Blog post by the Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org On Sunday I was the keynote speaker for Webster Groves community celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was a wonderful and full program. What made the event outstanding were the presentations of the children. A large elementary age children’s choir…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org I come from a family of bishops. My great-grandfather was a bishop of several Holiness churches along the east-Texas border with western Louisiana. My father became a bishop of the same Holiness organization. My brother became a bishop of Pentecostal churches in Michigan. I wanted…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org Happy New Year! In 2018 I invite, entreat, encourage, and request that each person in the presbytery step outside of their congregational box and get involved in an event, meeting, gathering, or worship service at the presbytery, synod, or national level. The opportunities are numerous,…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org Several years ago, the son of a friend fell off of his bike and somehow broke his ankle. As a result, he had to wear a cast for several weeks. After the cast was removed, a strange thing happened. The little boy still walked with a…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org Serving as your Transitional Presbytery Leader has been a multi-dimensional journey. One of eye opening experiences I’ve had is learning about the many ways small church ministry happens in our presbytery. Earlier this year, I created a graphic that placed each of our congregations in an…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org Sunday marked Advent, the beginning of the Christian year. Advent is a season of waiting, watching, and as Jesus said in Mark 13:37, a time to be awake. Each Advent and Lent, I take the opportunity to read a book a week. Reading for these two…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org This week I went home to Chicago to visit with my family. While there, I toured the new church my home Pentecostal congregation just built. They are having their first service in the new facility on Sunday, which will seat 3500. They currently have 12,000 members.…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org I have almost completed my first year as your Transitional Presbytery Leader, and I just want to say, “Thank You.” There are so many things I can give thanks for, but I’ve limited myself to 10. Then, the Vanessa, Leigh, Janice, and Joy decided to jump…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Craig M. Howard Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy Transitional Leader choward@glpby.org I spent Sunday afternoon at St. Mark. It was the installation of their new pastor, Dr. David Burgess. The service was smooth, efficient, and worshipful. Mike Willock, our new presbytery moderator, led Dave in the installation questions without a hitch. What impacted me the most was…
On Thursday, October 19 the Vision Team voted to move the presbytery office from its current location in the Tower Grove area of St. Louis to Creve Coeur, Missouri. This is a shift away from a presbytery center in a historic building in St. Louis, to a presbytery office in West St. Louis County. Any move involves change, and change…