Thank You. An Associate Pastor Update

On Monday night (5/10) the BOA and I met. We reviewed our finances, considered our sense of God's leading, and prayed together. We asked you if you would like to join us in the financial commitment of hiring an associate pastor and you said yes with your giving. So, we took it to a vote and approved the hiring of a new associate pastor when the Pastor's Cabinet finds the right candidate. Thank you for joining us in this mission!

While the Cabinet interviews and deliberates about who is the right fit for our community, the rest of us have work to do in keeping our giving strong to support the salary of whoever we hire. If you have already committed to increase your giving regularly, then thank you! For those who are still considering it, let me offer you some numbers provided by a thoughtful friend in our community. We budgeted about 1/2 of a year's salary in 2021 for an associate pastor. If 12 families commit to $150 per month above their current giving, then we will be able to fully support this next pastor.

Paul did work like this during his time in Ministry. He travelled all around the gentile church inviting them to contribute money to support the church in Jerusalem. When inviting the Corinthians to participate, he said...

"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have." 2 Corinthians 8:12

I hope that if you have the means, you will join in, and if you do not, then you will join in with what means you do have. We are all called to contribute, not according to some arbitrary standard, but according to the leading of the Spirit in each of our lives. So, I invite you to pray, and then trust the Lord's leading in what you can contribute.

And lastly, thank you again. It's a privilege and a joy to serve alongside you in our mission to reach, teach, mend, and send.