Living the Country Life, Part 1

Well...big news in the Howard household- we are moving!  It was announced this past Sunday that I have been re-appointed to Morgantown UMC in Morgantown, IN- a small town about 25 minutes south of the south side of Indianapolis and close to Nashville, IN.  This appointment was a shock to both of us since we were told we would probably be going to a larger church with me as an associate again.  The last thing we imagined was this kind of appointment, so it's taking some adjusting for sure.  The parsonage is beautiful though, which we are really looking forward to!

The church worships about 80 on Sundays in one service, and the people we met were very welcoming and seemed excited about having me.  The leadership of the church actually requested a woman pastor, which is a big deal, and their church profile of wants for their new pastor sounds a lot like me!

It was a really emotional week last week, not being able to tell anyone about the big news besides our close friends and family.  I was really sad on Sunday when they announced it at Memorial, but I am starting to feel better with the news being out in the open.  It is a time of transition, new challenges, and some anxiety.  I have a lot to learn and new people to meet, new ways of doing things, etc.  There is sadness and excitement, and some fear as well.  This will be my first time as an only pastor, so I will surely be leaning on colleagues for support and for answering any questions I might have.  We will also be adjusting to life in a more rural area.

I am grieving as we leave Memorial where we've been rooted for 4 years and have had so many celebrations and friends.  But there is a sense of the new adventure that awaits us at Morgantown as well.

We will also be trying to find a new job for Corey.  Keep us in your prayers at this time of transition.