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GETTING TO KNOW YOU…

“Getting to know you…getting to know all about you…”  I remember hearing that song when I was young.  My mom would sing it to me.  I would make a face when she did.  Later, I would learn that it was a famous song from a musical and not something my mother made up!
Now, you and I are in the process of getting to know one another as pastor and congregation.  I’ve met many of you (and am doing my best to learn your names).   If I haven’t met you yet, I hope to very soon.  That’s very important to me.

I believe that Christianity is about relationships.  The Holy Trinity is a relationship.  In Jesus, God has taken on flesh, suffered, died and been raised to restore our relationship with our Creator.  We are called to live in a new kind of relationship with each other because of our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.  It’s all about relationships!

My very first goal as your new pastor is to meet you and listen deeply to you so that you feel like I do know you – that I “get” you.  Everything else I do in my pastorate will build on that.  I would be honored if you gave me the opportunity to hear about your life’s journey – whether you’re currently broken, totally together or anything else in between!  (If you wanted to learn about me that would be fine as well!)

So, come to worship and say hello.  Be a part of one of the forthcoming “Cottage Meetings” where we will gather in homes and get better acquainted.  Call me if you’d like to schedule a time to meet with me.  I am looking forward to getting to know you!

Another goal for the beginning of my pastorate at Newtown is to get to know our surrounding community – not just the demographics, but the actual people who live and work in our area and what their hopes, joys and struggles are.  I believe that when a pastor is appointed to a church, that pastor is also appointed to the community around that church.  Please tell me anything about the Newtown community that you believe I should know.  It would be so helpful for me and I would appreciate it so much!

My prayer is that through the quality and character of the relationships we develop within the Newtown United Methodist Church and within our larger community, we will find ourselves moving into a closer and deeper relationship with the risen Lord.  That’s the relationship that matters most!

 Pastor Blaik Westhoff, Newtown United Methodist Church, 35 Liberty Street, Newtown, PA

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