It’s Official!
Here is a portion of the letter the elders of Trinity Church sent me yesterday, extending a call to be their next Senior Teaching Pastor:
Dear Marvin,
This is an important holy moment in the history of Trinity Church. The deacons have completed the counting of the ballots and the members of Trinity Church have overwhelmingly approved you as the next Senior Teaching Pastor of Trinity Church as recommended by the Elders.
Therefore, Trinity Church extends the call to you to become our Senior Teaching Pastor. We expect you to lead our Teaching Team and preach twenty-five to thirty times a year in our weekend services. You will also become one of our Governing Elders. The Church is eager to see how God will use your teaching and leadership gifts in transforming lives into His image and equipping us for the work of the ministry. In addition there will be many opportunities besides the weekend services for you to advance the work of the Kingdom both inside and outside the walls of our Church. We are excited about what God will do in our midst through your ministry among us.
We ask that you would acknowledge the acceptance of the call to be the Senior Teaching Pastor of Trinity Church. As soon as we receive your response, we will inform our Church.
In Christ,
Here is my response to the call that the elders of Trinity Church extended to me:
Dear Elders of Trinity Church:
I greet you in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ.
I am writing you in response to your letter extending the call to me to be Trinity’s new Senior Teaching Pastor. As we have inquired of God before and throughout this process, we strongly sense God leading us to serve God among and with the people of Trinity Church. Therefore, it is with great joy and excitement that I, along with my family, accept the call extended to me to be the Senior Teaching Pastor of Trinity Church. We are excited about how God will use us among you and you in our lives. Here is a verse that I desire to live out among you:
And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. 1 Peter 5:1-4
Because the Tomb is Empty
Marvin L. Williams, Teaching Pastor
Tabernacle Community Church
Popularity: 20% [?]
December 15th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Wow Marvin, just WOW! I am so overwhelmed by God's favor. He is worthy to be praised in the same way he blesses us-with abundance, generosity, and overflowing with love. He is GREAT and to be praised GREATLY! Love you
~G~
December 15th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Welcome to Trinity, Marvin. You have been a blessing already, and my wife and I cannot wait for your guidance and enthusiasm to fill the church. It will truly be a joyous time in the years ahead. Congratulations!
December 15th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
awesome. awesome. awesome.
December 15th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Congratulations Pastor Marvin.
December 15th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Congrats Bro! Much love and success to you and Trinity now and in the future!
December 15th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Praise God from all whom all blessing flow. How exciting to be used by God and He will be glorified again through your service to him.
Love and prayers
December 15th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Marvin. Welcome to the Trinity Church Family!
December 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Go do what He sent you on earth to do, bro. Love you!
December 15th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Marvin, saying that we are excited to have you and your family come is a true understatement! We are so blessed that God has led you all to our congregation at Trinity and we look forward to having you teach us God's Word. Both our families have children that are roughly the same ages, so we look forward to getting to know you in that context as well. I hope that we can be of some help to all of you as you adjust to your new surroundings. Let us know what you need. I am glad to have found your blog and to be able to dialogue with you through this medim.
December 15th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Word!!!
December 16th, 2009 at 12:25 am
i hate the sending part. But I love that you and your family move when God says move. Blessing my brother.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Blessings PB…guess they didn't get my note about your fielding…or their softball team is strong enough to carry you…JK…may your ministry there be blessed by God to advance HIS kingdom..
December 16th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Marv Stone, my main man from lemon cookie days..yes it is for this cause you were born. Man i am proud of you what God is doing and has yet do. in and with you. Now go and do what you best!!!
December 16th, 2009 at 12:40 am
I am looking forward to getting to know you and your family and to seeing how God leads you in our community and lives, as well as what we can extend unto you.
December 17th, 2009 at 3:37 am
I am so happy you will be leading our congregation! This is a praise to GOD. Welcome
December 18th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Is that a joyous choir I hear? No, it is the Lord Himself exulting over you in happy song. Zephaniah 3:17TLB
Marvin, Welcome, I've shared with many at my work place about your wonderful teaching gift from our Father.
Thank you,
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:01 pm
[...] many of you are aware, I have accepted the call to be the Senior Teaching Pastor of Trinity Church in Lansing, Michigan. For those of you who prayed [...]