Kathy Lofton - Making Room In Our Busy Lives For Connecting
Exploring faith journeys and sharing inspiring ministries that embody the good news of God. You are listening to The Cumberland Road. I am your host, TJ Malinowski. Reverend Kathy Lofton serves as an associate minister at the Covenant Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Ada, Oklahoma. In our conversation, Kathy shares how important it is to create time and space to connect with God. She says it is through the pain and mistakes, frailties, struggles, and hard times that we need this connection. It is a connection with both God and with one another. You are listening to the Cumberland Road podcast, and here is my conversation with Kathy Lofton.
T.J.:Hello, Kathy Lofton. It's nice to meet you.
Kathy:It's nice to meet with you and nice to see you.
T.J.:Well, Kathy, share with me where you're serving in Oklahoma and your role in ministry.
Kathy:I am currently serving in Ada, Oklahoma. I'm associate pastor at Covenant Cumberland Presbyterian Church here. And my senior pastor is Reverend DeJuan Mearns, who is currently a moderator of our General Assembly. I have been, on staff here since April of 2020. I was ordained in October of 2020.
Kathy:And I've been serving as I've been in this church actually for 15 years. And so, of course, it's been a journey to get to this spot. Never dreamed when we joined here that I would ever, ever be a pastor. So, you know, God has God has done some for me in this in this path. I am the worship leader and we do some traditional worship.
Kathy:We also do some contemporary music. And so, I was reared, in the more traditional worship, especially music. And so I have fallen in love with some of the contemporary music. One way that I've done that is, is I have a good friend here who just loves contemporary music. And sometimes we meet at her house and her daughter will meet, join us and sometimes some other people will join us and we just, man, she'll just put a set of music together and we'll just worship God.
Kathy:We just, we just forget that the world is turning and we just sing and pray and we even, do communion together. And so that's been a blessing to me to get to know some of these the new songs. And, you know, I I learned a long time ago that worship is not about us. It's about us connecting and worshiping our great God. So, it's anytime that we have to, as a body of Christ, and it and it doesn't have to be a bunch.
Kathy:It can just be 2 people together. He's there in the midst of us. So, we stop in the busyness, and we connect with him, and we can dance together, and we can laugh together, and cry together, and that communion, that holy communion is there with us. Father, Son, Spirit. So and also, I'm getting opportunities to preach, at our church while Duane is serving as moderator and traveling around and and meeting with some of the presbyteries and some of the churches in our denomination.
Kathy:We're currently doing a sermon series during Lent, that is the letters to the 7 churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. And so I'm always challenged to bring a fresh word over God's people using this ancient text, and just us together as a church learning to be disciples in a broken world. That and, you know, this world calls to us every day and tries to lure us away from from our connection with God. And so I think church is just learning to connect to life and wholeness that's found in Christ.
T.J.:What is the most important aspect of worship to you? What speaks to you the most in terms of worship?
Kathy:That is a good question. I always, when I get here, when I get here at the church early, there's a there's someone here at our church that gets here before even before I do. And I and I and I get here early and and Dwan even gets here earlier than I do. But the lights are down in the sanctuary except for the spotlight that is on the altar. And I come in knowing that the Holy Spirit is always he's already there.
Kathy:The Holy Spirit has already prepared the way. So I think the most important work aspect of worship is just being able to connect with the Holy Spirit. That is work that is in the room, that is working through God's people. And just the sense that God is with us. He's among us.
Kathy:And so that's the most precious thing. And and sometimes sometimes you realize that through a scripture. Sometimes it might be a prayer. Sometimes it might just be a word from the song or just an emotion that comes through that, that just the act of worship or lifting your hands. So I think the Holy Spirit is the thing that connects us and is most precious to me.
T.J.:Remaining on this kind of worship theme that we're talking about, Kathy, do you think that does worship have a beginning and does it have an ending?
Kathy:No. I mean, you think of I mean, it went it started that that we can see that the first evidence that we have is is just back in Genesis where the spirit was hovering over the waters, and and God created. He spoke. He spoke. And and so we joined in.
Kathy:That's where creation started joining in with this with this communion with God. And then he enters into, you know, he creates. He creates everything that we see and and and then he creates human beings and we're created for worship. And that brings us to, I mean, here we are in 2022 and we're invited, we're invited to the dance to, to worship with God. So, and then as we leave as a church, you know, we gather as a church and that's beautiful.
Kathy:You know, with all the I don't know. You know, there's so many negative things about the church these days that are spoken. But the church is a unique and a beautiful creation by God. That is Christ is our head. And as we gather together as a as a body of believers, we we are connected to him in a way that hopefully we can go out the doors and the worship continues and we can we can take his presence wherever we go.
Kathy:No matter whether we're going to work, no matter where we're going, he's a part of that. So, no, I don't think there's a beginning and there's not end. He's the beginning. And how do we explain that?
T.J.:You said something very powerful about, the Holy Spirit hovering over the waters and God spoke things into being. When did you first hear God speak to you?
Kathy:I remember TJ as a child walk walking in the pasture. I grew up on a farm, an 80 acre farm. And, in fact, I live there right now, today. God's brought us back to that area. And I remember just walking through the pastures, the deep grass, sitting on the pond dam, walking down to the creek, sitting on the rocks.
Kathy:I just felt that there was a presence with me. I was not alone. Even though I might be out there by myself and my parents might not know where I am. My family may not know where I am, but I felt like God knew where I was. That He was with me.
Kathy:So I guess out there on the farm is, is when I first felt that presence.
T.J.:What does the presence of God, what did it feel like for you at that time on the farm?
Kathy:Good question. I think there's some where God is, there's going to be some peace that I'm okay. That no matter what's going on, it's okay. There's a safe place, that I'm connected to something that's bigger than what I can see.
T.J.:Yeah. I mean, that really resonates, I think, with us as human beings. It's innate. I think that, we're in search for those, that type of comfort and assurance, you know, and trying to find it in in different areas.
Kathy:And and that's when I most connect with God is in those quiet moments, in the silence, in the solitude, in the times of meditation when I just be still.
T.J.:Mhmm.
Kathy:Because we often feel like we need to be doing for God when really we need a balance of doing for God and being with God. And I think we can find some wholeness there in the craziness of this world.
T.J.:Alright. So you're really putting together kind of a disciplined life. So there's worship and being in the presence and just being. That's a hard one in the the life that, that at least I live. I I can't speak for everyone where being means on the go and being is accomplishment driven or checklist driven.
T.J.:So how do you balance that, Kathy?
Kathy:Well, I'm a workaholic by nature, And I love to work. I love to accomplish. That was just part. That's my family. We grew up and and you worked.
Kathy:You worked hard. And so you you gain a sense of of worth and accomplishment through that. But the older I I've become and as I've matured with God and He's led me to some different avenues in my faith journey where I've had. He said, I want us to stop. I want us to stop.
Kathy:I want us to slow down. And it was like, what? You know, am I hearing you right? And and so I've learned how that I do have to stop and I've learned what my limitations are that I don't have to push. I can, enter into those quiet moments with God.
Kathy:And that's when I'm refreshed. That's when, you know, he he sings over me. He, that's when you enter into the love and you enter into, you know, you can bring him whatever is whatever that the world has surrounded you with. That's the time you can just meet with the creator of of the universe, the one that chose for you to be born, the one that formed you in your mother's womb. And and just listen, you know, just be quiet and listen.
Kathy:And those are hard times, you know, just being still is is hard because you think, you know, if you're a workaholic like me, you think, well, I'm wasting my time, But it's it's not. It's it's precious time. And I think that's something that is important as as a disciple of Christ is to make room in our busy lives for connecting with with the Lord.
T.J.:Yeah. I would almost have to make that an accomplishment. You know, like something to to, achieve or, you know, carve out a part of my day to be able to do that. Yep. You've said
Kathy:you do. It's it's you have to I mean, it's not gonna just happen. You have to create, you know, let you know, some of us are morning people, some of us are not, some of us may connect better with God in at night. And I think whatever works for each each person, I can't say this is what I do, this is what you should do, that may not work for you. So each of us are unique, and God knows.
T.J.:In that uniqueness, Kathy, what what is it about this relationship that you have with Christ that you just draw strength from that gives you purpose and meaning? Why keep continuing identifying with Christianity?
Kathy:I thought about that. You know, I thought about the conversation that Jesus had with Peter, the disciples, you know, when some people Jesus one of Jesus' teachings had really offended some people. And they left. And then Jesus turned to them and he said, are you gonna leave me too? And, wasn't it Peter that said, the Lord, where should we go?
Kathy:Because you have the words of eternal life. We can't get them anywhere else. So, I have lived long enough to know that there's nowhere else in this where, where God has placed me on this earth. There's nowhere else that I can gain from the world. What I gain from time with him.
Kathy:I can't get it anywhere else but but at his feet.
T.J.:Now would you say that comes just from life experiences? Is it, the wisdom that you have? Is how do you arrive at that place?
Kathy:Oh my goodness. You get there the hard way. I told you I'm work driven. So, you know, it was like when I in my younger years, it would be like, okay, God, give me something to do. Give me something to do.
Kathy:And then here I go. And then I'm falling flat on my face, before too long. And so it's through that that, it's through the painful things. It's through the mess ups. It's through those times of life where you you realize, I can't get through this.
Kathy:I don't think I'm gonna be able to get through this. And then you run to God. You run to him. I mean, you just, I remember as a teenager, I'm gonna digress a little bit. I was one of those.
Kathy:I was a preacher's kid. And you've heard all those stories about preacher's kids, TJ. Well, I was one of those. I sowed some wild oats. And I remember one night I had been out doing things I shouldn't have done and I wrecked the car.
Kathy:And I remember I you know, I was able to drive home and I got home. My dad was preaching the next morning. I ran down the hall, burst into his bedroom and said, I wrecked the car. And my dad, I think gave me an example of what the father's really like. That I can just bust in.
Kathy:In all of my, in all my frailties, in my mistakes, in in the midst of my sin and my struggles. And when life just get has us down, we can just run-in. We can just run to the father. And so it's those hard times that we start learning, hey, I need I need this connection.
T.J.:It seems very contrary to we think that, well, I have to get my life right. You know, there's some things I need to shed and and give up and give away or turn away from. Mhmm. But, Kathy, you're saying it's just the opposite. You bring in those frailties and the mistakes and the baggage along with us.
T.J.:And I I think for those who may not be connected to the faith per se
Kathy:Mhmm.
T.J.:That that's a tall ask, you know, that's counterintuitive.
Kathy:It really is. To just to just come like you are. You know, the messiness. You know, when I busted my dad's bedroom, I had I had alcohol breath on my, you know. And, he didn't turn me away and God does it.
Kathy:I mean, he and I think that's I don't know where we get that because some people are afraid to come into the church, you know. I remember talking to a lady one time and about God and she said, well, when when I get my life right, you know, there's some things that I really don't, that I'm participating in now and I really don't feel comfortable coming into the church, until I get these things worked out. And and that's not what the church is about. The church is is a place where we can just come in the way we are and be loved and be accepted and find that shelter. Find a place at the table.
Kathy:Oh, the world needs that right now, doesn't it, TJ? Yeah. The world needs to know, hey, this is this is our this is the place for me. And I think we as a, we can grow as a church discovering that, that, that the world needs a place. The people in the world need a safe haven just to come as they are.
Kathy:And then then we welcome and let God do the work. Because he's it's his it's his job, to you know, I have learned and I, you know, God placed me in jail ministry many years ago and I thought well I'm gonna go into jail and I'm going to teach these ladies how to fix all their problems and I'm gonna give them this message and, you know, they can, you know, you know, their life's going to be all good. And then I, I found out that God works in his way in each life. He knows the story. He knows the whole story.
Kathy:He and so I love how he just takes each life and all we do is love. We just love. We share Christ's love. We encourage and, and we watch him do the work. And it's amazing what he can do in life.
Kathy:It's just so we don't give up on people. And I think a lot of times we want to give up on people because we don't see them making, the strides that we think they should be making in the church. And so, it takes a lot of patience. Yeah. And that's something I've learned as a pastor.
Kathy:Mhmm. Watching DeJuan and you know, you you let God work. But we keep coming together.
T.J.:Yeah. I think there's also an unspoken expectation of a return, which is not right. But there's, like, oh, you know, I've spent all this time with you and helped you grow in your faith or make a profession of faith or helped you move, or, you know, helped you find a job, or helped you when you were down and out. And then it was like, I think we expect well, now will you come to worship with me? Or now will you join the church?
T.J.:Or now will you consider being a leader within the church? We have these unspoken expectations. Mhmm. Oh, and sometimes we they are vocalized.
Kathy:Yes.
T.J.:And, I don't know. How do you how do you address that? How do you avoid falling into kind of that category? And more importantly, how do you avoid, treating people in that way?
Kathy:I think through my dad's life, it was a model for me that we just each one of us does what God has called us to do. And it's to love him and it's to love others. And so there's the, the expectation, it helps when you don't have those expectations because, because like I said God works in His own time. And He knows. The thing that I found that I discovered in the jail is God God knows how far someone can go with him.
Kathy:I don't have the right to look and say, well, you ought to be doing this or I think you should be by now you should be doing this. God knows what each life has gone through. I'm telling you there's some people out there with some trauma. There's some people that have grown up in trauma. I've heard stories, TJ, that of life experiences that I, you know, I grew up in this little bubble and I've heard some life stories that I actually didn't know human beings had to live through.
Kathy:And, but each life is precious and God knows. He knows each one. And like I said, I, he knows how far each person can go with him. And I remember saying on Sunday school one time that that person behind bars might be closer to God than I am. I mean, maybe I might be there sharing God's word with them and I might be, sharing some hope with them and encouraging them.
Kathy:But I've met a lot of Christian women in jails in the prisons. Mhmm. And had I grown up just like they had, I could be right where they are and they might be hanging on to God with everything they have. And maybe I'm not so much. So we have to let go and let God do his.
Kathy:Let God be God in people's lives.
T.J.:Well, you said something earlier that, intrigued me. You are a preacher's kid and what prevented you from rebelling against god or, you know, typically I I guess, ultimately, you did fall into this category. You know, typically, a preacher's kid ends up and I'm stereotyping here for for those of you who are, children of ministers. But typically, you know, you run away or you end up becoming a minister, you know, of yourself. So, you know, take me back to the teenage Kathy and the relationship that you had with god there and how you arrived to where you are today.
Kathy:I felt I think in my earlier years, I always felt God was a distant God. You know, he was holy and I was just me, plain happy. And although I knew he was there, I really didn't discover how he enters in personally and and so intimately into our lives until my thirties. And I started some in-depth Bible studies during my thirties. You know, I was we were having kids.
Kathy:We have 2 children, 2 grown children, beautiful kids that make the world a better place. My husband and I. But it was in those in-depth Bible studies that changed my life. I mean, these were Bible studies that where you spent, you know, you spend 30 minutes to an hour every day just digging in scripture and answering questions. And and and then we would come together.
Kathy:I did it mainly with ladies and we would, come together and maybe watch a video and then talk about scripture. Man, that was so that was, that was new and exciting to me. And I discovered that, you know, even though I'd grown up at the church, and I knew all the scriptures and I knew some, you know, I could quote you some scriptures, but I didn't have that closeness, that closeness with God. And that's when that started developing. I remember doing a Bible study about the Tabernacle and it told about the aspects of the old Tabernacle that we see in the picture of in the Old Testament.
Kathy:And, you know, the lampstands and the where they burned the incense and then you had the curtain with the holy of holies. And I remember towards the end of that bible study, it talked about how Christ had come and and and that veil was rent in 2. And, you know, and I remember coming out of that study thinking, God, I want to go into your Holy of Holies. I want to know that closeness with you. But, TJ, I didn't realize what that would cost.
Kathy:I didn't realize when you get serious with God, he gets serious with you. When when your heart turns towards him, then the in in my own life, I felt like there was some things I had to deal with. There were some things as I was growing up, this baggage that I had accumulated that that when I wanted to come before holy God, when we want to come before holy God, we can come as we are, but he want he does something with us. We're changed in his presence. So I come as I entered into scripture and learning more, we had to deal.
Kathy:We had to deal with some stuff. And so, as I was growing and as I was doing these bible studies and I did one that was called believing God by Beth Moore and it was about faith. It was all about faith. And right after that's when my dad had his stroke. My dad had been a pastor, you know, for years and also a businessman.
Kathy:He was a bi vocational pastor. And and I thought, what is faith? What is faith? I mean, do I have to pray a prayer a certain way for my dad to be healed? And I just that's when I started having to exercise and think through what is this faith?
Kathy:And what does it look like in action? What is my part in it? What's God's part in it? And so, you know, you that's where you just run and you struggle with with the questions. And, you know, it's this discipleship's not all smooth and all the answers are gonna be there.
Kathy:And and every the path is always gonna be it's not always gonna be clear. And that's what I've discovered. And you wrestle that through with God. And it it is a it's a beautiful and a terrifying journey of faith where we're where we're navigating this with God. And after that, my husband and I, you know, we started, having some marital issues and we dealt with some things from our past, both of our past.
Kathy:And we did some soul searching and some struggling and finding victory and struggling. And and that's when during those times, I started journaling. And I started doing some I started turning Psalms into prayers. I would make them my own prayers. And I I I still have some of those journals and I look back at them and one day I'm fine.
Kathy:I'm fine. And the next day I'm a mess. I'm a mess. I'm just crying out to God. And then the next day, I, you know, a couple I might rock on pretty good and then I'm struggling again.
Kathy:And so I one thing that I another thing that I discovered that was very powerful is memorizing scripture during that time. As I'm telling you, we were there were some things that we were wrestling against, you might call it the enemy, you might call it the devil, you might call it, you know, just things from your own self, fears. But I I just I discovered how powerful the word of God is and it it changed how I it changed my faith. It changed how we exercise faith. And I've often said that this journey of faith, it's a ride.
Kathy:I mean, Disney World doesn't have anything on God's journey of faith. You never know where he's gonna take you. I mean, when you when you surrender to to God, to when you just when you just give it up, and you never know where it's gonna take you.
T.J.:As you're becoming aware of of, this this, closeness and this ride, You know, you alluded to it, there's a risk. I mean, was there any point where you, wanted to resist and and back away or were you just drawn to this desire for this closeness and intimacy even more?
Kathy:I think the cool thing about God and how he's worked in my life and how I see him working in other people's lives is is he doesn't bring it all at once. Like he doesn't see us as this broken child and that we have to just be fixed all at once. So in my journey, we deal and we still do. God and I are dealing with things in my life one step at a time. If I had known at the time, the day that I laid it all out and I said, I want to go, I'm an all man God.
Kathy:If I had known where, where I was gonna go from that point to where I am now and I had seen that with my eyes, there's no way. There's no way that I I would have ever humanly thought that we could get here. But God takes a step by step by step and he's right there. He's right there with us. Nothing can take us out of his hand.
Kathy:And so it's discovering that through the journey that he's gonna be there. I mean, because sometimes you turn around and think, where are you? Where are you God? And, and so you don't always feel that closeness. There's those there's those dry times.
Kathy:There's not always the time where you're on here on the mountaintop. But but you learn as you journey that he is there. Even when it doesn't feel like he's there.
T.J.:Yeah. And I and I like how you said, you know, working on us, healing us, kinda one piece at a time.
Kathy:Yes. Yeah. I mean, he's brought me to new levels of faith just during during Lent. During Lent. I mean, what a wonderful time just to be real with God.
Kathy:Mhmm. Just to confess. Just to say just to sit with God and say, okay. Show me. Just show me God.
Kathy:What what is it that we need to do right now? What is it God that, that is in my life that might not be edifying to you? And, woah, here we are. And but but we as a as a body of believers, we as disciples of Christ, we know the end of the story. We know the empty tomb.
Kathy:We know that there's victory there. So we're working as we're journeying with Christ. We're work we're journeying from the victory. Okay? There's a victory already fought.
Kathy:It's already won. But yet, we're claiming it along the way. Yeah. As this you know, we're claiming those victories. There he is.
Kathy:But but he's working them through us.
T.J.:I wish that, people could see as we're talking. I can you're just becoming more and more animated as you as we get further into our conversation. So, Kathy, you bring a rawness and and authenticity and excitement to our conversation. How how did you enter into the ministry? So we were talking earlier about, you were doing some in-depth bible study and how that was speaking to you.
T.J.:Kinda walk me through how you entered into the ordained ministry.
Kathy:Well, I was a elementary school teacher for 21 years. I had just gotten my master's in administration, planned to retire from teaching as a principal, Had it all figured out. And after we went through some of those hard things, those, those life, those hard life experiences. And the thing that I've seen in other people's lives is those are the times that God helps us get out of our routine. He helps us to look past what maybe we might be doing right there.
Kathy:And so, I when I started getting seeking really seeking God, he said, I want you to quit your job. And it was like, what? And so I I'd spent several year and I did. I quit teaching. I quit teaching school.
Kathy:And that was one of the hardest things I ever did. Because I love to work.
T.J.:What? Okay. So pause right there for a moment. So you just finished your continuing education with a career plan to become a principal, and then presto, you quit?
Kathy:Yes. Yes. Well, I mean, I felt I felt you know, the you feel the voice. You feel the urge, you feel, you know, God doesn't audibly speak to us, it would be helpful if he would. It would be helpful if he could just send me an email, and let me out.
Kathy:But, you know, I felt the spirits nudge that maybe I wasn't where I should be. And so I talked to my husband who I thought would say, what? And he was supportive. He was supportive. And so
T.J.:That's funny. You wanted to be talked out of it.
Kathy:Yes. So I I quit I I decided and then I put in my notice and and I quit. And it was very, very difficult because you don't know how tied you are into work, the, the pace of the world, of the work world. And so taking my hands off of that
T.J.:so hard. Mhmm. It's such a So let me
Kathy:humbling thing.
T.J.:Let me interrupt you. So you quit with the plan of entering ministry, or you quit with just the unknown? Alright.
Kathy:The unknown. Okay. The unknown just quit. And then, for several years, so I quit my job in, 2005, I believe it was. And I stayed at home for a little while.
Kathy:I, I worked some part time at a call at the college here. And then I ended up in a dentist office, doing something that I never ever dreamed I do had a grand time there. But always feeling this this that I wasn't where I needed to be, you know. And so 2015, I'm elected as a delegate to General Assembly and go to Columbia. And there was a worship night there.
Kathy:Oh, I can't look at his name. He was, missionary to Columbia. He was preaching that night. So he was preaching in English. The no.
Kathy:No. No. No. That's not right. His name's Lynn.
Kathy:What's his last name?
T.J.:Lynn Thomas.
Kathy:Yes. Lynn Thomas. Okay. The Colombian minister was preaching in Spanish. Lynn Thomas was translating in English.
Kathy:And I'll tell you, it was powerful. It was the one about, the wheel that fields are white to harvest. And so I'm sitting there and the spirit of the Lord is just all over me. And I'm I'm feeling this this this calling and it and so the invitation comes and I I'm just racing up to the the altar. And I just feel like that everybody in the whole building is gonna be up there because I just, you know, have the message.
Kathy:And I get up there and I'm weeping and there's a few people up there at the front and so we just start praying. I just kneel down and start praying. And that's I really didn't know what was happening then. But I remember calling my husband the next day and I just said, I don't really know what's happening but I but I'm feeling this this call. And it might be the ministry.
Kathy:I have talked to some people and I sat down with some people and and processed it. And really did at that time wasn't sure. But I I said I don't know it maybe God calling us to seminary or I don't know. And so we just started walking through that that was in 2015. In January of 2016, I started online seminary classes for a master of divinity with Fuller University.
Kathy:My husband wanted me to do seminary, rather than the POS program, which POS program is great. And so I did a year of online and then we moved to Phoenix, Arizona, me a little country girl moving to Phoenix, Arizona, and I finished my master of divinity there, and was in class. I like to be in class with people instead of the online. I'm not so much into the online. So that was just a journey and, and so that's when I, you know, entered into met with this, you know, met with a session here, and at Covenant Church, and, you know, told them, I really didn't know what was happening.
Kathy:But we were, we were just seeking God and following his lead. And then, you know, entered into the committee with the presbytery and, you know, that's a journey in itself.
T.J.:Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Kathy:You know, we're still in that. We're still we're still seeking that we are but the thing another thing that I've learned is, you know, I used to just agonize over whether I was in God's will. Am I in God's will? Is it God's will that I make this decision? That I've come to the point that I under that I have a you know, he's taught me that that's his job to reveal to me what his will is.
Kathy:He's the leader. He's the he's my father. He's the one to say, hey, Kathy. Let's do this. You know, and it's but it's my responsibility to con commune with him in a way that I can hear his voice, that I can hear that I can hear those nudges, that I can get that unease when he wants, you know, maybe something else is, is in his design.
T.J.:And so our posture changes.
Kathy:Yes. But we can be content in where we are right now and that's, you know, he's, I'm content in where he's placed me right now. I'm not, I'm, I've had, and it's been a learning lesson for me who who I'm always going to be doing is to just rest in where we are right now. Sometimes we forget to sit in the real, the now. And we're, and we're always looking forward.
Kathy:We're looking ahead instead of just entering into this space where God has put us right now and just living it to the fullest. And that's something that he's still teaching me.
T.J.:Oh, yeah. Me me too. Definitely. That's that's a hard one for me.
Kathy:Yes.
T.J.:And then Kathy finishes you finish your training, you finish seminary, and you're actually ordained, really, I guess, in the middle of a pandemic.
Kathy:Yes. We wore masks and everything. Didn't we did social distancing and yes. Didn't even know if we would get to, you know, have presbytery that long. So
T.J.:And you you started at Covenant as a worship leader in 2021?
Kathy:No. I started, started working with the worship team in 2020.
T.J.:Okay.
Kathy:But I was not ordained until October 2020.
T.J.:Kathy, if you were to encounter someone who hasn't made a profession of faith and you share this enthusiasm that you have for god and and the the authenticity and the raw rawness and the excitement, where would you describe and point them to see God in the world today?
Kathy:I think we see God in the face of the other Mhmm. And connecting. A lot of times we look for God in maybe what we call a holy place. But I found that God is everywhere. And he's in the face of the other.
Kathy:So when I sit down with, you know, I would just encourage people to sit down with the other person. Sit down with someone who knows God or maybe doesn't know God and just talk to that person. Look them in the eye. See them as the beautiful human being that they're created to be. See them as a person who is created in God's image, who he has marked for salvation, and and discover him in in that other person.
T.J.:Kathy, what is the church getting right in 2022? And what are we missing as the church?
Kathy:The church has a lot of love. They've been given a lot of love. They see the love that they've been given by Christ. So we have that. And I think people that enter in to most stores, hopefully are going to feel that love.
Kathy:That they're going to feel a welcome. But I think a way that we can take that a little further is entering into those people's lives and making a connection with people, so that they do fit in. And that's something that I've seen. We have tried some small groups for the first time during COVID, which has made it very difficult, because we just had a surge in our church just this last January with the with the Omicron. But entering into other people's lives gets messy sometimes.
Kathy:But that's what the church is all about. And that's what Jesus was all about. I mean, he entered into the mess. And so I think that's that's something that that we can grow in as a church is just getting into the mass and and loving people and and being loved because, oh my gosh, that's when I mean you just every person that I've ever sat down with and heard their story I was blessed. And so I feel like I feel like I walk away where that I received more than I gave.
Kathy:And that's the way God works. That's that's the that's the way God's, math system works. You get you get more than you get.
T.J.:I think we we enter into the mess and we also acknowledge that we are messy
Kathy:Mhmm.
T.J.:And imperfect. And Oh, yes. And maybe not maybe not hide that mess quite as much. Because it's gonna come out anyway. Only so much can fit underneath the sofa metaphorically or in the hallway closet.
Kathy:Yes. Be real. The world needs to see some realness.
T.J.:Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah.
Kathy:Yeah. Yes.
T.J.:Well, I know we've bounced around in this conversation, Kathy. Yeah.
Kathy:I probably just bounced
T.J.:you. No. No. No. You're doing great.
T.J.:I wanted to give you the opportunity. Is there anything that we haven't covered that you would love to share?
Kathy:I don't think so.
T.J.:Okay. Alright. Well, before we drop off, Kathy, how can others follow you on your faith journey? You've lived an exciting life. You've got some great insight and wisdom and I've I've even jotted down some of the things that you you've shared because, it really resonated with me.
T.J.:Folks wanted to reach out to you. Where can they find you?
Kathy:Well, our church has a website. It's Covenant Church of Ada altogether. Covenantchurchofada.com. And we have, like, it'll have all of our messages on there. And where, you know, people can go back and listen to some of our services.
Kathy:Duane's an awesome preacher, and, and I preach on occasions. So that is a blessing. We also have a Facebook page that is public. It's covenant church at covenant church ADA.
T.J.:And those are 2 good places to find, Kathy, and I thank you so much for your time and opening up my eyes about worship and the different ways that God can speak to you and becoming aware. One of the things that you said is becoming aware of of missing that closeness with God. I had to jot jot that one down. So I really do appreciate your time and you sharing your faith journey.
Kathy:Thank you, TJ. It's been good to be with you today.
T.J.:And thank you for listening to today's podcast. Grab a friend and travel with me on the next journey down Cumberland Road.
