Steve Springer is the pastors of Lower Beech Fork United Methodist Church. His home conference is the Red Bird Missionary
Conference. He came here after working as a Professor of Biology and Administrator, for 25 years, at Essex County College
in Neward, NJ. In 2000, he was ordained a deacon after completing the UMC Course of Study, he went on to get his License to
Preach from Duke Divinity. He became an Ordained Elder in 2008 after attending the UMC Advanced Course of Study.
Steve describes his wife, Diannne Fulton-Springerer, as his soul mate and partner in ministry since 1992 at RBMC and for many
years before that. "She is the heart of our ministry!" They have three children. Their daughter Sarita Springerer Grace works
as a Bank Executive VP/CFO, in Huntsville, AL. She has two children Curtis and Gina. Steve and Diane's son Mark is a Marine
Industry Specialist in Howell, NJ. He has a stepson David. Steve and Diane's son Chase Springerer is a Radiographer. He and
his wife, Jeri, and their daughters, Courtney and Nichole live in Willow, AK.
Steve describes the way he came to the Red Bird Missionary Conference as being a long story. "Dianne and I had become increasingly
active lay persons at our local UMC in Brick, NJ, with increasing leadership responsibilities and an increasing love for missions.
I was invited to be part of a Volunteers in Mission team in Haiti. The experience changed our lives, and we knew we would become
fulltime workers in a mission field, probably upon retiring. We 'made a deal' with the Lord; I would go anywhere in the world, do
anything except become a pastor; Dianne's 'deal' was that she'd do anything God asked except leave our children and grandchildren
in NJ! God had a plan that was NOT ours! Isn't that often the case if we yield our will to His? As we waited for His will to
unfold, we began to participate in and lead Emmaus walks and also mission teams.
Ultimately, I was "persuaded by our Lord to begin the process leading to coming a UMC pastor - God's plan, certainly not mine!
Dianne had read about ALPS, and we thought it would be a great place for me to begin my theological education. As I attended
classes I felt an increasing call to Red Bird - if accepted, I thought I'd manage the farm at Henderson and there was an opening
in the Early Child Program at Henderson. Perfect, we thought! Just as we thought we would be applying to Henderson, I was (we
thought) about to be offered a position with Heifer Project International. Simultaneously, two opportunities to serve - 2 calls!
RBMC or HPI? Then God changed the plan from our perspective! Ruth Weirtzema encouraged me to accept a call to pastor the
Thousandsticks UMC. We began to pray really earnestly about the CALL, consulted with spiritually-deep friends, asked our kids,
and then the Lord made it clear it was to be Thousandsticks UMC and RBMC. We left our home and family and relocated.
We got here because God orchestrated our call and all the circumstances surrounding the call - and many others not even mentioned!
We did not choose to come here - we were chosen to come here, called to come here! (John 15:16) Our choice was to stay in NJ and
do anything but pastor a church! IN John 14:22-24, in response to a question about revealing Himself to His disciples, Jesus
replied: "...I will only revel Myself to those who love me and obey Me. Anyone who doesn't obey me does love Me." The call was
clear; only our obedience was in question. We chose to obey - and then ONLY by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit! Thank
you Lord, and we praise the Lord! Amen!"
Steve is very candid about this biggest struggle in ministry. "I know that this will sound "theological," but our biggest
struggle is to remain centered within God's will for our lives; there are so many competing forces trying to move us off
center and off balance! Things like our selfishness, unfulfilled expectations (ours and those of others), serving God's
people in good (but not the Best) ways, working for the church (but not necessarily for the Kingdom), trying to help our
laity become Spirit-empowered and Christ focused, mission the face of Jesus while we're looking everywhere but where He's
standing, balancing family time with church related time not spending enough personal time with Jesus - these and a myriad
of daily, mundane and boring things keep us from growing into the folks God wants us and envisions us to be and to become."
Steve is very passionate about serving here. "The love of Jesus really is our passion - at least on our best, or even good
days! You remember right? "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" they asked Jesus. He replied, "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, an with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."
Matt. 22:36-38. And of course, it is still called the First Commandment, despite our ultrual views of things! Then He quickly
added "And the second is like unto it, "thy shall love thy neighbor as thyself" To do these things consistently and with the
joy Jesus did them - that will be enough passio and more than enough to keep us busy and fulfilled! To live those two . . .WOW!
Steve has a great deal of memorable moments at the Red Bird Missionary Conference ranging from seeing people accept Jesus as
Savior, to seeing them become a disciple and actually live it out! Seeing someone reach out and serve others, and of course
baptizing from rivers, to nursing homes. He also has loved all the mission trips they've been on or hosted.
Steve loves the Red Bird Missionary Conference. He states, "I don't have to pick only one word in response to why, but if I
did it would be people and connectedness. Being connected to the UMC is a great privilege and to be connected to RBMC even
more! Serving with and for the people here is like a taste of Heaven! Exaggerated? Not so! We will be serving with and for
Jesus then, and we get to do it to some degree now! If we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, and se what He sees and do what He
does. . .what's not to love, and what would we rather be doing?! Mother Theresa said its sort of like that: "What I do, I do
with Jesus, for Jesus, and to Jesus!" That is love! That is the call! That is RBMC at its best!"
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