October 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

As you know by now, I was in South Africa to serve as a delegate for our denomination’s General Conference from August 30th-September 5th. I dearly missed worshipping with you all, but I take comfort in knowing you had some wonderful guest preachers and that the work we were doing in South Africa was God-breathed. I’d like to take a moment to run down the work we (with God’s help) did in Johannesburg, and all the exciting things to come in our denomination.

The approximately 370 delegates from all around the world considered over 400 pieces of legislation to improve our Book of Doctrines and Disciplines. This work strengthened our statement of faith (something that was mostly ignored in our old denomination), declared boldly our stances on social issues, and smoothed out the operation of our institutions. The edited BDD will appear in the coming months, so stay tuned for more learning sessions on our official church teachings.

All of these pieces of legislation were considered in the wake of General Conference releasing a strategic plan. This plan in part proclaims our core values. These re: We are scriptural, Holy-Spirit inspired, Wesleyan in theology, missional, global, and connectional. We seek to have a denomination that empowers local churches and Annual Conferences to build on these values as we continue our mission of “Making disciples of Jesus Christ and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.” I assure you all of the legislation we passed meets these foundational criteria.

Lastly, the General Conference held several elections. Some were for commissions, the ongoing committees that lead our denomination in its work. Others were for bishops, the new slate of our denomination’s leaders who are responsible for passing on the “faith once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3) Our area (which includes, not only Mississippi, but east Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, India, Panama, and the Philippines) will welcome Rev. Dr. Luther Oconer as our first full-time bishop on November 1st. I had the joy of dining with him and his family one night in South Africa, and I assure you we are in for a treat. Bishop-elect Oconer is unmistakably filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will certainly challenge us to a deeper walk with Christ.

If you have any questions about our denomination and the work of General Conference 2026, please let me know.

Grace and peace,
Drew

September 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

By the time you read this, I will be in Johannesburg, South Africa for the Global Methodist Church’s General Conference. As Methodists, we don’t have a pope who speaks for the whole church. Instead, the General Conference is the only body that can speak about what we believe. So, each Annual Conference (yes, it is a yearly meeting, but it also describes a geographical area) sends delegates to General Conference to represent the clergy and laity of GMC churches of their area. I am honored to serve as one of the twelve representatives for the Mississippi-West Tennessee Annual Conference.

This is a meeting that will, in the future, take place every six years. For now, it is only two years removed from our last General Conference simply because there is so much for our young denomination to do. We still have to hammer out certain doctrinal statements, such as a precise definition of Scripture’s role in the life of our churches (something that was a big point of debate in our last denomination), and more practical matters, such as how our bishops will have oversight of churches (another big issue in our last wineskin). Our denomination has been “building the plane as we’re flying it,” for the last several years, and it’s time to articulate some clear guidelines.

So, what can you do to help? Pray. The journey will be long and arduous for most of the delegates. The workdays will be long. And we will all leave behind families and churches for an extended period. So, pray for the delegates. But, most of all, pray that God’s mission through the Global Methodist Church will thrive and be pleasing to God. There is not a delegate coming who does not see the Kingdom implications at stake.

While I’m gone, you will have some great guest preachers to fill the pulpit, and the Holy Spirit will continue to do its thing. But when I return, I look forward to updating you on our worship, our work, and our fellowship. And I look forward to continuing in mission with all of you, rejuvenated for what God will do through our denomination.

Grace and peace,
Drew

August 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

As I’m sure you are tired of hearing me say every Sunday, our mission at Shaeffer’s Chapel is to “Connect families to Christ by sharing God’s grace and love.” This month, I want to update you on two exciting ways we are trying to live out that mission.

For the first, you may remember that we held a very successful fish fry in the fall of 2025. That fundraiser netted our church over $4,000 to put towards a new playground for our kids. What a great way to ensure that families, especially those with young children, feel welcome at our church! Although our old playground has been well-loved, weather and time have done a number on it. We can now finally retire (and honor) that playground so that we can soon construct a new one that is safer and more fun for our kids. Not only is the new playground made possible by funds raised from the fish fry, it has also come about with some major elbow grease by some of our members. Special thanks to Chris Kyle, the Edgars, and the Millers, who were able to obtain nearly-pristine playground equipment from the old First Baptist property. They, along with the help of our trustees, will refurbish the equipment and add to it with our raised funds. We hope to add a canopy, new ground cover, and fencing to the new playground to ensure our kids have a place to have fun in a way that will keep them safe. Stay tuned for more updates as the new playground progresses.

The second item we are looking forward to is the relaunch of our shepherding program. This program matches members with others in the church to check in on them and make sure their spiritual needs are being met. This will be a crucial way we all can connect others to Christ and make sure no one slips through any spiritual cracks. If you are interested in being a part of this ministry, please let me know.

I am grateful to all of you for being a part of what God is doing at Shaeffer’s Chapel. Each of you is a minister, called to serve Christ in the church with your God-given gifts. Keep up the good work and continue to yield to the Spirit of God in all that you do.

Grace and peace,
Drew

July 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

In late August and early September, the Global Methodist Church will hold its second General Conference. This is a gathering of church leaders from across the world who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, have the task of deciding what we believe. In the GMC we have no pope to speak for the whole church, so instead we hold this gathering to prayerfully consider what kind of church God calls us to be.

I am honored to be a clergy delegate to General Conference from the Mississippi-West Tennessee Conference. This means I have already been in days-long meetings and involved in phone calls that often act like “meetings before the meeting.” Ahead of me is the task of reading thousands of pieces of proposed legislation that we will vote on at General Conference, a long flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, and about ten days of meeting and voting (no safaris for me, unfortunately). Although the work has been and will continue to be a grind, I can’t tell you what a thrill it is to be a part of it. I am extremely bullish on what God is doing through our theological tribe and for how our denomination will be about God’s mission in the coming years.

Leading up to my trip, I want to update you on what is going on in our denomination— the proposed legislation, what issues we are worried about, and the amazing initiatives our church is taking to make more disciples of Jesus and spread scriptural holiness. I will dedicate some Lunch and Learn discussions and Sunday morning announcements to some of the happenings. For now, though, I covet your prayers. And please do not pray just for me, but for the work of the General Conference and the mission of our denomination.

God has called us here at Shaeffer’s Chapel to step out of our comfort zones and to be a part of something amazing the moment we stepped out in faith to join the GMC. Now that we are in the thick of it, let’s lean in more, be about God’s work, and give thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this revival of the Spirit among the people called Methodists.

Grace and peace,
Drew

June 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

I have to admit, one of the reasons I initially worried about my call to ministry is that it meant I had to work every Sunday. For me, that meant no weekend getaways to the lake, no road trips to see a college football game, and no extended summer vacations. Needless to say, I have survived.

But I realize that the calendar turning to June means that many of you will escape to other places in your campers, in your car, or even jet-setting to places overseas. On the one hand, count me jealous. On the other hand, go with my blessing.

Travelling is a great way to see beyond the routine world we live in. We get to see God’s creation in beautiful spots. We get to meet people who are different from us. We get to come back with some great stories of how God is at work across the world. All the while, your church family (and your pastor) will be praying for you.

I also want to encourage you to worship somewhere while you travel. Of course, I encourage you to visit one of our sister Global Methodist congregations. But visiting a church of another denomination can also be a great way to stretch yourself and see how God works in churches different from our own. Feel free to take notes on things they do that you might like to see at Shaeffer’s Chapel and share them with me. You also might find that you have taken some things about Shaeffer’s Chapel for granted. In that case, I hope the visit gives you pause to thank God for your church home.

So, for those of you travelling, may God’s travelling mercies be with you this summer. May God bless you, keep you safe, and help you grow in grace as you experience the world God loves. And for the weekends you will be at home, I very much look forward to seeing you in the pews on Sunday.

Grace and peace,
Drew

May 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

As part of the Global Methodist Church, Shaeffer’s Chapel is connected in ministry with churches across the world. One of the more exciting ventures our area (the Mississippi-West Tennessee Conference) is a close partnership with two new Annual Conferences (think of these as geographical areas) in the Philippines. Our Conference has helped to plant hundreds of new churches in that part of the world, and the number continues to climb. Not only are we organizing worship, discipleship, and mission in these locations, but we are also welcoming in countless new Christians who have never heard the gospel before. Praise God!

One of the unexpected blessings that has come out of this partnership is the chance we have to spread the gospel somewhere between Mississippi and the Philippines, the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar. You may have heard something about Qatar, a tiny nation with only about 340,000 native citizens, because of its status as an oil giant in the Persian Gulf. Due to its massive wealth and tiny population, most Qataris do not have to work. So, the labor in Qatar is largely left to immigrants from other countries. With this massive influx of immigrants, the population of Qatar has now swelled to over three million (meaning native Qataris only comprise about a tenth of the people you will meet there!).

Where do all these immigrants—including the Christian ones— get to worship while they are working in this Muslim theocracy? For many years, people of non-Muslim faiths have had to scramble to find places to worship, usually in homes or makeshift buildings. This is true for the growing number of Filipino-native Global Methodists in Qatar.

But recently, the Emir (or king) of Qatar has allowed construction of a grand, brand-new worship center for several Christian denominations, including the GMC. This building, known as the ECAQ (or Evangelical Churches Alliance of Qatar) Worship Center, will be three stories and accommodate 10,000 worshippers from 129 different churches. The GMC congregation in Qatar,comprised mostly of Filipinos, will occupy 165 square meters of this space. This should hold about 200 worshippers for a church that is already averaging 70 attendees each Sunday.

We expect that, not only will a commitment to this church grow the number of believers in Qatar, but, because of the migrant nature of the population in Qatar, we will have the chance to leverage this opportunity to spread the gospel across the world. Since Qatar is now a global melting pot like no other place on earth, we expect an investment in a small church in a Middle Eastern nation to sow seeds of faith that are taken back to nations across the world.

Our Conference, led by our bishop, Scott Jones, has committed to raise $454,000 to cover our part of the construction. We have already raised over $200,000 of that cost. Praise the Lord again!

How can you help with what God is doing in Qatar? First, pray. Pray for God’s continued faithfulness in spreading the Word across the world, and especially in Qatar. Second, consider giving a financial gift to this cause. To do so, earmark your check made out to:

MS-West TN Conference of the GMC
PO Box 647
Senatobia, MS 38668

Thank you for all you do for this church and the people of God across the world.

Grace and peace,
Drew

April 2026

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” These words from Ecclesiastes 3:1 are as true now as they were in the ancient times they were written (or even in 1965, when the Byrds made a hit song from that line). What would December be without the anticipation of Christmas? What would March be like without the NCAA basketball tournament (which I’m watching as I write this)? What would summer be without travel, fireworks, and sweltering Mississippi heat?

As we head into April, that usually means one thing in the church, Easter. In the same way the foliage returns to the limbs of trees, the sun begins kissing our faces, and critters start roaming around our property, we know this season in the church as a time of celebrating new life in Jesus’ resurrection. For this season, there is a time to enjoy the gift of hope in Jesus rising from the grave and all that means for us.

But not all of April will be Easter. A few days before, of course, we remember Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, much more somber days of recalling Jesus’ betrayal and death. Also, once the joy of Easter subsides, we will go back into our normal routine of worship for a while until Pentecost. The church calendar reminds us of the swings of seasons in our own lives. There are times of immense joy as much as there are times of deep sadness, and there are probably more just “business as usual” than anything else. The late biblical scholar and theologian Walter Brueggemann reminds us that Christians constantly live our lives between Good Friday and Easter, swinging back and forth between these two extremes. Similarly, the apostle Paul informs us that we live in a time in which Jesus has risen from the dead, but sin and death still have a strong sway over us, only to be finally conquered when Christ returns. (1 Corinthians 15)

So whatever season you find yourself in, know that it is just that, a season. For good times, there will be bad to humble us. For bad times, the good times will return. And, best of all, the God who died on the cross, rose from the dead, and lived most of his life as a normal person (the Gospels only tell us about 3 of his 33 years!), is with you in whatever season you find yourself. Thanks be to God.

Grace and peace,
Drew

December 2025

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

The season of Advent is upon us, which means we are counting down the days until the arrival of Jesus. Advent is a season of patient waiting, watching for God to bring the Messiah who will save us. This is, of course, not how we usually spend our Decembers. Like a lot of preachers, I get a little irked when we celebrate Christmas too early— we sing hymns about Christ’s birth, we put baby Jesus in our manger scenes, we give presents early— all before Jesus is born. But the older I get, the more I realize one curmudgeonly preacher isn’t going to change the culture.

Still, I will do all I can during this season to help us wait. Each Sunday in Advent, we focus on one aspect of waiting for Jesus’ birth. We hope for what is to come. Trusting in God to bring the salvation we need, we live in peace. As the Messiah’s time gets near and signs of his coming become clear, we have joy in anticipation. And we get the assurance of God’s love that confirms our patience.

As our guide to the hope, peace, joy, and love of waiting for Jesus this season, we will turn to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah lived seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, but he could see Christ’s arrival. This is because Isaiah had an intimate relationship with God the Father. Knowing the character of God, Isaiah was able to proclaim God’s hope, peace, joy, and love that would hold over his people until the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus— even if many centuries would pass until those prophesies could be fulfilled.

In the Holland house this year, we will try to hold off on giving gifts and over-decorating until the 25th. Join us if you wish. But, more importantly, join us in worship this month as we express our longings for the coming Messiah, the one who will be Emmanuel, God with us. God has been faithful for thousands of years by giving his hope, peace, joy, and love— even before the coming of Christ. And God will be faithful again in 2025. He will come on His time, not ours. Lord, help us to patiently wait for you and trust in your coming goodness. Amen.

Grace and peace,
Drew

October 2024

Dear Shaeffer’s Chapel Saints,

Hasn’t God been busy around our church lately? We began October with a busy Lunch and Learn, in which we not only enjoyed great fellowship, but got to dive into our Wesleyan roots and understand more about why we believe what we believe.

We started four new Sunday School classes this month, two for children, one for youth, and one for parents. I have been so energized by the response to these classes and how many of you have stepped up to both lead and be open to this new opportunity for your family’s growth in discipleship.

We ended the month with a rousing homecoming Sunday that was the ideal picture of who we are as a church. We had celebrated God with passionate worship, ate some scrumptious food, and deepened our relationships.

All of this builds on our already-solid foundation of praising God weekly in worship and diving into God’s Word through our small groups. Thanks be to God for his steadfast faithfulness over this last month.

We fully expect God to challenge us, love us, and surprise us in November. Our Fall Festival is scheduled for the 2nd. Our Charge Conference, the annual gathering with other GMC churches to elect local leaders and gather in worship, is set for the 10 th over in Amory. We will continue our usually rhythm of worship on Sunday mornings at 9, fellowship soon after, and study of the Word at Wednesday night Bible study and Sunday School.

Let’s keep our eyes open to God’s work among us this month. And let’s keep on fulfilling our mission: Growing in love because we care and because you count.

Grace and peace,
Drew