Happy New Year...Again
By Wayne Williams --
May I squeeze in one more “Happy New Year!”? (I promise not to say anything about resolutions.) With all of the exciting things that were going on in our community at the end of 2017, the beginning of 2018 feels pretty tame. But that’s about to change.
Pastor Jay Gjurgevich, his wife, Katie, and their four children will be moving to Portland in early February to join us in the life and ministry of Greater Portland Bible Church. We anticipate February 11 as the first Sunday we'll get to welcome them in our faith community. Within a few months, Jay will become the next lead pastor of our community. This is an exciting but huge transition for everyone involved. For the Gjurgevich’s, it means a new church, new friends, a new city, a new climate, new schools, new grocery stores, on and on and on—and there’s a learning curve attached to each of those new things. It won’t be quick or easy for them.
For us, this transition means welcoming this family with open arms and open hearts. It means displaying the Spirit-fruits of patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness in all our interactions with them as they navigate the learning curves. And for you, it means learning to respond to Jay’s leadership with the same love and trust that you have graciously given me. I don’t think any of that will be hard for the wonderful people of this church.
2018 is full of hope and promise. We hope to see many more people join us in following Jesus and his promise is to make himself visible in the world through us as we follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.