This past week, the Cabinet of the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church asked me to move to a new appointment at the end of June. I will be the new pastor of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is a great church, steeped in a rich tradition of leadership in the Annual Conference. I feel honored to fill the shoes of many great pastors who came before me.
With that said, I am leaving a remarkable church. The First United Methodist Church of Belen continues to be a blessing in my family’s life. I already mourn the relationships I developed through five years of ministry. This church loves passionately and practices radical hospitality ferociously. Anyone who enters its doors feels its friendly and welcoming presence.
Rest assured, the values and practices that make this church so special will continue under the leadership of the new pastor. As a pastor, few people realize the difficult transition from one incredible church to another. It is painful to leave, yet exciting to go. Yet, in our itinerant system, we know it is a part of our service. We tearfully say goodbye while we eagerly say hello to our new congregants.
Let us pray for our churches and pastors as they undergo the difficult transformation into new places. May God’s grace shine so brightly that we experience beauty in ways we could never imagine. Finally, may the joy of our salvation be made known, and we may remain captivated by God’s presence through it all.