I never imagined being ordained (I’m sure it was a shock to many others, too!), much less serving as a pastor at Advent for almost 13 years! But, now I can’t imagine being anywhere. This congregation has watched me grow as a pastor and extended much grace to me when I’ve completely dropped the ball. We have celebrated together when goals have been attained. They have loved me in the midst of the ups and downs of life. And I hope that I’ve shared as much grace and love with them as I have experienced.
Advent is not a perfect community, and I’m not a perfect pastor. So, it’s a perfect match! Advent is a real community that’s not afraid to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ by welcoming all people (and the “all” means ALL), walking the difficult paths together, rejoicing in the grace-filled moments together, and reaching out to the community and to the world with tangible signs of God’s love.
There are many wonderful things about being a pastor at Advent; at the top of my list is the people of this community. They have given me the room to grow. They have entrusted themselves to me as the one who has been called to preach, teach, baptize, celebrate Holy Communion, and to stand with them as we grieve the death of those we dearly love. Having given me room to grow, Advent has also encouraged me to stay “green” and to always be ready for what the Holy Spirit will be doing next!