This past Sunday we honored Anne Adam, who has served us faithfully as the pastors’ administrative assistant for the past 4 years. Now, she’s transitioning off of the staff. This Sunday was her last Sunday as a staff member.
We couldn’t be more grateful for her and her family. The Adams have given their lives to build our church and we’re grateful that will continue.
We asked Anne to share with us the ways she has seen God at work in you as she’s worked behind the scenes. Here’s what she said:
I have always regarded it a privilege to work here and to get paid for serving. I am grateful to you guys for this time and I look back with gratitude. God has been kind to us and it is so evident in how he always provides and cares for us.
I had the unique opportunity to work with our pastors and spend lots of time in the office, working alongside them. And while I did learn many of their weird quirks, I come away from working with them with a deep sense of gratitude for God’s kindness to me and to us as a church.
A few things that stand out to me as I got both a front row seat and a backstage look at our church:
Your pastors love you and they love serving you. When they mention you in conversations, they speak fondly of you. They know you, they care about you and they pray for you.
Your pastors take their calling seriously and work hard to be faithful in the seen and unseen. For every time I came to the church office, they made sure that we kept the “Billy Graham rule”, meaning they avoided being alone with me at the office, and instead would make sure there were always at least three of us there. Yes, that was often inconvenient. Yet how encouraging for us as a church and for our pastor’s families, to know that they value integrity and honor policies like this one, a policy that nobody really sees on the outside but one that honors God and protects the church.
Another thing I had the privilege of really understanding is how throughout our church’s history God used the unique gifts of the pastors to work together for the sake of the church. In the beginning, it was bare bones: Pastor Mike and Eric leading the church. Some of you might not know this, but Pastor Eric is quite the minimalist. Because of how he focused on the essentials early on, and how Pastor Mike always used his gifts in caring for people, we were set up for growth as a baby church plant. Later on, God added more leaders and provided for more input to the pastoral team. We grew, had more ministry opportunities and built pathways for new leaders. God has been incredibly kind to us in giving us so many good leaders in the church.
There is so much to point out and to celebrate. I know you have your own list too. I love that we are a church that is quick to point out God’s grace among us. As we start a new season of a very lean church staff, let’s be confident that God will provide as he always has, for all of us, beyond measure.
Join us in thanking God for the Adams, encouraging them, and praying for them in this season.
