Pastoral Dialogue
“PASTOR, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING?”
Pastor H. Mark Abbott, April 2010
A lot of people kindly inquire about what Mary Ann and I will be doing after the big R, which begins at the end of June. (Last Sunday preaching is June 13.) So here is a short summary for your information and your prayers.
The first big thing we will do together end of June and into July is vacation in Hawaii!
We will probably spend much of the rest of summer getting ready for September, which will see us serving in Malawi, Africa, with our missionaries Ryan and Jen Willson. Mary Ann will teach English, I will teach Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) and Wesleyan Theology to FM pastors at the Great Commission Bible School in Lilongwe.
After returning from Africa, while Mary Ann resumes her North Seattle Community College job as a faculty member in parent and teacher education, I expect to focus on some writing projects I have stabbed at but not focused on.
Some teaching assignments over the next months will include:
-A possible fall Homiletics class for PNW Conference ordination candidates;
-Teaching Preaching in the new M.Div program at SPU’s School of Theology in the winter;
-Teaching Preaching for Fuller Seminary in the NW in the spring.
-We have applied for short term service at Hope Africa University in Burundi during summer of 2011.
As opportunities for other ministries are available we will prayerfully consider them. My retired brother has reminded me that this stage in life brings with it the privilege of saying “No thanks!” when that seems appropriate. However, my calling to ministry has not ended, just redirected.
With greater flexibility in our schedules, we also hope to spend more time with our families and those grandchildren that I talk about periodically.
It is the appropriate request of the Pacific Northwest Conference that former pastors not be involved in the church served for approximately one year. I am calling this a “blessed exile.” FFMC has not only been a place of service but our church home. Thus, when appropriate and in consultation with leadership, we hope to reconnect and serve where needed.
These 28 years, two thirds of my ministry, have been wonderfully challenging and fulfilling. We are very thankful and cherish friendships with you. We hope we can mutually hold each other in our thoughts and prayers. My greatest joy in the next years will be to see FFMC thrive under new leadership.
Pastor H. Mark Abbott
April, 2010