November 22nd

Hello, I hope your week is going well. I wanted to give you an update regarding our search for a Pastor of Worship and Discipleship. 

The Elders will work on forming a search committee in January to begin the process of finding a person who can best meet the needs of Meadowbrooke. Our plan is not to rush in finding this person, but to prayerfully and patiently trust God to lead us to whoever it is He wants to serve on staff and become a part of our church family.  

While we search for who it is God wants for Meadowbrooke, the Elders have agreed upon hiring an interim to lead the music of Meadowbrooke (and possibly help with some of the other pastoral needs of our church).  With the help of the elders and our staff, we are currently considering who our interim worship leader/pastor will be. We hope to make an announcement sometime in December who will be filling that role from January through the end of Spring.  By committing to an interim worship leader/pastor for five to six months, we believe we will have the time necessary to carefully and patiently find the right candidate to fill the above role. 

Earlier this week I was reading Exodus 17:1-7 and was struck by the purpose for Israels time in the wilderness.  The purpose for the years Israel spent in the wilderness before entering the promised land were primarily to draw them closer to God.  They had seen and experienced the provision of their God time and time again, yet they frequently questioned His faithfulness out of a fear of the dangers within the wilderness.  I believe we are in a season that God intends to draw us closer to Himself and He wants to do that by demonstrating His ability to provide.  As He leads us, I do not want to miss the lessons He wants to teach each of us for the purpose of deepening our faith in the One who sustained His people through water from a rock in the desert.  The rock, according to 1 Corinthians 10:4 was meant to point Israel to Someone greater than Moses, and yet they missed it (read 1 Corinthians 10:1-22).       

I know that the style of music on any given Sunday may not be the preference of some, but the One of Whom, and to Whom, we sing when we gather together is greater than our preferences.  So, I would like to conclude this e-Letter with a two-fold challenge for you: 1) Pray that God would lead the right person to Meadowbrooke to serve in the ways that God knows we need.  2) Before you walk into the doors each Sunday, pray that God would prepare your heart to sing in His name regardless of preference, and pray that God would prepare your heart to receive His word.  If you do those two things, I promise you that you will experience the very thing that God intends for you every time you come to worship with His people. 

Grace, 

Pastor Keith