I believe in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I worship the Triune God—Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
I hope in the Triune God—Who was, Who is, and Who will be.
I love the Triune God—Love, Beloved, and Spirit of Love.
The
Scriptures, Old and New Testament, tell God’s Story, witnessing to
Jesus Christ and ordering Human Life.
The biblical accounts carry the weight of God’s authority for they
are the revelation of God.
God created the heavens and the earth; orderly, beautiful, fruitful, and good.
God created human life in God’s own image with God’s own Breath, to be in relationship with God.
Therefore creation and creature are sacred and to be honored and cared for with justice, compassion, righteousness, and love.
God loves humankind and entered into a holy Covenant with them.
The Covenant Commands provide boundaries for that holy relationship, namely, Creator and creature work and play in partnership, however, God is in charge and only God is God.
The Covenant was broken when Man and Woman decided to play the role of God and disobeyed God; and though God continually renewed that Covenant Relationship, Men and Women continued to fall short of God’s expectations. Scriptural laws, wise sayings, and prophetic utterances while vital teachers and guides, did not and do not save humanity from their sinful plight.
Jesus Christ—Son of God, God-with-us, Savior, and Lord - became
human, lived, and ministered among humanity in order to save the
Relationship.
His teaching, healing, delivering, and dealings with people all
pointed to the ultimate goal - restoration of creation and
reconciliation of creature to Creator.
Jesus the Beloved exhibited the full extent of Love by ultimately giving his life - a sacrificial and substitutionary death—and rising from the dead in order to bring abundant life and eternal life to all who put their trust in him.
We call this Grace, an unmerited gift. We experience it by Faith, a deep and abiding commitment. We enjoy it by adoring and loving and serving Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit inspires—breathes—this Gift of Life into us.
Baptism is the seal of this Grace; a sign that we indeed
belong to God.
Holy Communion, a means of God’s
grace, is the ongoing sign and seal of this renewed Covenant.
The Spirit forms believers into community, the Church, giving us special gifts to build us into a spiritual family.
The Church communicates the Gospel in the words and deeds of worship, nurture, mission, social action, evangelism, fellowship, and celebration.
Christians personally and collectively nurture their Spiritual life through practices such as prayer, Bible reading/study, meditation, solitude, and service.
Some day, some day, the remaining obstacles and barriers to a full and complete relationship with the Holy One will be removed.
Some day, some day, creation will be fully restored and God’s people will be welcomed into a new heaven and new earth and the Covenant will be fully realized - God will dwell with humankind and we shall be God’s people. Until that day, we do not sit idly by counting the days; Until that day, we fully participate in God’s Realm - living for God, serving Christ, participating in the fellowship of the Spirit.
Christians heed God’s call upon their lives so that all we do in word or deed is done in the name of Jesus Christ through whom we give thanks to God the Father.
ASPIRATIONS FOR A NEW PASTORATE:
Doing the following would bring me joy and satisfaction in the coming years…
· Assist a congregation or governing body in spiritual discernment and formation—discerning Christ’s call, connecting with God’s Spirit, and deepening our dependence upon God. My relationship with Jesus Christ, my spiritual practices and my training in spiritual formation and group leadership prepare me for this role.
· Work with people eager to move beyond institutional maintenance, ready to discover what the Church will become in this new millennium, seeking to be missional in outlook and evangelical in spirit.
· Lead leaders—helping form and nurture an ever-widening circle of leaders in a church or governing body, developing a team approach to ministry and mission. I am a team player as well as a ‘coach’ with gifts to assist others in working together with each person using her or his spiritual gifts.
· Plan and conduct authentic worship with creative options in the Reformed Tradition.
· Focus a church on mission—locally, nationally, and globally. As both a mission supporter and participant in short-term projects, I hope to guide others into a variety of outreach endeavors.
“I pray that, according to the riches of His glory, He may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.”
Ephesians 3:16-17
Andrew believes that in order to nurture the faith and spirit of others, he needs to nurture his own spiritual life. In this regard he faithfully uses his continuing education leave for conferences, seminars and retreats that feed both his mind and spirit. He seeks to practice spiritual disciplines and meets periodically with a spiritual director during a 24-hour silent retreat
“During my 17 years as pastor in Woodbury, we have maintained a viable, active ministry, expanding our sense of being the church. Notice I said, “We.” In the context of Christian community, one person cannot claim sole responsibility for accomplishments.” The following are a sampling of noteworthy congregational attainments during his tenure:
· A mission emphasis has flourished with new local ministries and broader participation mission.
· Christian nurture and spiritual growth have grown during my tenure. Whether it is the expanded adult education program, formation of small groups, spiritual retreats for church officers and members, or workshops on prayer, there has been a noticeable deepening of the congregation’s spiritual life.
· While less tangible, a positive trait that has formed over my time here is a positive, welcoming atmosphere.
· Team building has been another highlight. Helping a church board or staff form healthy relationships has been essential in getting things done in the church
SERVICE:
2006 - Moderator, The Presbytery of West Jersey
2004-2005 - Member at Large, Council of the Presbytery of West Jersey
1999-2002 - Mission Committee of the Presbytery of west Jersey
1992-1998 - Interpretation and Stewardship Committee of the Presbytery of West Jersey, Chairperson 3 years
2000-Present - Co-Founder and President, Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries, Inc.
2001-2006 - Group Spiritual Direction Facilitator, Princeton Theological Seminary
2000-Present - Bio-Ethics Committee, Underwood Memorial Hospital,
Woodbury, NJ