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UMW OFFICERS FOR 2009
PRESIDENT:
Conrad Steinhoff, 513 W Main St, Lebanon IL 62254
TREASURER:
Joe Zimmerlee, 526 Acorn Way, Lebanon IL 62254
We meet on the third Sat at 8:00 am in the Fellowship Hall for breakfast and fellowship. Come join us!
Some food for thought from your partners in men’s ministry:
A bi-monthly e-mail letter from agency officers and staff to leaders of United Methodist Men
June 15, 2009
There is a misconception about the role of leaders in the church today. This error causes many frustrations and diminishes the effectiveness of carrying out successful ministry. It often causes isolation and division and creates an atmosphere of mistrust.
What I am talking about are leaders who try to do all of the work themselves and do not want to be bothered by asking others to help. Do you know anybody like that? They are found in every church. You have heard the phrase “the same 10 people do everything.”
Let me be perfectly clear by saying that this is neither Biblical nor efficient. One of the primary responsibilities of a leader is to empower others to carry out the mission or task. Actually, the real work of a leader in not to do the work themselves, but to give others the privilege of responding to the call of God upon their lives.
United Methodist Men experience the same thing. We have too many “lone rangers” out there trying to do men’s ministry by themselves. The complaint that there are just not enough helpers might have some justification, but God never said that ministry to men would be easy. And taking the easy way out is not the answer.
We need UMM leaders who will work to empower others for ministry. We need to broaden our base of persons involved with men’s activities. We need leaders to help change the image that all we are about is a meal or a meeting and that will not happen if we are doing everything ourselves.
A suggestion might be that a leader develop roles for others and give them a road map for success instead of giving them a job and expecting them to know what to do. A leader not only empowers, but inspires, motivates, and encourages.
Be a leader, not a loner. God bless!
The Rev. David Adams, general secretary
General Commission on UM Men