On behalf of the church staff and the pastors here at HHBC, let me say a big word of thanks for all who were a part of the services yesterday. It was awesome to be a part of the morning and feel the Spirit of the Lord among us. As I sat and looked around at the nearly full sanctuary I thought about the significance of the day and I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God and His grace to our church.
I would like to start by saying how much Pastor Carl means to all of us. He has been our pastor, leader, and our friend for the past 25 years. It is rare that a church could enjoy the stability and steadfastness that Carl has blessed us with over these years. It is amazing that in the ministry he has remained faithful to his calling and had never waived from the mission that God gave to him to lead Hyland Heights. Carl has been here for so many of us through difficult times of loss and heartache and has loved us through these times. It is hard to imagine how many funerals, hospital visits, and counseling sessions he has been a part of for the past quarter century as he has led our church. I can remember his first Sunday and how excited we were to welcome him to be our pastor and now as he retires, I am grateful for his investment in all of us. Serving under his leadership has been a privilege and a blessing and I know, like you, I have been forever impacted by his ministry. So on behalf of the staff, pastors, and church family, thank-you Pastor Carl and Mrs. Debby for being our Pastor.
So what now? As Pastor Carl said yesterday, we need to be united and committed to keeping the work of the church going. Pastor Brain, Tim and myself along with the tremendous staff that God has placed at HHBC are committed to leading us through these next months. God has placed a clear call on our lives to take on the responsibilities that Carl took care of, and to do the tasks that he normally handled. I can say that no one that I know will ever love this church like Carl did, but we have all watched him and have learned from his example. Please feel free over these months to contact us on Pastoral staff with your concerns and we will be here for you. We are certainly excited to welcome Dr. David Wheeler as our interim and know that God will use him in a mighty way to challenge our hearts and souls through this transition. Let's also join in praying for our Search Team as they begin the monumental task of looking for our next Senior Pastor.
As I close, none of these things would be possible without the Hand of God on us. He has been here for us for the past 53 years and He will continue to lead us. We have been through this type of transition before and God has sustained us and blessed us through those times. Let's join together, pray together, and do life together as we watch God work in our midst.
Pastor Mike