Letter from Pastor John

There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.A time to be born and a time to die.A time to plant and a time to harvest.A time to kill and a time to heal.A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.A time to cry and a time to laugh.A time to grieve and a time to dance.A Time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.A time to embrace and a time to turn away.A time to search and a time to lose.A time to keep and a time to throw away.A time to tear and a time to mend.A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.A time to love and a time to hate.A time for war and a time for peace.Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

This passage and the author’s obvious knowledge about change that happens in life has brought me comfort and peace throughout the years. Change is something that we as individuals tend not to like very much. It is when something changes in our lives that our “fear chord” is struck and reverberates. We get nervous when the company that we have worked for changes ownership. I remember going off to college and the fear of the unknown scared me to death; I remember the re-org at State Farm that frightened the willies out of me. This is a totally natural human response to change. We don’t like it. Yet, change still comes. Sometimes it’s silent, quick and other times it’s a long drawn out process. Sometimes, the end result is better than what we had originally hoped for but one thing is for sure, as Christians there is always change if we are seeking God’s will and not our own.
Three years ago, we began an experiment in change and we called it The Bridge. Many of us made changes in our lives, our churches, our spiritual journey and we allowed God to use us to help people change their own lives. The goal of the Bridge has never been to stay the same but to change in the finest, most minute ways in our own lives so that we could become more like Christ.
This morning I want to tell you of another change. Jill and I have requested to be moved. I can assure you that our reasons are personal and not due to anything with the Bridge nor the North Alabama Conference. There are many factors that weighed in and we decided the best decision for our family was to request a change. Please don’t take this as we don’t want to serve with you because that is not the case. We love you and are so proud of what has been accomplished here at The Bridge. Yet, I will never be able to share with you the difficulties and stress that starting/leading a new church places on a person.
When we began and throughout this journey, we have focused our vision/energies on three points:1. Building Relationships2. Developing Disciples3. Empowering Ministers
I truly believe that we have succeeded in these. Think about all the new relationships that you have invested in since you have been apart of The Bridge. There is a love and family here that is incredible and I applaud you for making this happen and give glory to God.
I know that we have all grown in our relationship with God through Christ. None of us are the same person we were when we started coming to church here and in a nutshell that is what we wanted to accomplish.
Just to think about those who have been empowered in their ministries that have traveled through the door of The Bridge. Daniel McIntyre who has moved his family to Honduras to be full time missionaries; Zach who is going on to seminary, Eric and his approach to coaching with his girls, and Hugh just to name a few. But wow, what a great testament to the work God has done through this group of people.
Now, a new season is dawning and the question is on the table. What happens to The Bridge? The Bridge as we know it is coming to a close. The Conference will not be appointing a new pastor to The Bridge. I will continue to serve The Bridge as pastor until March 28. I will then be on Sabbatical until I move to my next appointment on June 15. This will give me the opportunity to spend time with two new family members, and a time to de-compress.
I, along with Hugh, Rachel, and Zach, have been in conversation with Todd Henderson from Aldersgate UMC. Todd and I have been friends since his arrival in Huntsville and he has been a close confidant and even a mentor to me as a pastor. He is a person whom I greatly respect and someone with whom I look up to as a pastor and as a person. He is also someone whose theology is very similar to my own. Todd approached me in late October/early November regarding the possibility of partnering with Aldersgate. Their situation is that they have outgrown their facilities and we were exploring the possibility of shifting some or all of their contemporary worshippers to The Bridge. As Jill and I made the decision of what was best for our family, our talks began to include our District Superintendents and what was best for The Bridge, Aldersgate, and the Conference.
Aldersgate is spending the next month praying and discerning God’s call for their next step. The Conference has offered them financial support if they will use what we have started to continue reaching out to the community in this area. We don’t know if the name will stay, if a lease for this building can be worked out, or how all the pieces fit together. What I can assure you of is Todd’s leadership and vision. He has a heart and a deep desire to introduce people to the Gospel and help them grow closer to Christ. I hope you will pray about this and spend some time in reflection. Knowing Todd, the vision of what we have set out to do will still happen, so don’t get caught up in a name or a place. The destination is the same (growing people in Christ). Aldersgate is entering a process of discerning God's call and invites you to join with them in a process of discernment and discovery of God's call. Todd Henderson and some Aldersgate leaders want to gather with us Tuesday week, and then throughout the next weeks, as part of that process in order to flesh out what the future may look like as together we reach and grow disciples.
I will never be able to thank you enough for traveling this path with my family, and me and I hope you have some understanding of what you mean to us. We have cried together, laughed together and grown closer to Christ together. Now please continue the work that Christ has begun in you. Continue to grow in your faith and helping someone else grow in theirs. Remember, you may be the only Christ someone sees this week.

Grace, Peace and Love,
Pastor John