Dear Friends,
Perhaps this newsletter note might be a little more personal than usual.
As you most likely know by now, in a called congregational meeting after worship, the congregation voted to call Rev. Amie Michele Vanderford as the next pastor of First Presbyterian Church. You might know that Rev. Vanderford and her husband have lived in Independence for a couple of years already, so she might be a little more ready to hit the ground running than a typical new pastor hire. Hopefully it goes without saying that I wish all good blessings on Rev. Vanderford and this congregation as you find your way forward to being the witness in this community that Christ calls us to be in these challenging times.
As for me? Well…
I am still in limbo. That’s not to say that there are no prospects out there. In fact, as of the time that I am writing this, I have a Zoom interview scheduled for tomorrow afternoon with a PNC. It would be a very different congregation than this one in a very different setting than this one, but it’s an opportunity. And there are still several others out there in progress. So nothing’s imminent, but I’m not at a dead end either.
Anyway, once July is past (and I finally get my office packed up), I will not be attending services or events at this church. That’s how it works in Presbyterian polity. You don’t have to cross Pennsylvania Avenue to avoid me, but I can’t attend and I can’t talk about the church, for whatever amount of time I am still in Independence.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Charles