Christmas Sunday School Lessons

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Break 4 - The Mission-Trip Life Today’s break is called “The Mission-Trip Life” I know that today you have a list of things to do and, if you’re lucky, you’ll have time to get to some of them on top of the little blessed curveballs and interruptions we have along the way. My favorite part of ministry, besides having the moments when I know I am called to be here, is the people. I love people. People are all little works of art with their bits of genius, uniqueness, and even brushstrokes that leave us thinking, “Well…I didn’t see that coming.” The blessed interruptions are where we often find the good stuff of ministry. Sure, there can be interruptions that don’t feel good at all, but you know what I’m talking about when I say our greatest blessings are often ones we never planned. A unique aspect to life as a Methodist pastor is itineracy. Part of my ordination was to write about my commitment to living and serving the community I was assigned by the Bishop. This is a major impact upon my family. I had to have conversations with my wife to be sure we were both up for this. Her response the first time was perfect. I was a youth minister and she was the children’s minister at the same church. We had received the call for me to take an appointment as the Senior Pastor. We were on a mission trip at the time. She would often come on the youth mission trips as a chaperone. We had done several together. We loved the opportunity to escape routine, go to a place and people in need, and serve alongside of youth. We always learned so much about God, grace, the beauty of human beings, and the own journey we were on in our hearts. So when it came to leave this work together into something new…and I asked her if she was ready for itineracy she said, “Our whole life is a mission trip.” We had heard a call multiple times at that point in our lives. Every acceptance into the unknown was scary, sad at times, and ALWAYS a huge blessing beyond our wildest imaginations. Ministry is living a life of a mission trip. We NEVER really know what to expect from one day to the next, let alone one season to the next. But no matter what, we have our people…our church…our sisters and brothers… Together, miraculously, we ALWAYS have what we need when we need it… Even when it feels like you don’t have what you need in the moment, we can almost always look back and see where God was at work. For me…it’s the times when I had the greatest confusion in the moment where I can look back and see God’s grace most at work to shape and guide me along this mission trip of a life of ministry. I’d never heard of any of the 5 Indiana towns I have ministered in… Only a life following the lead of Jesus Christ could I have ever come to call those places home and those people family. I have no idea what is coming next…and, honestly, I am comforted and already excited about it… because wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than right where God has led me. Would you? I hope today is a day when you quickly responded, “YES!” But if it’s a day when you’re wondering… when you’re questioning… when you’re taking a deep breath in preparation for the day ahead… Embrace the disruptions today friends. Embrace your ministry. Embrace the hesitations in your heart. Embrace the joys. Embrace a life of ministry as you live your own mission trip as an ambassador of Jesus Christ in your world. Message by Rev. Joseph Sanford from The Sanford Curriculum written by Joseph and Lauren Sanford and available https://sundayschool.store/ Music brought to you by The Muse Maker: themusemaker.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kidsministry-coffee-break/support