Pastor's Page

Welcome Pastor Dan & Ali Baer !

The Spirit of the Lord gives to every believer supernatural gifts that enable the body of Christ to minister and serve one another in the fullness of love that God intends. Each of these gifts is just as important as the next. As a pastor it is my duty to not only tend to the spiritual health of the flock that I am given but also to nurture into growth the entirety of every believer's life, including the physical, emotional, and social needs of the individual. This level of intentionality takes a serious commitment to administrative leadership as programs, outreaches, and ministries of various capacities are equally valuable to the Church and must be put into effect simultaneously.

Obviously such a task is beyond any one person and thus it is my desire to equip the people of God to better minister to one another out of the strengths and gifts that the Spirit of the Lord had given them. Jesus himself understood the importance of tapping into the individual's strengths and sent different disciples to take care of the details of life which they were skilled in. In the same way, it is the obligation of the pastor to not force every believer into a single view of service, but instead to seek out the different members of the body of Christ to work out of their own gifting and support the Church more fully.

WOW! What a festival! When I interviewed here way back in April, there was one thing our SPR Committee was very adamant about, “You have to be ready for the festival!” They weren’t kidding. From rubbing and pulling pork during the week to teardown on Sunday evening, this church was full-steam ahead for six straight days. I don’t think there was anything that could have prepared Ali and me for the reality of just how hard this congregation works to put together probably the best booth at the Mogadore Festival. It may have been a lot of work, but it was so worth it!

More than the pulled pork and live music though, there was one thing in particular that Ali and I really enjoyed the most: getting to be with all of you. There is nothing more warming to our hearts than to see how many of you are so open and friendly, willing to take us under your wings, show us the ropes, introduce us to your friends and family, and above all, just cut loose and enjoy some time together. We are truly thankful we had the chance to get to know so many of you this weekend in a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere.

And beyond the festival this past weekend, Ali and I have been amazed at how welcoming and loving this congregation has been to us over these past few weeks. I have heard nothing but wonderfully encouraging things from each and every one of you, and I cannot thank you enough for that strength in this new beginning. Ali and I look forward to many, many, many more wonderful months with you all to come!

One last note. For those of you who are not yet aware, Ali and I will be leading a team of eight students to Nice, France for two weeks starting July 26and returning on August 10. My previous position was as Isaiah Project Coordinator at Ashland University where I oversaw all the missions and outreach efforts for the University. One of my duties as the Coordinator was to lead one of the international trips, and thus we will be going to France (hard job, right!). Russ Hull and Cindy Schaffer will be filling in for me in my absence on the 1^st and 8^th of August, and I will be back with all of you on the 15^th with lots of stories and pictures to share. We covet your prayers and support during this time, asking God to fill us with His Spirit and use our humble offering for His glory.

Blessings friends,

Pastor Dan

Contact Information:

pastor@mogadoreumc.org

Church: (330)628-1232

Parsonage: (330)628-3153

Cell: (330) 858-0438

Email: pastordanbaer@att.net