My wife and I received the dreaded call yesterday.  Yesterday, the trajectory of our ministry changed drastically.  We received the phone call announcing our we are under marching orders.  Our time as your pastors and leaders is coming to an end.  We have been appointed to the Pasadena Tabernacle.  Our transitions are very thoughtful and carefully orchestrated.  

We always knew a day like this would come.  We always thought a day like this would come some time in the far distance future.  Unfortunately, that far distance future is today.  If I could write a letter just filled with the words “thank you” over and over, it seems that I would never be able to write enough of them to truly express how I feel about the 5 years we have spent here at El Cajon serving as Corps Officers/Pastors.

It has been an absolute honor, privilege and rewarding time together.  We experienced great victories, and yes, even a few heartaches along the way, but those times have simply helped to magnify the joyful times so much more!  We have walked alongside you in your intimate family times of joyous celebrations, and times of mourning.  We have grown together in our walk with God.  There were times we felt the presence of God nearest us, and there were times sin and failure pursued and slowed us down.  In it all, we grew together.

While it breaks our hearts to leave El Cajon, rest assured, you have all left a remarkable and irreplaceable imprints on our hearts.  Again, we were quite surprised about all of this in the beginning, but have adjusted to the thought of it all which I’m sure you have as well. Our lives find completion and satisfaction when we are in the center of the Will of God, which is exactly where we want to be. Thus, as good soldiers, we respond to the marching orders we received by saluting and saying, “Here am I, send me!”

As we have always done, we encourage you to keep loving and serving people together with the new Corps Officers.  There are many “out there” who are still waiting to hear the message of the Gospel, and as you know, this message is one we not only share verbally, but our very lives should reflect the love of God for others.