Monday Update

By the end of this week it will be October! Summer's over, kids back in school and Pastor Pat's getting focused! I decided to accept the offer to work with Shepherd's Staff as their West Coast Regional Missions Facilitator. As I mentioned in previous posts, this position will involve lots of interaction with missionaries, their sending churches and representing Shepherd's Staff at various conferences around the country and possibly some international stuff too.

In an earlier version of this post I put in some info on raising support but after posting it, felt it was a bit premature. I need to give this new opportunity a little more time to play out. God is providing :-)

I am still going to be available to assist pastors who need pulpit help, guest speaking, retreats, church consulting, counseling and encouragement.

I was blessed to complete a 3 part series in Hebrews 12 on God's Chastening at CC Living Hope last Wednesday. Had a memorial service to do on Saturday and enjoyed a loud, rockin', Christian concert Sat. eve. at the Cricket Amph. in Chula Vista featuring, Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, and 3rd Day.

My schedule for Oct. is shaping up as follows:

Throughout the month I'll be making contact with missionaries and their sending churches as part of my Shepherd's Staff duties. In addition:

10-1 - Police Chaplains mtg.

10-3 - Another memorial service

10-7 - CC Outreach Fellowships Meeting

10-11 - Speaking at a Men's Breakfast at CC El Centro - 8am

10-13 to 16 National Send the Message Missions Conference at CC Spring Valley in Las Vegas

10-19 Speaking at CC Vista - all 3 morning services

10-20 thru the end of the month - US District Court Jury Duty

Thanks for continuing to pray.

In His Arm's,

Pat

New Op

My meeting with the Shepherd Staff Mission Facilitators in Albuquerque, NM went very well yesterday. Lots to think and pray about. They would like me to serve as the west coast regional missions facilitator serving 26 missionaries and their sending churches.

Got back to Escondido this afternoon and am finishing up a series in Hebrews 12 this evening at Calvary Chapel Living Hope in Oceanside. Whew!

In His Arm's,

Pat

New Mexico

Safe and sound in Albuquerque!

More Later, but here's a great verse for today:

Ps. 33:18

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

In His Arm's,

Pat

Stop and Go!

Sometimes it just happens! You're going along, keeping busy, following your schedule and BAM! you come to a full stop. The weekend was full. My Saturday was busy and in the evening my daughter and her husband came down from L.A. for a short visit. We ordered Chinese take out for dinner and about 1am Sun. it started. Intense stomach pain ensued and I knew I ate something bad. The pain kept up most of the day but I still had to teach Sunday morning at CC Living Hope.

And interestingly the subject matter in Heb. 12 was dealing with the different forms of chastisement/training the Lord uses to form more of Him in us! One of the sub topics was how He uses pain and illness.

So by His grace I was able to minister to the folks there - and they sure ministered to me as well!

Last nite I was starting to feel it let up and this morning I'm packing for my visit with the Shepherd Staff Mission Facilitators folks in Albuquerque - flying out this afternoon.

My schedule this week then is today thru Wed. in Albuquerque; Wednesday eve. 7pm. finishing Heb 12 at CC Living hope in Oceanside. I'm doing a memorial service on Sat. at 11 at CCE for an old friend, Tracy Dowler, who passed away last week. Then Sat eve. I'm going to the 3rd Day/Switchfoot concert at the Cricket Amph. in Chula Vista.

The following Thurs. I may be visiting a mission work in Mexico with Pastor Jay from CC Santee. Then a few days of down time and planning for Oct. and Nov.

Presently I'm scheduled to teach a Men's prayer breakfast at CC El Centro on Sat. 10/11 and I'll be teaching at all 3 morning services at CC Vista the following sun. 10/19. In between all that is the Send the Message conference in Las Vegas and calling in for Jury duty throughout the month. Should be an exciting next few weeks for sure.

Thanks for all your prayer support. God hears and supplies!

In His Arm's,

Pat

full tilt!

Wow! Talk about hitting the ground running! I logged about 700 miles in 48 hours Monday thru Wednesday. Per my schedule, I met with a couple pastor friends of mine in Visalia to discuss and plan a new ministry called Poimen Ministries. Poimen is from a Greek word meaning workmanship. The thrust of this ministry will be encouraging and assisting and serving pastors who are working hard in smaller ministries. On the way to the meeting I spent Monday Nite with my daughter and son-in-law who live up by Magic Mountain. Tuesday morning was the Poimen meeting and on the way back south, I stopped in Bakersfield to visit with another pastor friend, Ken Armstrong, who was a great encouragement to Joyce and I during her battle with cancer.

Spent Tuesday nite again with my daughter and then wednesday morning headed back to Escondido. A few hours later I was teaching in Hebrews 12 at Calvary Chapel Living Hope in Oceanside! What a joy it was to share God's Word with a bunch of loving, Bible hungry believers. And, nothing hurt - that is, I wasn't in any physical pain - how nice that was!

Then this morning after a breakfast appointment with one of my friends, I drove up to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa to meet with Pastor Brian Broderson. We had a great time of fellowship and prayer and talked about ministry that flows from suffering and difficult seasons. Possibilities of ministry overseas in 2009 were discussed as well as opportunities to teach in some of the various CC Bible colleges - if the Lord should lead in that way.

I continue to grow in my amazement of how many and how great the opportunities are to serve the Lord and proclaim His wonderful truth all around the world.

As always, I covet your prayers for wisdom and faith as new doors open.

This Sunday morning, I'll continue teaching thru Hebrews 12 at CC Living Hope, and then off to Albuquerque NM Monday for a Shepherd's Staff meeting. Full tilt!

In His Arm's,

Pat

New Schedule

Good Monday Morning!

Hope your weekend was blessed with good fellowship and sweet time in God's Word. Mine was!

I was able to enjoy Pastor Miles D. Sat. evening at CCE as he taught on effectual prayer looking at the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1Kings 18 and James 5. Then Sunday morning I worshipped with CC Living Hope in Oceanside. Pastor Brad taught a great study out of Acts 8 looking at Peter's confrontation with Simon the sorcerer; an important warning about pride and selfishness in the midst of a move of God. Then Sunday evening I drove up to Revival Christian Fellowship in Menifee to worship along with my son and his family. Pastor Gary taught a powerful message out of Luke 9 entitled: When Only God Will Do! He examined Jesus feeding of the 5000 and focused on Jesus sufficiency to meet our inadequacy. "We need to come to Jesus with our emptiness, continually, that He might fill us." Good word!

Now it's Monday and I promised an updated schedule of when and where I'll be teaching and traveling over the next couple of weeks.

Tuesday 9-16 - Meeting in Visalia with a few pastor friends who have also recently turned their churches over to new leadership and are desiring to be used to bring encouragement and assistance to other pastors who may benefit from lessons we have learned over several decades of ministry.

Wed. 9-17, 7:00pm - Calvary Chapel Living Hope in Oceanside (corner of Seagaze and Ditmar)

Hebrews 12:1-4 - Endurance in the Race

Sun. 9-21, 9:30 am. - Calvary Chapel Living Hope - Hebrews 12:4-11 "Disciplined by His Love"

Mon. 9-22-24 - Shepherd's Staff Missions Facilitators in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Wed. 9-24, 7:00 pm. Calvary Chapel Living Hope - Hebrews 12:12-29 "Responsible Grace"

I'll post October's schedule in a couple of weeks along with links to the audio of the studies at CCLH.

Keep growing in your love for His Word and the expression of His love to all in your sphere of influence.

In His Arm's,

Pat

Good Report

My last visit with my surgeon was yesterday and he said everything was healing up well and I could begin exercising again - hooray!! Also, Pastor Brad at Calvary Chapel Living Hope in Oceanside asked me to teach a couple more times. So I'll be doing a 3 part series on Hebrews 12 starting this Wednesday evening, continuing next Sunday morning and finishing the following Wed. evening. In between I have a trip to Visalia and a trip to Albuquerque, NM. Gonna be a busy next couple of weeks.

I'm not sure how to post the Mp3's of the studies on this blog and I don't have a web site up yet - but I'm working on it. If I can post them elsewhere I'm sure I can put a link here.

Isn't it good that the Lord continues to work in our lives? I've heard it said that He never stops teaching us. Never! No matter what's happening, big or small, He's always working on us. We are at the center of His attention! His constant desire is our sanctification. But His work in us can often be painful so we've got to learn not to despise His dealing with us, nor faint and give up, nor become bitter (Heb. 12) :-) Amen? Just getting ready for next week!

Have a blessed and fruitful weekend!

In His Arm's,

Pat

More things

Thanks for all the responses and continued prayer for my family and I. Tomorrow I meet with Pastor Brad at CC Living Hope in Oceanside where I'll be teaching their Sunday morning service on the 21st. And yesterday I got a call from Pastor Pete M. out in El Centro inviting me to speak at men's prayer breakfast on the 11th of next month. 

Starting next week I'll be posting my schedule regularly, usually on Mondays, with times of services and addresses and the text/topic I'll be speaking on.

Tomorrow I also have an appt. with my surgeon to review and examine my healing progress. Pray it goes well with no surprises :-)

In His Arm's,

Pat

Praise

Wanted to share with you what I consider to be a miracle of God's grace. My son, Jordan, has been taking his family back to church for the past 3 months! They are going to Revival Christian Fellowship in Menifee, a Calvary Chapel affiliate. Jordan is loving it and his life is showing it. Because of he and his wife's work schedule, the only time they can go is on Sunday evenings. And thankfully, that is Revival's 6th service of the weekend and Pastor Gary gives the same message as on Sunday mornings. I've been driving up there the past few Sunday nites to worship with them and bring my grand daughter home to her mom and stepdad.

Last nite we had communion together at church. I can't remember when the last time that happened - maybe when he was 10! I had tears in my eyes missing Joyce, knowing she prayed so diligently for her son over the years. I know she knows what's happening now. Please keep Jordan and Anna and their kids and my daughter Noelle and son-in law Paul in your prayers. God is doing a work!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Schedule

Thanks to all who have patiently and prayerfully checked my blogsite to see how I've been doing thru the challenges of life over the last few months. I'm blessed beyond what I deserve by the care and encouragement received.

Here's what's happening health and ministry wise:

My health continues to improve. My surgery incisions are all healed up and my final post-op appt. with my surgeon is next Thursday. My activity level is also increasing. I've taken a few golf lessons the past couple of weeks and found I can actually hit that tiny ball - most of the time - without injuring folks next to me on the driving range. I haven't played a round yet - just learning the basics for now.

Ministry wise, as I've mentioned before, opportunities to serve my fellow Calvary pastors are starting to come in. I'll be teaching for Pastor Brad at CC Living Hope in Oceanside, Sunday, Sept. 21; I'm also scheduled to teach for Pastor Rob at CC Vista on Sunday, Oct. 19.

On Sept. 22, I'm flying out to New Mexico to meet with the Shepherd Staff folks about a possible ministry opportunity serving as a Regional Facilitator for the West Coast. Shepherd's Staff cares for about 60 missionaries sent from various churches - with about 30 from California alone. I'll keep the blog updated on how this one develops.

My overall vision is to provide pastoral care to pastors by making myself available for personal visits, pulpit help, vacation fill in, sabbatical fill in, retreat speaking, and general encouragement to guys laboring in the trenches of ministry. In particular, I'd like to assist ministers and their churches that maybe could not afford bringing in an experienced pastor to help.

This would mean I would need to raise my own support so I could be available to assist those with minimal resources. You could pray about that with me. I'm presently researching how to set up a support team for this type of ministry. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have more detailed info for those of you who might want to partner with me.

I'm also meeting with a few Calvary Pastors on the 16th who have turned their churches over recently and have a similar vision like mine to bring encouragement and help to pastors who need it. None of us have any intention or desire of retiring - we want to serve the Lord with all our strength till He's done with us and takes us home :-)

So, needless to say, your continued prayer is treasured! That's it for now!

In His Arm's,

Pat