VIENNA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | OCTOBER 2022
THE MONTHLY MESSENGER
FROM HOPE'S HEART... Brothers & Sisters of VPC, It’s really hard for me to believe that this month marks 1-year since I arrived to join you in ministry! How fast this time went! There are many things which are to be expected when a new Lead Pastor arrives. It’s expected that some folks will be overjoyed and some, perhaps, disappointed. It’s expected that a new wave of energy will rush through the congregation and it’s expected that there will be turnover in staff as a new chapter of ministry begins. That is the story of every congregation and every pastoral transition throughout time. On that front, we are not so unique. What sets us apart, and I realized that I am biased in my opinion of this, is the extraordinary willingness of so many of you to step up and step in to really take on the work of being the church. When I talk to my colleagues around the country they are absolutely stunned at the speed at which VPC came together to work through a new mission for our congregation while, at the same time, addressing some of the major challenges that we have faced in recent years. We have done that with an openness, humility, and transparency that has been valued by so many of you. The fruits of these labors are just in the very early stages of coming into bloom. Following a spectacular “Taste & See” event a few weeks ago, we are seeing joy-filled participation in our new Children’s and Youth Ministries that also include many new volunteers. Over the next several weeks, many of our small groups (including quite a few new ones) will launch for the fall. We have a Fall Festival hosted by our Mission Ministry coming up on October 8th!
As we live and work into our new mission statement of being “a caring fellowship bringing Christ into our diverse community through discipleship and service” we’ll start to see God’s vision for our purpose here at the corner of Church & Park come to life! On October 2 at 10:15 am, we do have to address one of those “expected” things mentioned above. We will be having a congregational meeting to dissolve the position of Associate Pastor for Spiritual Transformation and the relationship between VPC and Rev. Dr. Glenda Simpkins Hoffman. You have already received a letter from Pastor Glenda back in August that explains this in detail. These types of congregational meetings are difficult, but necessary in the sense that we have the opportunity to release Pastor Glenda to God’s next call on her life with gratitude and blessing. When the congregation I left last year did this for me, I experienced such love and grace even in the midst of something that was really hard. I want absolutely nothing less for my colleague as she brings closure to her ministry with us. This will not be a long meeting, as it is simply a requirement of our denomination to acknowledge a pastoral departure with blessing and prayer. I do hope that you will attend and that you will be part of future celebrations and expressions of thanksgiving for Pastor Glenda in the coming months. I love being your pastor! Thank you for the phenomenal joy and love that you have brought into my life over this last year. I cannot wait for you to really get to know my family, as they move up here next summer. I know they are going to love you as much as I do! We can’t wait to see what God has in store for Year #2! In the Grip of Grace, Pastor Hope hope.lee@viennapres.org