Dear church,
I cannot say enough about the gracious and loving welcome I have received from so many of you whilst I have spent my September relocating and transitioning into my new ministry here as your pastor. I was worried that in order to receive the full measure of Longview’s hospitality that I would have to arrive dressed in a squirrel costume; thankfully, you have instead simply taken me as I am. This includes the wider town community as well—people here are wonderfully nice, and it is truly a blessing for a stranger to experience!
As many of you know, this is a sort of homecoming for me, having lived in Portland for four years before relocating to northern California for seminary. I am absolutely elated to return to my beloved Pacific Northwest, and I truly believe that together, you and I can bring the inclusive love and compassion of Christ to our neighbors in this beautifully rainy region of the country that has long been written off by so many of our Christian brothers and sisters as the “Left Coast.”
As I begin my work as your pastor, know that I will make mistakes along the way, and that I will be counting on you to help guide me, just as I am here to help guide you. Our experiences as Christians will now be shared with each other, and even though we might stumble along the way, sharing this journey with one another will make our successes together even sweeter—and it is my strong belief that we will indeed enjoy many successes together!
And so at this moment of new beginnings and great possibilities, I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving for this church community that you have called me to be a part of. Know that I feel extraordinarily blessed to call myself your pastor.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Eric
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