From our Pastor

Dear Church Family,

I want to begin by saying that it has been an honor to serve as your pastor. As I prepare to leave, I want to thank you for the care and compassion you have shown me. I am grateful for our time together and our shared ministry. I am excited to see how that work continues as you welcome your new pastor, Kristen. Having spent some time with Pastor Kristen, I am certain that she will be a blessing to you.

In my sermons this coming month, we will be talking about change. Change is never easy, but it is inevitable. We can’t stop change from coming, but there is also much joy to be found when we open ourselves to the new things that God is doing in our midst. Having said that, it is important during this pastoral transition that proper boundaries are set and held for the health and well-being of both Pastor Kristen and me, as well as the churches of the Faith United Cooperative as we all adjust to our new ministry contexts.

The United Methodist Church has a long-held tradition of allowing a new pastor one year to transition into their new role without contact from the previous pastor. This is not meant to be a punishment, just a way to allow the new pastor to establish relationships with their new appointment. I want to honor that tradition. With this in mind, I want to share with you the ways that we will honor one another during this transition.

        1. My Facebook account will remain active, but I will refrain from commenting on or engaging with your posts. I look forward to keeping up with what is going on in your lives –  -- I will just  do it from a distance for a while.

       2. I will refrain from contacting any of you without Pastor Kristen’s permission. While we always remain connected in Christ, Pastor Kristen will now be your pastor, and I seek to respect that. I trust that you will too.

       3. There are times where families desire to have a previous pastor participate in a funeral, memorial service, or some other special event. Any requests for my, or any other former pastor’s, participation should be made through Pastor Kristen. She and I will work out the details of my participation at her discretion.

Thank you for understanding my desire to keep firm and healthy boundaries and to respect Pastor Kristen’s ministry here at Faith United. Know that I love you and will keep you in my prayers. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been your pastor, and I look forward to the ways God will bless your ministry with Pastor Kristen in the months and years to come.

In Christ’s Love & Service,

Pastor Lisa