Leaders are always looking for ways to better tap into the pulse of what their communities are thinking and feeling, so they can best address common needs and issues facing us today. It may be surprising to know that senior pastors from several churches in Castle Rock are doing just that. They are meeting each week to collectively discuss individual concerns, pray together and show their general support for one another and their congregations.
This particular morning began with a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito, as pastors and invited guests took their seats around the table. “The meetings usually start with chit-chat in the beginning so we all have a chance to talk with each other about how the week went,” said Paul Lessard, Senior Pastor at Castle Oaks Church.
After the pastors catch up with one another, they take a few minutes to hear any prayer requests or concerns regarding either their churches – or the community – that are important for the whole group to have on the radar. Lessard commented, “We have real collegiality and give each other a perspective about what’s happening in our community.”
At the top of the docket on that particular day, was how they could have ‘all hands on deck’ to support the church of a fellow pastor whose wife was very ill. Their task was to make sure there were able bodies to lead his congregation when the time came. “We need to be ready to step in to lead his pulpit for six to nine months, maybe a year,” said Dave Love, Senior Pastor at Calvary Chapel Castle Rock.
Because finding solutions to problems as a group grants them the ability to handle issues together rather than trying to tackling things alone. Likewise, they welcome opportunities to show the community that even though they lead different churches, they are willing to work together as a team. “This is an opportunity where we get to shine,” Love continued, “We want to show the love we have for one another here to people in Castle Rock.”
The hour closed with reading scriptures, laughing together to lighten the mood as well as praying for the community. Pastors and guests went on to give words of encouragement to the group and ask for God’s love to cover Castle Rock. “We want to be the light for this Town,” smiled Craig Smith, Lead Pastor at Ridgeline Community Church.
And with no break in sight, the pastors will continue to grow the close bond they have established while working together to make a difference locally. Doug Miller, Senior Pastor at Plum Creek Community Church added, “We (individually) can’t all do everything, but as a group, we can all do something.”
