My parents taught me to enjoy the adventure. When I was very young, I remember a time of sitting up high on a stool in front of an easel as my mom taught a painting class. "Wow! I get to paint with the big guys," I thought. It was an honor.

My dad was an agricultural salesman. We often took drives as a family, and dad always drove by very slowly when it came to Corn, Soybean, or Alfa-Alfa fields. Inevitably, he'd pull the car over to stroll through some field for a closer inspection. Dad was always looking for a way to help out that farmer's crop.

This is my sense of life: it's an adventure where we are given the privilege of doing very creative things "with the big guy" (aka God) and help other people out.

When I became a pastor in the United Methodist Church, I understood that's the kind of pastor I wanted to be. Creative and dreaming beyond what church is now, and someone who is able to offer Jesus' help because we aim to be like Jesus.

But I bring one more unique viewpoint to the discussion table when it comes to innovation in the church. I care a lot about people who might never step inside a church building. My family sort of accidentally ended up at church when I was 10 years old. They believed in Jesus, but they didn't believe in the church. So, we attended off and on for a year, and then rarely afterward. When I turned 16 years old, I began to drive my sister and I to church as often as we could.

Fast forward. I've been around a few years now (5o-some), and I've seen a lot of fads (or jags as they're sometimes called in ministry). I see a lot of good in those fads. I see a continuous line of a creative and fresh calling, as God moves people into position. God is putting us into position to help people wandering to both know His amazing love, and to know His call to a real and everlasting home.

Social networking, web presence, and digital communication may be a fad. But it is also where God intends to be at work. I believe technology is a gift from God - a conduit to call people home. And I believe the church needs to join God in this work very quickly.

Being creative and doing something new in ministry is not a fad.

It is God - calling us, the church, to get real with people who need Him.

Together in Christ,
Sandy

P.S. And, yep, I love to sail and get out there on the Chesapeake Bay any time I've got off and the wind is good.

You can contact me here.

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My Alma Maters:
Hereford Jr.-Sr. High School, 1976
Towson State University (now Towson University) with a B.S. in Nursing, 1980
Several conferences, certificates and continuing education in nursing, leadership, church leadership, and web development
Wesley Theological Serminary with an M.Div., 2002
Ordained in the United Methodist Church, Virginia Conference, 2005

Work:
I have enjoyed many job opportunities and wonderful experiences working with people, noteworthy of which is working as a pediatric nurse and for a stint as a full-time mom; Working as a full-time Youth Director volunteer for several years; a pastoral internship with a start-up church in Leesburg, Evergreen Church; Serving several United Methodist Churches before and after Conference membership, and currently serving Pender United Methodist Church. My "home church" is Bethel United Methodist Church in Leesburg, VA and I pray them fruitful and happily serving forever.

Contact Me:
Please use this form to contact me.

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