Brothers & Sisters,
After two years of struggling with infertility Autumn and I suffered through a really painful miscarriage 12.5 years ago. We lost "Baby B" in December of 2014. We were renting a little house from a member of our church who let us treat it as our own. We did all the things one normally does when they're expecting a baby. After we lost him we decided that it would be best to move. I looked at Autumn and said, "Well, if we're gonna move, let's move to a place we've always wanted to, Weston." We hopped in the car, drove down to Weston, had lunch at Past Times (I sure miss that place), were told about an apartment above Renditions by the sweetest server, Lisa. Fun fact, Lisa's daughter owns 640 Pints & Pizza that is in the building now and she still works there as a server! We walked into Renditions, met Marilyn (her daughter runs that store now), and 25 minutes later we cut her a check and she handed us a key. That was a really neat year for us. There's a lot that happened, including Pastor Daniel and Katie renting the apartment next door to us, on a whim! Those are some fun stories for another day.
We moved to Weston, the first time, a couple of weeks later in 2015.
That was 10 years ago now. The craziest thing happened in that year. The Lord dramatically re-routed my life. I had accomplished everything I set out to do. I graduated college and landed the job I was aiming for. When I got there, however, I realized it wasn't what I thought it was. Autumn was working full time at Missouri Western State University in St. Joe and with it being just the two of us it was about that the only season of life figuring out a career change could work. I weighed my options and settled on going to school for a Masters' Degree in Social Work thinking I would use it to start my own counseling practice one day. Of course, I had considered ministry and enrolling into seminary but it just didn't seem like the "safe option" at the time. No, that's not a good reason to ignore that nudge I now believe was The Holy Spirit. I was accepted at Park University, landed a part time job at The St. George Hotel, and we were loving living downtown Weston. Autumn continued working at Missouri Wester and it looked like we were on a path forward toward achieving that next goal when I got a phone call from my Pastors. I agreed to meet them for lunch the next day.
Sitting across the table from them at Tin Kitchen one of them says, "While you're working on your degree at Park we have been talking and praying about who could take over the Youth Ministry at church. We all think you are the perfect fit."
Long story short, I said no. Until, I talked to my wife who thought I was crazy for doing so. She was quick to remind me that I had been considering and praying around this idea for years and told me to hang up with her, call our Pastor, and tell him that I accept. I did as she said and I am so glad I did! I spent the next two and a half years at that church, doing youth ministry, ministering through a really difficult season, loving people when all the other shepherds had left (for understandable reasons and others due to sin), learning to shepherd, teach, run a sound board, lead worship, work with Elders, do life with brothers and sisters in Christ, and so much more! It was here that God broke my heart for the local church. So much of my experience laid a foundation for who God would build me up to be as a man of Christ, a Husband, a Father, and a Pastor. I look back on those early years with so much gratitude in my heart, as difficult as some of them were!
While I was there I was seeking ordination but the church was just not equipped to do it. I was called away and ordained at Westbrooke Church (that's a story you all are likely very familiar with) and my experience there will also forever have an impact on my life! This is actually the point I am sharing all of this with you today. This coming Sunday, I get the joy and privilege of returning to that church to ordain their new Pastor, Dave Goscha. That's not even the best part. The best part is that moving forward Sojourn Church will now have all the tools they need to ordain their Elders and future Pastors moving forward. This is what it looks like to cooperate among our churches! While, yes, it is I who is going to do this I want you to know that I am going as a representative of FBC Weston. The entire church is playing a part in this. How? Because we are one of the few churches within our association (maybe even entire Missouri Baptist Convention) that has Biblical Eldership in place that paves the way for churches to help churches! We are setting an example that others want to follow. I thank you for that!
Please pray for Sojourn this Sunday. Pray for Pastor Dave as he takes this next step in confirming his call to ministry and to his church. Lastly, pray for Pastor Shawn here at FBC Weston. He will be preaching this Sunday in my place and I already know you will be blessed by it. He is a faithful expositor of the Word and I know I speak for all of us when I say that we are thankful for him. It goes without being said. We are thankful for all of our Elders & Deacons here at FBC! We are very blessed with men who love the Lord and love us all well.
If I don't see you before, I will see you for VBS decorating after church this Sunday!
