Hi GRC family!
I know some of you were away, but this past Sunday I was back in the pulpit. I shared quite simply that my pastoral sabbatical accomplished its objectives: I rested well, spent quality time with family, read deeply, and had time to linger in Scripture and prayer.
And now… I’ll be out of the pulpit for the next two weeks. The main reason is that I had already booked Joe Fischer for two Sundays before I shortened my sabbatical, and based on your feedback, Joe is one of your favorite guest preachers! These two weeks are helping me catch up on staff connections and Session shepherding, and give me space to plan the fall sermon series. I’m also facing the challenge, as the only pastor on staff, of figuring out which pastoral responsibilities I’ll have to take on, and which ones may not receive leadership energy until we’re able to fill two pastoral positions.
In my absence, the rest of our Session (elders) chose McGowan Global Institute to lead us in a national search for a new Pastor of Discipleship (Steve Sage’s old job) and a new Executive Pastor. Filling that first position requires no explanation. We already miss Steve and his spiritual maturity, leadership equipping skills, and compassionate shepherd’s heart!
But what about the second position? Why Executive Pastor? Keep in mind that Laura, our Director of Ministry Operations (DOMO), retired (for good, this time!) a year and a half ago. That position has remained vacant, and all its leadership responsibilities fall under the umbrella of Executive Pastor. In parallel, the Session has been talking for quite some time (with Steve around) about the need to add a 3rd pastor. Now add to the mix Laura’s main message to me upon retirement: “Peter, you need an Executive Pastor!” And here we are.
It’s not such a dramatic change after having a 30-hour-per-week DOMO. We’re simply now looking for an ordained pastor who has similar administrative, financial management, and staff-shepherding gifts (from years of being in pastoral ministry)… who can also occasionally preach, shepherd the flock, equip the saints, etc. Join us in praying for the Spirit’s leading — not only of McGowan and of our Session, but in the hearts of those candidates whom the Lord has already chosen to help shepherd our congregation!
Looking ahead… when we kick off the new ministry season in September, we’ll have a Town Hall meeting on September 13th during which we’ll share some ministry vision related to hiring our Director of Hispanic Ministries, Camilo Martinez; we’ll review our progress against our 2024 Vision Campaign; and we’ll share an update on these pastoral search efforts. Until then… enjoy these summer days! I encourage you to engage in the ministry of hospitality; to not neglect the gathering of God’s people on Sundays; to read a solid book!; and to regularly drink deeply of the well of grace through Scripture reading and prayer.
Yours in Christ,
Peter
Peter Wang serves as the Senior Pastor at GRC.