I was privileged to meet pastors from around the nation within the United Methodist connection. I was thankful that all of them had greater experience than I in leading a large church. It was a week of learning and growing. I experienced several examples of how I still need to learn a great deal about leading a large church. My colleagues were gracious and blessed to share their wisdom and leadership with me.

It was like going through a "chlorinator" of sorts. Many of my assumptions were challenged and some others, few as they were, were affirmed. As the spiritual water of my leadership circulated through those days of conversation and sharing, I walked away feeling renewed; purified, if you will. I left with a new set of  tools, strategies and insights that will strengthen God's work in our own church. I also left with a renewed commitment to seek out more "chlorinators"! They can come in all shapes and sizes and somehow I feel that they are all around us, waiting to be used. 

What experiences or commitments can you aim for that will lead you to confront your own assumptions? Are you willing to accept the fact each of us needs to seek and find those places that God will use to refine us? So often they come to us by circumstance of life, but actively seeking out those moments of refinement is a different frame of mind. At its core lies the belief that we each are impoverished and in need of God to chlorinate the water of our souls. It will keep us in circulation! 

Craig+

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First United Methodist Church

2111 Camino del Rio South

San Diego, CA 92108 United States

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