Let’s Celebrate 35 Years!
As we approach the last Sunday of my tenure as your Lead Pastor, Beverly and I have hearts overflowing with gratitude for the Lord’s generous favor on our journey at Ingleside.
Indeed, as the Psalmist says, the Lord has “dealt bountifully” with us! (Psalm 13:6, ESV). We give him thanks, and we give him all the glory!
So, if you are in town, I hope you will join us as we celebrate God’s faithfulness to our church family over the three and a half decades that we have walked this road together.
This Sunday, June 30, we will have two worship services only at 9:40 and 11:00 a.m. in the Worship Center. We hope to see you here!
Meet and Greet Begins at 9:00 a.m.
On our last Sunday, Beverly and I hope to be able to speak personally to as many of our church family as possible.
So, we will be in the Gathering Area from 9:00 a.m. until the first worship service begins at 9:40 a.m. Then, we will be in the Gathering Area again following the 11:00 a.m. service. Given the brief turnover time, we will not be able to meet and greet between the two services.
Celebratory food and drink will be provided for all in the Gathering Area beginning at 9:00 a.m. and will continue until the meet and greet concludes in the early afternoon. We hope you enjoy!
Of course, so many have already blessed us with such kind and encouraging words—either in person, by email, or by notes, cards, and gifts. For every expression of your love, we are deeply grateful!
Staying in Touch?
As we have approached our retirement date, some have inquired about how to stay in touch.
The best way is through my church email address: [email protected]. Though I will no longer be a staff member, our church will keep this email account active for at least a year.
As you would expect, however, and as I outlined in my message on Sunday, June 9, Beverly and I are leaving Ingleside and intentionally unplugging from Ingleside-related relationships for at least a year for the good of the church, for the good of Pastor Justin and his leadership, and for our own good as we lay down our pastoral responsibilities.
Be assured that our departure from Ingleside and our not being in touch very often reflects no lack of love for you nor a lack of respect for Pastor Justin. Indeed, just the opposite—it is an expression of our love and our desire for our church to flourish in the next chapter – all for God’s glory!
Gratitude, Joy, and Blessing
As I conclude my final pastor’s blog at Ingleside, two passages of Scripture come to mind.
First, the Apostle Paul gives voice to how I feel about you. He wrote: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3-6, ESV). Truly, the best is yet to come!
And last, a pastoral benediction and blessing: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25, ESV).
It has been a great joy and a high honor to have been . . .
Your Pastor and Friend,
