My name is Julie Eklund and I have been struck by God's lightning bolt. This blog is an expression of my journey as I discern my
call to ministry. I am a life long member of the United Church of Christ. My attendance up until being a mom is sketchy. After
making the transition to being a stay at home mom and no longer having to work
on Sundays I became committed to being an active member of the church where I was
baptized and confirmed, Spring Creek UCC.
I began serving in many areas but the most significant to my call was as the church moderator. I really made the most of it and I put all I've learned and experienced into growing our church. And that time of being committed to growing the church was a time of focus, determination & faith. As moderator and past moderator I was involved in many sensitive and challenging issues. As some in the church lost faith, mine grew into a different and more mature understanding of myself and my relationship with God. I began to understand the importance of ministry and how the power of trust in a pastoral relationship is priceless.
My call came to me on January 22, 2012. I had served as lay worship leader that day. After service, our pastor at that time, Michael Simmons asked to see me and my husband in his office. He said to me as I was reading the scripture that day he had an overwhelming feeling. He felt as if God was telling him that I had a gift for the ministry. I was shocked and it became a very confusing time for me for many reasons. I confided in my mentor from church, Terry White. About a month later, Terry suggested I give preaching a try since Spring Creek needed pulpit supply in March. I agreed and I presented a sermon titled I’m Excited, I’m Excited, I’m Excited on March 18, 2012. The positive response was overwhelming.
I then began the “logical approach” of the pro & con list and decided it really didn't make any logical sense for me to pursue going to seminary. After preaching a second time, I decided that since Spring Creek allows me to use my gifts as a lay leader, I didn't need to pursue seminary. Yet others at church kept encouraging me to consider. Before I preached the third time, I prayed to God and asked her to help me make a decision once and for all and quit struggling over this. I got the usual fellowship time encouragement and the Facebook messages. But that afternoon I got a phone call at home from a member that I wasn't personally close with. She told me that my message was meant for her that day and she really needed to hear it. She thanked me. After that phone call, I realized that her call was the lightning bolt from God that I was waiting for and that it was time to enter into the discernment process. I've included an audio link below if you'd like to listen to that sermon.
My struggle with accepting the call to ministry is that I know this isn't something to be taken lightly and it is a call beyond human capacity. I have always felt that God had a bigger plan for my life than I was living and so God must have put all these people in my life to encourage me and show me the things that I hadn't realized in myself. And now the beginning of my journey as a seminary student at Chicago Theological Seminary begins. This blog is a requirement for my Public Theology class. My personal goal is to use this blog as a medium to help minister to those who are not able or ready to step foot into a community of worship.
I began serving in many areas but the most significant to my call was as the church moderator. I really made the most of it and I put all I've learned and experienced into growing our church. And that time of being committed to growing the church was a time of focus, determination & faith. As moderator and past moderator I was involved in many sensitive and challenging issues. As some in the church lost faith, mine grew into a different and more mature understanding of myself and my relationship with God. I began to understand the importance of ministry and how the power of trust in a pastoral relationship is priceless.
My call came to me on January 22, 2012. I had served as lay worship leader that day. After service, our pastor at that time, Michael Simmons asked to see me and my husband in his office. He said to me as I was reading the scripture that day he had an overwhelming feeling. He felt as if God was telling him that I had a gift for the ministry. I was shocked and it became a very confusing time for me for many reasons. I confided in my mentor from church, Terry White. About a month later, Terry suggested I give preaching a try since Spring Creek needed pulpit supply in March. I agreed and I presented a sermon titled I’m Excited, I’m Excited, I’m Excited on March 18, 2012. The positive response was overwhelming.
I then began the “logical approach” of the pro & con list and decided it really didn't make any logical sense for me to pursue going to seminary. After preaching a second time, I decided that since Spring Creek allows me to use my gifts as a lay leader, I didn't need to pursue seminary. Yet others at church kept encouraging me to consider. Before I preached the third time, I prayed to God and asked her to help me make a decision once and for all and quit struggling over this. I got the usual fellowship time encouragement and the Facebook messages. But that afternoon I got a phone call at home from a member that I wasn't personally close with. She told me that my message was meant for her that day and she really needed to hear it. She thanked me. After that phone call, I realized that her call was the lightning bolt from God that I was waiting for and that it was time to enter into the discernment process. I've included an audio link below if you'd like to listen to that sermon.
My struggle with accepting the call to ministry is that I know this isn't something to be taken lightly and it is a call beyond human capacity. I have always felt that God had a bigger plan for my life than I was living and so God must have put all these people in my life to encourage me and show me the things that I hadn't realized in myself. And now the beginning of my journey as a seminary student at Chicago Theological Seminary begins. This blog is a requirement for my Public Theology class. My personal goal is to use this blog as a medium to help minister to those who are not able or ready to step foot into a community of worship.
Julie I tripled over your blog while surfing and hope you well with it and your journey.
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