August 30, 2006
Dear Family & Friends
of Grace,
Our attention in recent
months has been focused
on Pastor Tom and Sharon
as they said goodbye
to us and we to them
after almost 22 years
of Grace ministry. We
as a Grace Family have
honored them well for
their service and helped
them as they prepare
for this next season
of life and ministry. With
that process having been
completed, it is time
to move our thoughts,
our energies and our
prayers to both the immediate
and our longer term future. We
would ask you to join
with us, the Elder Board
and pastors, as we look
to the Lord for that
future. It is our
commitment to communicate
often and well so that
each in the Family of
Grace can stay informed. In
this particular letter,
we wish to share with
you some of the BLESSINGS we
are building on, CURRENT
EVENTS that
would be helpful to know,
and how we are LOOKING
AHEAD.
BLESSINGS:
- The Lord is being
honored as the Word
is being preached,
worship remains integral
to the life of Grace
and people are being
cared for and are growing
in Christ.
- Ministries remain
active and engaged – God
is working and
we see His handprint
on this Family.
- We come off of one
of the most fruitful
summers of short-term
missions.
- Grace’s Mission
has not changed – nor
have most of her resources.
- Elder and staff leadership
are excited and committed
to a great future.
- Grace is strategically
placed in a growing
area of Santa Clarita.
- Facilities and
finances are healthy. God
has blessed us
to be without debt.
CURRENT
EVENTS:
- A transition update
- Grace has been
and continues
to learn from
and seek the
advice of other
churches and
ministry leaders
who have walked
through change
in large churches.
- It is common in
churches our size
for senior pastor
transitions to take
from 18-24 months.
- During our transition,
Pastor Mike Gaston
will serve as the
leader of the preaching
team.
- Pastor Gordon Kirk
(formerly of two
large Southern California
churches and professor
at Biola and Talbot
Theological Seminary)
will join the preaching
team later in the
fall to support Pastor
Mike.
- Executive Pastor
Geoff Beckwith will
continue to lead
our staff as they
give leadership to
the many ministries
at Grace.
- Jerry Sheveland,
the president
of the Baptist
General Conference,
has joined our
elders and pastors
for a series
of meetings. He
is leading us through
a review of our leadership
structure, elder
and pastor roles,
communication, and
preparation for the
future. Our
meetings to date
have been received
with across-the-board
enthusiasm as
the team prepares
for the future.
- The encouraging
book of Philippians
will be the center
of our preaching
for the next few
months. Please
consider joining us
with Pastor Mike’s
encouragement as
we read through
Philippians weekly
(only 4 chapters!)
during this period.
- The month of
September is a
time to highlight
some of the important
ways to connect
at Grace. The ministry
of Care Groups has
already been presented. The
ministries of ABF (Adult
Bible Fellowships)
and Grace Groups are
next. These
are just some of
the valuable ways
to connect with
others in the Grace
Family.
- The Grace Family
is led by a team
of elders and pastors
in accordance with
the guidance of
the New Testament. During
the past few months,
we have said goodbye
to several of these
godly men for various
reasons. Pastor
Tom, of course, because
of his retirement;
Todd Smith and Steve
Stark have recently
been released to pursue
a calling that God
has placed on their
hearts for several
years to plant a new
church; and, most recently,
Darren Utley and Kenny
Ruggles after years
of dedicated service
have decided to step
down from the Elder
Board. Earlier
this year, Darin Kruse
relocated to the Orange
County area for work
and family opportunities. We
are so grateful to
each of these men for
the time and care they
devoted to our Grace
Family. We pray
the Lord’s
best for them in
their lives and
ministries whether
at Grace or in
a new place.
LOOKING
AHEAD:
- Grace is a different
church than when
Pastor Tom was
called to this
ministry 22 years
ago. As
previously mentioned,
Jerry Sheveland is
helping us to think
through who Grace is
today and what role
she ought to play in
this valley for years
to come. As a
part of that process,
a Search Team will
be formed to work at
identifying the man
that God is even now
preparing to be our
Senior Pastor. We
will keep you posted
as that unfolds.
- Coming up on Sunday
evening, September
10,
is the opportunity
to join together
for a family meeting
in the Conference
Center at 6:00
P.M. We will
sit around tables,
enjoy some refreshments
and have a chance
to receive further
updates in greater
detail along with
a time for questions
and answers. Please
also use the Grace
website (www.GraceBaptist.org)
to stay connected.
- Parking and master
planning. We
have had several questions
as to parking and the
status of our master
plan. A few comments: The
master plan process
is moving forward,
although slowly. Once
we were finally annexed
into the city, we were
able to submit our
plans. The city
has advised us to go
through their master
planning process as
opposed to obtaining
a conditional use permit. This
can easily take 18
months or longer. Meanwhile,
we are looking for
ways to help with parking
and possibly some partial
interim help to facilitate
exiting the campus. Our
deep thanks and
appreciation to
those who continue
to give financially
to Arise and Build!
As a team of elders
and pastors, please know
what a privilege it is
to serve you. We
stand committed to you
and committed to following
God’s Word. With
great anticipation of
what the Lord has in
store for Grace, we join
you in the journey ahead.
Grace to you,
Your servants, the Elders
and Pastors
Philippians
2:1-2
Therefore if there
is any consolation
in Christ, if any comfort
of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit,
if any affection
and mercy, fulfill
my joy by being likeminded,
having the same love,
being of one accord,
of one mind.
May
12, 2006
Dear Grace Family,
It is with deep appreciation
for Pastor Tom’s
many years of service
to our church family
that we honor his request
to retire from Grace
after almost 22 years
of caring for our flock
as Senior Pastor.
We have been blessed
to have experienced Tom’s
gifted and loving teaching
for so long.
Pastor Tom’s letter
and our service last weekend
shared his thoughts on
how God is calling him
to a new phase of ministry.
We believe that God will
use Tom in many great
ways in the years to come
and that God’s
hand will remain firmly
on Grace as well.
The elders and staff
leadership are prayerfully
seeking His wisdom as
we prepare for a healthy
transition. We hope you
will join us in those
prayers. We
have a large church and
are blessed with capable
leaders in our numerous
ministry teams who will
continue to serve Grace
with the same dedication
and excellence. As
God has been faithful
in our past, He will
be just as faithful in
our future.
The elder and staff leadership
are working to assure
our ministries continue
uninterrupted, that our
Grace family is well cared
for, and that our mission
to honor God and bring
people to Christ does
not change. A variety
of teams have already
been established to focus
on a number of transitional
topics.
Tom’s last official
weekend will be July 22/23
and he will be in the
pulpit most of the time
from now until then.
Meanwhile we are taking
a few weeks to carefully
consider how best to fill
the pulpit during our
transitional period. And
yes, we will have a congregational
farewell for Tom and
Sharon.
It is our desire to hear
God’s voice clearly
and align ourselves with
His plan for Grace.
We will communicate with
you often on our process
and progress. However,
probably the best place
to obtain up to date
information is to visit
our web page at www.gracebaptist.org.
Thank you for your faithfulness
as we continue to praise
and honor our great shepherd,
Jesus Christ.
Grace to You,
Your Elder Board
September 29,
2006
Dear Grace Family,
We are still in a state
of “gratitude shock” from
the final weeks at Grace. The
outpouring of love, appreciation
and generosity towards
us was incredible. ”Thank
you”, “appreciation” and “gratitude” a
just don’t seem
to capture how we’re
feeling following such
an incredible farewell.
Perhaps most telling
to us were the prayer
bookmarks with “Grace
to You”, that the
Grace family would continue
to pray for us and our
future, is something
for which we are humbly
grateful.
We thank you from the
top, middle and bottom
of our hearts for everything
but especially for praying
for us in these days
of transition.
We’re attempting
to follow faithfully
the Lord’s leading
in this new stage of
our lives. Already,
some of the things we
mentioned in our May
6th congregational letter
are beginning to unfold.
Regarding more time with our children and grandchildren:
We’ve completed
helping our very pregnant
daughter and her family
move into their new home
about a mile from their
previous house in Yuma.
We’ll be back in
North Carolina in late
September, helping Tommy
and his family get settled
in their home near Duke
University.
Regarding working with smaller churches that need encouragement:
We’ll be returning
to Pass Christian, Mississippi
in mid-September to meet
with those we were able
to minister among earlier
this year at Bible Fellowship
Church in the Katrina
aftermath. In addition,
as we’ve mentioned
personally and publicly,
we’ll be joining
with the pastoral leadership
team at our daughter’s
church in Yuma: Oasis.
Our role will be similar
to the one in Mississippi
earlier this year, but
for many internal reasons,
more officially on the
Oasis church’s
staff. The Lord
has led us to this smaller
church (about 1/12th
the size of Grace) with
whom it appears we can
be a source of pastoral
encouragement after a
very debilitating two
years or so for them. Please
pray for us as we begin
serving the Lord among
the Oasis fellowship
October 1, 2006.
Please pray too for our
possible involvement
in camping ministry. We
want to see how we can
be used of God to help
those camping ministries
who’ve been so
much a part of our family’s
lives over the last 30
years.
Thank you for an incredible
22 years and an incredible
farewell filled with
such kindness and thoughtfulness. In
these last months, I’ve
often thought someone
may ask me some day, “ What
was the greatest thing
that ever happened to
you in ministry or life?” I’ll
have to answer without
hesitation, that after
knowing Christ, loving
and being loved by our
family, we had the privilege
of serving the Lord for
almost 22 years among
some of the most gracious,
generous, loving and
Godly people I ever expect
to meet this side of
heaven: the family of
Grace. We hope you know
the depth of our appreciation
for all you’ve
done for us.
We will miss you desperately
daily and we’ll
be praying for you regularly.
With deepest appreciation & G-2-U
Pastor Tom & Sharon
May
1, 2006
Dear Grace Family
After a great deal of
reflection, intercession
and consultation the
time has come to announce
my retirement from the
role of Senior Pastor
at Grace Baptist Church. I’m
in no way retiring from
ministry of the Word
of God or the work of
God in the larger body
of Christ. I hope
to devote whatever remaining
time the Lord Jesus gives
me in ministry to be
an encouragement to smaller
churches that may be
struggling, interim ministries
in local churches, seasonal
service in camping ministry
and any other doors of
ministry opportunity
the Lord may open. Just
as importantly we look
forward to investing
more of ourselves and
our time in our children
and grandchildren by
living nearer some of
them and spending longer
periods of time with
those that are further
away. This new
page in my life and that
of our family certainly
means a change for the
Grace family too. Saying
good-bye is rarely comfortable
but necessary as God
has made clear His will
and timing for the Givens
family and the Grace
family in these days.
Let’s continue
to pray for each other
and the future of the
Grace family in these
days of transition.
The days
of transition and Grace’s
future are certainly
in the Lord’s competent
hands. After all it is
His church not ours. We
are so grateful to God
for a dedicated staff
with whom we’ve
been able to serve over
the years. Our church
staff includes many excellent
and dedicated teachers
of God’s Word. The
Grace family will be
enriched by their teaching
ministries as well as
their selection of teachers
until the time God identifies
and the church calls
another Senior Pastor. Until
then, the committed leadership
of our church, I’m
confident, will be used
of God to manage the
Grace family into a whole
new era of fruitfulness
for God’s glory.
These same leaders will
provide regular updates
to the Grace family regarding
transitional details
and other important events.
We are
humbled that the Lord
would give us almost
22 years of ministry
at Grace. It has
been an incredible opportunity
to grow together in so
many ways. The family
of Grace has been so
kind and considerate
in caring for us, supporting
us and serving with us
over the years. Our recollections
of the whole span of
ministry together, on
the brink of our departure,
are some of our greatest
sources of encouragement
in these days of transition. Thank
you for your patience
with my crazy ideas and
imperfections! You
have been a wonderful
church family to help
me grow as a person,
pilgrim and pastor. Thanks
to so many of you for
your investment in the
personal development
and spiritual growth
of our family, especially
our children as they
grew from children to
adults here at Grace. Thanks
for the incredible friendships
and relationships that
have enriched our lives
beyond description. Thanks
for your constant prayer
on our behalf. Thanks
most of all to God who
has made possible this
wonderful journey we’ve
enjoyed together. We
pray it has honored Him
most of all.
Grace To you
Pastor Tom & Sharon
Deut. 10:21
|
