Conklin-Broad Avenue-North News

July/August Newsletter                         

Dear friends,

I am mixed “emotioned” as I write this letter to all of you. Certainly I am excited to begin my time of Pastoral Renewal. Not only will it be the trip of a lifetime for me but I have to admit that I really need this time away to recharge myself physically, mentally and especially spiritually. I ask for your prayers that I will come home to you renewed and reinvigorated to serve you better. It is exciting and I am grateful for this blessing. However, to be honest with you, I really wish I could take all of you with
me.

The reality is that I love you all dearly. I guess I don’t express that often enough but it is the truth. I will miss you all dearly and it will be hard for me to be out of touch with you for this extended period of time. What I know it will do is sharpen my prayers for you. It will teach me to trust God to care for you as I learn to let go a little bit. Just because I am away from you, it won’t mean that you aren’t still in the center of my heart.

I know I am leaving you in good hands. Steve Chastain is as fine a man as there is. He will love you and care for you with his whole heart. We have surrounded Steve C. with a wonderful entourage of folks who will be backing him up and making sure you receive the best possible care in my absence.

There is already excitement about so many of our old friends returning to be with us this summer and fall. That is wonderful! When I first arrived, I told you that I knew you were a people who were capable of great love. I have found that to be absolutely true. I am so glad that you are excited to see some old friends who have been special in your lives as part of this congregation.

I know I will return to find you all a little bit stronger and ready, as we enter the next phase of our life together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

In Christ’s love,