Grace and Peace to you,
I am writing to share the news of my resignation as Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Holt effective July 31st. David has accepted a full-time position in St. Louis, MO and I am looking forward to becoming a full-time mother, as well as do pulpit supply and freelance work. The great majority of David’s family is located in St. Louis, so we will be surrounded by family support. As certain as I am that this is the right move for my family and me, it breaks my heart to be leaving you all.
It has been an honor and privilege to be your pastor over these past three years. We have been with one another through some of life’s greatest joys and deepest struggles. Together we have laughed and prayed, worshiped and served. Together we have celebrated many births and grieved many deaths, including the birth of my son and the death of both of my grandmothers. I am grateful for your support and my life is forever changed for having traveled this road with you in this season. If it were possible, I would greatly desire to be a member here.
It has been a joy to see youth growing into faith filled adults, church visitors become church family, and passions for vocational ministry kindled. I delight in seeing you minister to one another through meals in times of grief, prayer shawls in times of illness, and home communion in seasons of isolation. It is my prayer that you will continue to be a place that delights in diversity, cultivates artistic gifts, and wholeheartedly embraces mission (in both this community and world). I pray that you will continue to be confronted with joy so great and grace so deep that you cannot help but sing God’s praises.
As surely as I believe that God is guiding me in this decision, I also believe that God will guide you in finding a new associate pastor to minister to and with you in the future. I am deeply glad that the congregation voted to secure the associate position, as I believe great things have been possible through allowing your pastors both collegiality and focus in ministry. I look forward to seeing how God’s plan for FPC Holt will unfold in the years to come.
I am excited to discover what God has in store for me as I live out my callings to both motherhood and ministry in new ways. In my time here I have struggled to be faithful to both of these roles together. My personal prayer is that this time away from pastoring may enable me to establish a strong foundation of family life, in the hope that any future professional work will complement, rather than compete with this call. I pray that future pastors of this church will be able to do the same.
From now until July 31st I will continue to pastor this church, engaging fully in the good and important ministry we have yet to do together and the hard but grace filled process of saying goodbye. I ask for your prayers and understanding as we all make this transition.
Most sincerely,
First Presbyterian Church of Holt, MI
http://www.fpc-holt.org/
Presbydestrian 