What is going on here?

I originally wrote this for my ministry letter, but decided not to send it. It a great basic summary of what has gone on. A sad summary.

As I go into a local Project Graduation Stuffing Party, looking over my shoulder, hiding behind columns and ducking into bathrooms – if necessary. My friend texts me: The coast is clear. I dash into the meeting, sit beside her and put labels on the envelopes and keep my head down.

Someone asks me what school clubs I am working with and I am afraid to answer, for fear he will tell other youth pastors and that they will eliminate from this as well.

I deliver 60 pieces of Starbucks pastries to a club and when I sign in, I look at who else has signed in, I realizing I am once again at risk for a confrontation at a school, during a club.

How did I get here? When did simple ministry of snacks and club support become a game of espionage? What is going on here? My whole world of ministry has been turned upside down.

Basically, my story is this. A local youth pastor – my supervisor calls him "Skippy" decided that he was going to take over everything I'm doing and run me out of town. He decided that I had the most powerful position in town. I laugh hilariously as I write this. I have nothing. I am nothing. I just tried to get churches and youth pastors to work together.

He held secret youth pastor meetings and secret Baccalaureate meetings. He spoke well of me in public and threaten me in private. He has a business background.

In part because of my fear and in part because I really wanted to work together, I gave him the leadership of the Pearland Youth Ministry Alliance, which I had coordinated and organized for about 20 years. He never included me in the official email list and within 3 months, he was not inviting me to meetings at all. When I started another network (after being excluded for 6 months) and included all youth ministry people, he screamed and complained about how divisive I was.

When we finally got everyone (the working Baccalaureate Committee and the secret meeting people) together working on Baccalaureate, Skippy was absent half and time and divisive when he was present.

James, my supervisor told me: Skippy isn't going to rest until he has leadership of Baccalaureate. I continued, organizing Baccalaureate monthly meetings all summer and all fall to help us be a team, believing that this was the best we could do for Baccalaureate, the community, the students and our team: that we needed time to become a team and share a vision.

During all this, I am steady finding clubs, developing club leadership and delivering day old Starbucks to clubs. At this point, I was deliver snacks and involved with 4 different clubs, which represented about 200 students each week.

In October, "Dora" my club ministry partner (whose main interests was getting snacks for clubs from local businesses) decided she was no longer with Cross in the City. I was communicating with her to help her determine what God was calling her to do and what our new relationship would be, when she involved her pastor. At that point, she would not longer talk to me unless my supervisor, James and her pastor were present. Her pastor decided that she had started the snack program, so she should take all the clubs. Because I did so much more than snacks, I could see that this was going to be a real loss for the clubs, the sponsors and the students.

James and I were trying to work out a time to meet with Dora and her pastor. That's when it happened. Skippy contacted Dora's pastor. James and I were called to a meeting on December 7 with Dora, Skippy and their respective pastors. The assumption was that the meeting would be about the club issues, but no one really knew and there was a broad spectrum of issues that could be involved.

I had a great team going into the meeting. I took six people with me. They asked extremely insightful questions and gave me valuable feedback. From what I could tell the main message was that the pastors wanted Baccalaureate back and they wanted Skippy to be in charge.

Frankly, they were ready to close in prayer and none of the club stuff with Dora had been addressed. It was immediately put under the care of Skippy. Then we closed in prayer. As Skippy was leaving, he hugged me and told me that he was "sorry he harbored hatred in his heart for me."

I got valuable feedback from my team. Most importantly, that I hadn't done anything wrong and that I didn't deserve the kind attack or treatment I had been subject to that night. The strong suggestion from the ministry professionals in the group was: Shake the dust from your feet.

After this meeting, James told me that Skippy would not rest until he had everything I was doing.

Within 3 weeks, Skippy and Dora were partners in the club thing and taking over one club. The PYMA became the Pearland Student Pastors Alliance and was only open to student pastors from churches. The PSPA had put themselves in charge of all PISD JH and HS clubs, Baccalaureate and See you at the Pole. Basically, my mission statement: I wish I'd had more vision to give them.

If you would like to read more about the drama and terror and what it has meant, it is on my blog: dottiedch.blogspot.com. There are also great stories about the clubs and what great kids they are! It isn't all bad news!

At the sponsor's request, I am still involved with one club I worked with Dora on. I found another thru the students of another club. I have met with a group of students at another school to help them start a club – they are still waiting on principal approval to start. And I have found still another junior high club thru a tip from a club sponsor. And I help a club in Pasadena. So, I am still involved with four clubs and waiting for the 5^th to start. I'm almost back up to working with about 200 students a week. I know I am trying to use my time wisely, but I am aware that I am in transition and I think God is moving me on. I also realized that God can do a miracle in Pearland and keep me here. I am praying for clear guidance and direction.

Because I believe the God who called me is faithful, I am believing that in the mist of such vicious hatred and exclusion, that God is good and He has my next position of service ready for me. In that belief, I am being ordained. I have never had my call to ministry publically recognized. January 18, 2011, I observed 30 years in ministry. It probably is important that I note that I do not feel called to be a pastor, I still feel called to student ministry in the community.

Affirming My Call

Celebrating 30 years in ministry

Saturday, March 5, 2011 2 pm

1320 Scott Pasadena, TX 77506

Worship Service and Ordination followed by a reception.

Please bring a finger food to share. Coffee and Tea will be provided.

Of course, Skippy and Dora are false names to conceal their identities.