Until Next Time….

Dear Saints of Grace:

 I’m not even going to try to express all my feelings about ending our ministry together. Time and time again since February when I announced my retirement, I have had second thoughts. Maybe just one more year. Maybe two…

I’m not emotionally prepared to say goodbye to all of you, my Grace family. We have walked together through some amazing times. We faced the crisis presented by the pandemic and emerged surprisingly strong. We have developed our reputation as a generous and compassionate community in the wider church and in our surrounding community. We have supported one another through personal challenges. We have grown in our understanding of how God can choose to use our hands to do the work of God.

As I move into retirement, I am confident that the ministry of Grace will continue to thrive. I believe that Grace will be a very attractive call and I am confident that you will attract a talented and gifted new pastor. Just as our ministry together was built on the foundation of pastors and lay leaders who served before us, so the ministry of Grace going forward will be built on our work over the past seven plus years.

 I hope you will be able to attend my final service at Grace on June 22 whether in person or on Zoom. In my farewell sermon on that day, I will spend more time highlighting the impact of our ministry together. I will also recognize the outstanding leadership at Grace, past, present and into the future. If you are not able to participate live, please make sure to tune into the recording of the service.

I am so proud of our work together. I have loved you and felt your love. Most of all, I have felt the amazing power of God at work in us and through us.

In the love, joy, peace and hope of Christ!

Pastor Daniel Schwick