Ten Years Of Tim

Today want to take a moment to mention something that set this past Sunday apart other than what I wrote about in my post. I want to acknowledge the 10 anniversary of Tim Colovos  being the pastor of Oakland Baptist Church. 

I went to Oakland with Paula (who grew up in the church) on Tim's first Sunday back in 2004 to "check out the new guy." I've been part of the church ever since.  

Now there are all kinds of accolades that can deservedly be tossed Tim's way in regard to his ministry and leadership as Pastor. But today I want to write about the effect Tim Colovos' encouragement and friendship has had on me over the last decade.

From the first time I reached out to be involved in the children's ministry at Oakland Baptist, Tim has been my among greatest supporters. 

It's one thing to be supportive of a church member who wants to help with Children's Church on Sunday mornings. Because, generally speaking, faithful and committed workers in that area of ministry are hard to come by. 

It's been Tim's confidence and faith in what I've tried and done in Children's ministry over the years that has helped me stay involved for such a long time. He has allowed me to try just about anything; giving me the freedom to learn and discover what works and what doesn't.   

But even in areas of ministry other than children's church Tim has given me opportunity, even if it was in front of the entire church in the Sunday morning service. 

One of the first things I can remember doing on Sunday mornings was reading the announcements. But of course, I didn't read them in the conventional manner I injected humor; lots of humor. To most people it was probably something that should have been part of Saturday Night Live on NBC and not the morning worship service on Sunday morning. 

I do think I got a bit carried away and started including more punchlines than information the people in the pews needed to know. 

After a couple of months it was decided that, except for special situations, the best way to communicate the announcements would be through the bulletin. 

I consider my time as the "announcements guy" my first opportunity to be in front of the church trying to get laughs. The experience has come in handy.

After that Tim gave me the opportunity to combine my the two ministries I enjoyed: teaching children and being funny (or at least trying). The children's sermon on Sunday mornings turned out to be the perfect place for me to use my creativity. Once again Tim gave me his support, no questions asked. Over the years I've given the children's sermon he has never put limits on what I've done. 

Even when I emptied an entire bottle of mustard onto a hot dog on a plate on a table sitting on the red carpet of the church platform he just laughed along with everyone else. 

In 2008, I introduced puppets and my not yet proven ventriloquism ability on a Sunday morning. It's now the key element in most of my children's sermons.

But the freedom Tim has always given me with the children's sermon has had an effect on others as well. Over the last few years a couple of other church members have started taking their turn giving the children's sermon and have gotten very imaginative. And it's all because they know that it's okay to do it. That stems from a culture of trust and creativity perpetuated by Pastor Tim. 

Now please allow me to go back to ventriloquism for a moment. When I felt comfortable enough with my ventriloquist skills that I wanted to minister in ways other than children's sermon Pastor Tim allowed me with no hesitation. 

I have done routines at the start of many morning worship services, sung songs with a puppet on Sunday nights and Revival services. I have even used a puppet to introduce a well known gospel singer, Karen Peck. 

The final thing I want to mention that demonstrates how much Tim believes in me happened this past Christmas. Under the watchful eye of our associate pastor, Mark (who also showed great faith and trust in me), Tim allowed me to write an original script called "Christmas On The Air" to be presented as the 2013 children's Christmas play. 

It turned out to be pretty good and I owe at least part of those results to knowing that no matter what I came up with I would have the support of the pastors. 

So, as you have read, I've done quite a few things in ministry over the last decade at my church. And those are just a few. But none of it would have ever been possible without the encouragement and support of Pastor Tim Colovos. I can't use those two words enough. 

As friends, Tim and I have had a lot of great times over the last 10 years as well. 

During the first year we knew each other we got lost on a labyrinth of roads in the Smokey Mountains at 2AM in the morning. We spent a night sitting in the parking lot of a new car dealership in Indianapolis waiting to try and get on a TV game show (see January 26, 2014 post). Those are stories that Tim tells better than I do. Ask him about them the next time you see him. 

We've gone fishing together and I've been his guest at a hockey game and an audio animatronic dinosaur show at the big arena in Nashville.   

There are so many other stories and experiences we have shared over the last decade. But the thing I want to thank Tim for again is his faith in me.

I don't want to be corny but it's is so true when I say he's one of the special people who have been the wind beneath my wings. For that I am forever grateful. Thank you, Tim