Meet Pastor Phil

Meet our minister, Pastor Phil Konz. Pastor Konz is a new arrival to Sacramento and is a welcome addition to our church. He became our settle minister on August 1, 2010 and brings with him nearly thirty years of pastoral leadership. And while he comes to us from the great state of Texas, he freely admits he has never owned a pair of cowboy boots.

Phil is a faithful Pastor and deeply committed to the ministry of the church. He comes to the United Church of Christ with a deep appreciation for a diverse, open and progressive church. From his own experience, he knows what it means to be welcomed, accepted and encouraged by a church like the United Church of Christ. Phil is a great Pastor with strong pastoral care skills, and he capably ministers to people in a wide variety of life situations.

He has a strong foundation of faith, a wealth of experience, a commitment to preach and teach the gospel, a willingness to work with folks in a church in a ministry together, an inquiring and seeking spirit that is open to where God is leading, a love of all people and an ongoing desire to be the best Pastor God is calling him to be.

From the Pastor's Pencil

A Spiritual Pioneer Caring for God's Diverse Community

That's what it says on the name tags at our worship services.

Just to make one thing clear from the start, we are talking about the God of the Cosmos, not the God a select few. God's community includes all people.

Even me.

Even you.

When I was in high school, my principal told us that half of what we were being taught was wrong and that it would be up to us to figure out which half that was.

At the time I lived up to my title as a Sophomore (Sophisticated Moron) and thought, "Well that's just stupid! Find out what's right before you teach it to us and give us all this homework!"

Now I realize that he was telling us that we need to think for ourselves, that we need to keep on learning.

That high school principal has been re-evaluated as I have matured (a nice way of saying "aged"). I have learned to think for myself more and more. I believe that is an important part of being a spiritual pioneer.

Sadly, much of my spiritual learning has been alone. It would take me years to come to conclusions about myself, creation and humanity in general, only to find out that these same conclusions have been written about by others 50 years ago, or even 1500 years ago. My pioneering would have been much better if it had been done in community. Pioneers, after all, came to this part of the world in groups, not as solo wanderers.

It is in a diverse community that we learn more about ourselves and our world. This is especially true when that community celebrates diversity, respects different opinions, and honors individual journeys.

Our intellect and knowledge grow from experiences, from individual reasoning and from group discussions. Our spirituality grows in the same way. Experience nature through all your senses, spend time in private meditation, and join in the faith community. In all these ways we continue to move forward as spiritual pioneers.

Come and share your journey with us. Grow, worship, serve and celebrate!

Pastor Phil Konz