Letter from the Pastor

As I write this, the time of Sabbath rest that the church has so graciously made available to me is
drawing near. This time of intentional rest from the full-time on-call ministry is a huge blessing that my
family and I are so grateful for and looking forward to!

As it approaches, I find myself with an interesting tension. Alongside the excitement for the rest,
restoration and added time with my family, there is a strange feeling that may be described as
hesitation or uneasiness. Even to me that sounds a bit crazy – I mean who wouldn’t be anything but
excited for an opportunity like that?!

But as I have been reflecting, I have realized that this conflict in me is pointing to a very welcome truth: I
absolutely love the Lord and His Church and love serving as one of the shepherds to the flock at
Mohican. I so love you, love serving with you and love serving this community that the Lord has placed
us in. I more and more identify with the apostle Paul as I read Philippians 1:3-11:

"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. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for
you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and
confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of
Jesus Christ. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and
all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the
day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory
and praise of God."

Let me encourage you, church, to meditate on the affection of Christ for you. And then nurture the
affection of Christ in you for each other, His church.

I am so thankful for you all. I love you with the Love and the affection of Christ!