05/12/2010
Author: Gordon Douglas
20 Years of Memories and Ministry
(The Opening Paragraph)
Ihave been asked to do the impossible, namely to briefly write about twenty, that’s 2-0, years of ministry at FEFC. There have been many highlights in my time here in ministry. Although I’m an associate Pastor, with a variety of roles, I have done so much youth ministry over the years at times it seemed that I was a youth pastor with other duties. There are too many stories to tell and too many milestones to chronicle in just a few words…
I began in December of 1989 here at FEFC. Although I had already served as a youth pastor I didn’t know what to do in ministry at times. I’d learned a few things not to do. However, I’ve learned so much about ministry and loving people over the years here in this church family, it’s been a great place to grow as a pastor. Pastor John spent many hours early on training me in areas of ministry that I was not skilled at; I really appreciate the investment he has made in me over the years.
My family grew up here. They grew up well because we were here. It has been wonderful place for Kathy and me to raise our children! Many of you have rich investments in all of my girls lives, thank you so much. I’ve enjoyed being a spiritual leader for my daughters in youth group, but I realize that it was our ministry team, and the youth, that made youth group the warm and welcoming place that drew them to come eagerly week by week. My girls always wanted to go to church or youth group because this was a great family to be a part of each week.
Some Youth Ministry Memories & Thoughts - I’ve been a youth pastor to two generations of youth, a couple the children of someone I had in youth group when I first started! I learned to play guitar and lead worship while here; you should pity the first youth groups that got Pastor Gordon in training. I planned my first retreats here. I still remember waking up in the middle of the night to one of the youth falling out of the top bunk, which was three high! Later we landed at Sivills and have been there every fall for years and years; each year this was a great ministry time. We did events that ended up with the youth throwing up in the parking lot because of some crazy game that I pulled out of a game book for youth ministry. There have been countless trips in ministry, hours of good bonding time.
Nationals, which is the biennial Student Ministries Conference for the EFCA, has been a consistent highlight for me and for the youth. This summer marks my 10th trip to a Challenge event. Travelling to my 1st Challenge in 1990 we went with the Faith EFC group from Rio Rancho. I remember using our church van, an old border patrol van, for our group. No A/C, except 2x40, and as we travelled across the California desert we stopped in Desert Center (CA), the temperature was 126o. It was at a Challenge a few years back that I was nickname PG (pronounced: PeeJah; short for Pastor G). Last nationals I earned the nickname ‘suicide PG’.
A Special Family - This is such a great family of God to be a part of for so many years. I’ve had so many wonderful co-laborers in ministry over the years. I have always been supported in ministry endeavors. There have been good times, hard times and sad times but all of these were family times. I cannot express what this family means to me and my family. Thanks for the memories…
