Jodi and I are just beginning to experience the joy of journeying with you as part of the Upper Mississippi Region as we seek to build God's Kingdom together. The UMR is a diverse group of churches from the hills of southern Illinois and Iowa to the woodlands of Wisconsin and Minnesota, from the shores of Lake Michigan to the farmlands of the central plains.

But geography is not the only diversity that we experience. We are a group of churches that range in age from over 150 years to under one year. (Congratulations are in order for Minnetrista Baptist in St. Bonifacious, MN, North Freedom Baptist in North Freedom, WI, and Northwest Fellowship Baptist in Chicago, IL-all have crossed the 150 year mark this year.) Our most recent church plant is Crossroads Community Church in Burlington, IA that just began public services this fall. We also have much diversity in the way that we are seeking to share the Good News of the Gospel within our various local mission fields. We have churches sharing in Russian, Polish, Bulgarian, Spanish, and German-as well as English in both Anglo and African American styles. We have churches that worship with choirs and hymnals, and others that sing praise to God with bands and PowerPoint. We have churches made up primarily of professional white collar executives and some that are mainly blue collar and agricultural in make up. Some of our churches have over 1000 each Sunday and others regularly have less than 50 worshippers. There are some churches that remind me when I visit that I need to wear a suit and tie, and others that remind me to leave my suits at home. Wow-isn't God a wonderfully creative God? And we have a lot of that creative diversity within the churches of the UMR.

But there is one thing that we all have in common that must be the driving force in our desire to fellowship and serve God together. We all have the same Biblical mandate to populate heaven from within our spheres of influence. MT 28 reminds us that "as we are going, we are to be making disciples." There are days that I wonder why God called me to such a significant task. Maybe you feel that way at times as well. But I am so thankful that it is not about my gifts or your abilities that will make UMR effective. It is all about us together living authentic lives of worship, service and obedience to Him. It is about discovering together what it is that God wants UMR to do and then being willing to put aside any personal preferences and partnering missionally to unleash God's power in our neighborhoods together. It's all about remembering what Jesus told us in JN 15:16, "you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last."

There is a lot that Jodi and I need to learn yet about how to best serve the pastors, pastor wives, churches and lay leaders of the UMR to help you be effective in your local ministry, but we are committed to partnering together with you in such a way that our churches will be healthy, growing and multiplying expressions of God's Kingdom on earth, and that we can stand before God together some day and hear Him say, "Well Done." Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and walk with you toward God's preferred future for our region. We pray for each UMR church each week, and appreciate your prayers on our behalf as well as we travel much to serve you in the years ahead.

Populating Heaven together with you,

Tim & Jodi Blackburn
UMR Regional Minister