Dear Friends,
Last night at our Session meeting I announced that I will be retiring in September. After eighteen years here it is time to turn over the leadership as pastor to someone new. It has been such a privilege to be here all this time and I am so grateful to all of you.
The Session will be making some decisions about future leadership for the congregation. Last night, Rev. Gail Doering, transitional executive presbyter for our presbytery, and Rev. Laura Frazey, moderator of the Church Orders Ministry Team, began the process of walking the Session through what the different options may be. We started this process early so that hopefully there won’t be a big gap between the time I leave and the time a new person begins.
My last Sunday will be September 18. Please keep the Session in your prayers as they will have a lot to do in the next six months. Many difficult decisions will need to be made. It will be a time when you lean on one another for support and encouragement. That, as I have witnessed, is something you do very well.
Sarah and I are currently house hunting. Since Sarah won’t retire for several more years, we will continue to live in Independence. Our involvement with this congregation, though, will come to an end when I retire. Again, I want to express my appreciation to all the members of the congregation. I will certainly miss being your pastor.
In Christ,
Pastor John