PERSONAL MINISTRY PLAN

Rev. David S. Williams

My Call: I have been chosen through my baptism and anointed by the grace of the Holy Spirit to give witness to the crucified and risen Christ in the world through word and deed.

My Vision: My vision is to live in the realm of God’s transforming grace in every aspect of my life and to share God’s transforming grace with others.

My Mission: Therefore, my mission is to be passionate about Christ, my family and my call to give witness, in word and deed, to the crucified and risen Christ throughout the world.

My Life Verse: “[Jesus] said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…. You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mt 22:37-39; Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).

Core Values:

Worship: rooted and beautiful within our Wesleyan tradition, open to contemporary forms and expressions.

Prayer: communal and solitary.

Service: engaged, sensitive and compassionate.

Community: a way of cultivating “holy friendships,” connected, encouraging, and truthful.

Hospitality: open, accepting and receptive to the other.

Learning: affirming of other point-of-views, challenging one another, and journey-oriented.

Justice: action, rooted in a life of prayer, on behalf of the weak and relational.

Story: a way of sharing our faith story rooted in God’s story; infectious, inspiring, pointing to Jesus.

Core Beliefs:

Besides the historic Christian faith, rooted in my Wesleyan tradition, I believe:

ü Everyone is broken and is in need of healing.

ü Everyone is lost and in need of a home.

ü Everyone is tempted to fake it and needs to become real.

ü Jesus offers us healing for our brokenness.

ü Jesus offers us a home in the heart of God surrounded by a faith family.

ü Jesus invites us to face the truth about everything.

ü Jesus invites us to a dynamic journey of a transformational way of life.

An Explanation of Christian beliefs and Christian practices:

Christian Discipleship: I believe that making disciples of Jesus Christ involves an intentional way of life committed to the way of becoming like Jesus. Following the way of Jesus is a life-long process of gracious possibility as we learn his teachings, grow in his gracious life by the Spirit, and involves being counter-cultural in ways that invite others to join us in the journey of becoming disciples. In our tradition, we understand discipleship to involve engaging spiritual practices that warm our hearts, transform our minds, and empower our hands to serve the needs of others. Therefore, I believe we should be committed as a church to keep one another accountable to living the way of Jesus in the world through these ancient Christian practices that form our way of life as faithful Christian disciples.

Christian Worship: I believe that worshiping God is vital to our relationship with God and others. By committing our lives to a regular pattern of weekly worship, shapes our lives in such a manner, that we begin to experience and see all of life and all relationships as sacred. Our relationship with God and others should not be about “what I get out of it.” Rather our relationships should be about our engaging one another, sharing in one another’s life, actively participating or “giving” of ourselves to the other and respecting one another as a sacred gift. God has made us as persons who find our greatest joy when we connect to God spiritually and with others. Therefore, I believe that different worship experiences, as well as, opportunities for all God’s people to participate in worship, are vital in helping people grow in their love for God and others.

Christian Education: I believe that part of what it means to love God and neighbor in our tradition involves both “vital piety and knowledge.” We should seek to understand our faith, understand others, and understand the world around us. I desire to be a part of a community that welcomes questions and a process of discernment, by listening to the Scripture in community with one another. I believe that children and youth learn and grow in their faith in contexts of relationships where they see the faith lived out in tangible and loving ways by other mature adults, as well as, given opportunities to participate in Christian service. Therefore, we should commit ourselves to offer different kinds of mission opportunities, small group Bible studies, and Sunday School classes for all ages.

Christian Friendships: I believe that we are all called to live out our faith in ways that connect with other people at the “intersections” of life. I desire to be a part of a church that values diversity and acceptance of people regardless of their social-economic-status, age, gender, ethnicity, disabilities, race, or sexual orientation. I believe we should seek to live in relationship with others because God created all human beings in God’s image. Therefore, I believe that God values every human being regardless their beliefs, nationality, cultural background or way of life. I believe we should then, be committed to a safe environment where children are protected and where Christian hospitality becomes our way of life as God’s people. I also believe that we should seek to be truthful in all our relationships, because part of what it means to be authentic and truly friends in Christ, is to be able to speak the truth in love to help us grow in the way of Jesus. Therefore, I believe we should offer opportunities of nurturing “holy friendships” in fellowship with one another in Christ by the Spirit.

Christian Service: I believe that to love God means that we should love others. I believe we should seek to minister to the whole person in the name of Jesus – their spiritual, emotional and physical lives. I believe we should seek to do this through acts of mercy that are committed to sharing our faith/story, social justice, a concern for the earth, challenging God’s people to a more simple way of life, and sharing our resources and gifts with others so that we might alleviate the suffering of humanity. I believe this compassionate way of life lies at the heart of what it means to be in mission in the way of Jesus. Therefore, I believe the church should offer different opportunities and seek multiple ways to serve God and neighbor through service and mission in the church and in the world.

My Personal Ministry Plan

Goal #1: Passionate Disciple of Jesus Christ through a Process of Soul-Care

Pursue God’s transforming love through the means of grace.

(Acts of piety & mercy: love toward God and neighbor)

1. Attend corporate worship faithfully.

2. Commit to Sabbath rest weekly.

3. Commit to spiritual retreat quarterly.

3. Attend the Sacrament weekly and whenever given opportunity.

4. Regularly remember my baptism.

5. Regularly pray the daily office.

6. Practice the rhythm of fasting weekly (especially during Lent).

7. Share my faith consistently with an unreached/unchurched person.

8. Serve God’s people through prayer.

9. Find one way this year to serve God as an act of mercy, such as OMP trip.

Goal #2: Passionate In My Relationships With Family

A. Seek accountable relationships with other men.

1. Meet regularly with a personal friend to discuss purity issues.

B. Love Rebecca faithfully by serving her interests.

1. Send a weekly gesture of love to Rebecca.

2. Show affection to Rebecca by being attentive and listening.

3. Share responsibilities around the house.

4. Pray with Rebecca.

5. Monthly date night.

6. Help Rebecca with household finances.

7. Attend annual marriage enrichment together.

C. Love my children by being respectful to their needs and being a Christ-like example.

1. Take my children to Sunday School and worship weekly.

2. Offer words of blessing and pray for them/with them daily.

3. Teach them stewardship through their allowance.

4. Spend time with them consistently each week doing something with them they enjoy.

5. Help twice a week with children’s homework.

Goal #3: Passionate Concerning My Vocation

A. Commitment to self-care and professional development.

1. Exercise at least three times weekly.

2. Walk regularly with family.

3. Join other ministers reading/sharing our faith and ministry, when possible.

4. See my therapist on a regular basis.

B. Commitment to pastoral care.

1. Connect with my congregation by visiting house to house.

2. Visit homebound once a month if possible.

3. Engage in spiritual conversation with members to help them grow in their faith.

C. Commitment to spiritual leadership.

1. Read a book annually concerning leadership.

2. Attend Emmaus Walk this year.

3. Attend seminars annually, such as COR Leadership Institute, Wesley Theological Society meeting.

4. With the help of the CiC team, develop a plan of ministry for FUMC.

D. Commitment to preaching the gospel.

1. Listen to the text.

2. Listen to good preaching/ers.

3. Attend a preaching workshop annually.

4. Read a book on preaching annually.

5. Work on annual preaching plan that will best serve FUMC.

E. Commitment to be a life-long learner.

1. Prayerfully discern timing/plan for post-graduate studies; interests liturgical worship, spiritual practice(s), sacramental theology, pastoral theology; preaching; study of the Gospels.

2. Teach a Disciple class.

3. Assist the needs of FUMC in the area of Adult Christian Education/Spiritual Formation.

Updated: April 1, 2009