Singles and ministry

[Rhonda Welles]

I was so encouraged to read the posts from my prior efforts to meet singles on this site! Originally, there were no responses from singles, which was discouraging - so I stopped visiting until just this morning. Shame on me!

Now, I am just back form SoloCon MidWest, and am refreshed and rejuvenated - and ready to get about the tasks the Lord puts before me.

Yes, we certainly need to do more about singles ministry, but I loved the posts about our call to go out into ALL the world. I pray I don't limit my sphere to those involved in the singles ministry locally (I am fortunate - we here at Colorado Springs First actually have a singles pastor and formal ministry).

That said, do any of you find any particular challenges serving as a single pastor, leader, board member, small group leader, etc...? How do you overcome those challenges to stay positive within your church, and within the world? What can I do to help encourage those called to ministry who don't have a spouse to be a help-mate? What advice would you give to another who is called to singleness for this season and also to ministry?

And yes, I still believe an actual forum for singles would be welcome - especially if it were advertised on the www.solocon.org page, and information distributed through that network.

[Belinda Y. Edwards]

Hello Rhonda - Welcome back to NazNet.

i am glad that you had an inspiring time at solocon.

i am married - so i can't address the particulars of your post but i am glad you are here and look forward to your interaction with all of us.

[Marsha Gupton]

Hi Rhonda

Glad to see you decided to come back and post. I am single. Even though the church that I am a member of is very large, we do not have a singles pastor. We did in the past. We have one singles class.

I'm glad you enjoyed SoloCon. I have heard a lot of good things about it, but have never attended.

Not sure how many singles post on naznet. Keep those thoughts and creative ideas coming.

Marsha

[Rhonda Welles]

The next SoloCon will be Aug 31- Sep 3, 2007 in Nashville! :fav18 Hope to see you there!

[Peter Teolis]

Hi, Rhonda.

I am single, 46 years old a week ago and work with the teens at the church. There are a number of things that come to mind being single and working in a ministry like teens!

First of all, I love doing it. And the teens seem to like having me around. Some of the hurdles I find are dealing with family problems, like kids with divorsed parents. I know that some people wonder why a single man works with teens. My answer is that the Lord has put it on my heart to do and I love doing it. I want to make a difference in their lives. Whether or not I see the results does not matter. Sometimes you do.

Anyways, I digress a bit.

After working with teens, bible studies, special events, concerts, car washes, and the many other things we do with them, it is hard to go home to an empty house. There have been times I have felt very lonely afterwards and there has not been anyone to share the day with, etc. This comes with being single, not just single in ministry.

I think what would be nice would be a network of people that call to see how you are. I have always wondered if something were to happen to one of the singel people in our church who would know. A year ago, one of the single ladies from our church died. We found out because the kids could not get ahold of her, so they went to the house. She had died, not sure exactly what happened.

I think singles need an "accountability" partner to just check in with each day to see how things are.

Anyways, these are my thoughts. Hope they help

[Gord Evans]

I think singles need an "accountability" partner to just check in with each day to see how things are.

Anyways, these are my thoughts. Hope they help


Peter,

This already does exist at Cedardale, and is headed up by Bethany ... however, it seems that it is restricted to the more "elderly" members of our congregation, those who are struggling with health problems, etc.

I agree with you that it could/should be expanded to "all" singles in our church family, not just the older folks. Perhaps you or I should make a note of this on our pew notes this Sunday, and get it into the hands of those who can make it (the expansion of this ministry) happen.

Let's talk some more about it.

[Marsha Gupton]

Hi, Rhonda.

I am single, 46 years old a week ago and work with the teens at the church. There are a number of things that come to mind being single and working in a ministry like teens!

First of all, I love doing it. And the teens seem to like having me around. Some of the hurdles I find are dealing with family problems, like kids with divorsed parents. I know that some people wonder why a single man works with teens. My answer is that the Lord has put it on my heart to do and I love doing it. I want to make a difference in their lives. Whether or not I see the results does not matter. Sometimes you do.

Anyways, I digress a bit.

After working with teens, bible studies, special events, concerts, car washes, and the many other things we do with them, it is hard to go home to an empty house. There have been times I have felt very lonely afterwards and there has not been anyone to share the day with, etc. This comes with being single, not just single in ministry.

I think what would be nice would be a network of people that call to see how you are. I have always wondered if something were to happen to one of the singel people in our church who would know. A year ago, one of the single ladies from our church died. We found out because the kids could not get ahold of her, so they went to the house. She had died, not sure exactly what happened.

I think singles need an "accountability" partner to just check in with each day to see how things are.

Anyways, these are my thoughts. Hope they help

Having a network of people to call and see how you are I think is very important. A former co-worker of mine (who was single) died about a month ago. He went out to eat dinner with some co-workers on a Friday evening, then Monday did not show up for work. When he did not show up on Tuesday his supervisor called his emergency contact person who went to Andy's home to check on him and found him dead.

Apparantly, he had tripped and fell down the steps and hit his head which caused his death. We all need to be mindful of those who do are alone and do not have family that check on them.