This is it.  The time we’ve all been waiting for.  On New Year’s Day and January 4th, if you worshiped at JOY Lutheran Church in Ocala, you hopefully noticed there was someone new up front leading worship.  Pastor Art made it through his first week as our pastor, and brings us hope for a new chapter of great ministry together at JOY.  So, our time of transition is over, right?  Not exactly.  These next few months we will be getting used to life and worship with a new leader.  With that may come change, opportunities, growth, and new challenges.

Yes, the congregation appointed the call committee members and spent time together in discernment.  Yes, the call committee worked long hours and tried hard to choose the best pastoral candidate for our congregation (thank you!).  Yes, Pastor Art accepted JOY’s call as our new pastor.  AND, over these next months, when we again find ourselves in the midst of changes and, perhaps, opportunities and challenges, remember it is God who called, appointed and equips Pastor Art to serve and lead JOY.  Remember, too, that we are called to love and serve our pastor, just as we are called to love and serve one another.  

I felt the postive energy at JOY this week, and I heard and saw the support and welcome extended to Pastor Art and his family.  It’s just this sort of thing that makes it easy to love this congregation and enjoy being part of this faithful community.  

Read I Peter 4:8-10, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204:8-10