Meet our Pastor
The Long Goodbye
Dear Beloved People of Oak Grove United Methodist Church,
I will be leaving Oak Grove to be appointed as Intentional Interim Pastor at
Montavilla and Tabor Heights United Methodist Churches, on July 1, 2022.
I am so proud of Oak Grove! I am so proud of all of you who chose to show up, pay
attention, cooperate with God, and release the outcome! I am so proud of the way
you learned to have hard conversations about the discomfort of change! I am so
proud of how you allowed me to lead you into making your values a lived reality in
our community!
*Your heart for service has become service ministries that make a real difference
in our community.
*Your care for children and youth has become relationships with local schools and
more families and kids in our church.
*Your commitment to inclusion has transformed this church into a place where we
don’t just hang rainbow flags, we actively practice love and respect for All people.*
*Your desire to practice financial accountability and use modern tools has resulted
in a budget that has run a surplus for the last 2 years and a robust online ministry
including hybrid/online worship.
You are not the same church that you were when I arrived and I am not the same Pastor that I was before I met you and this is a good thing!
I requested appointment to a new church in January, because I feel that Oak Grove UMC will benefit from fresh leadership and I will benefit from a new challenge. My Pastoral Calling is very much to the work of revitalization, that is, helping declining churches engage with their neighborhood and become a church that people want to join. Oak Grove is no longer a declining church. Now you need leadership that will help you move forward to discern who you need to become in order to thrive in a world forever changed by the pandemic. Now I need a church who needs some tough love to rediscover their calling to Be The Church.
For some of you this is your first Pastoral transition, Methodist style. Here’s how this will work:
1. I will continue to be your Pastor until July 1, 2022. I will use this time to help you make a smooth transition and will work with your next pastor to ensure they are up to date on everything they need to know.
2. I know there are a lot of feelings to process, so I am available to answer your questions about the process or just to chat and have good conversations about leaving, by phone, zoom, or in-person. Email me or call the office and we’ll schedule a time to meet.
3. On July 1, 2022, I will no longer be your Pastor. I will not return to officiate memorials, weddings, or baptisms. I will not be available for Pastoral care or leadership questions. I will unfriend all of you from my Facebook account for at least one year. You will have a new Pastor and I will have 2 new churches.
4. Please stay at Oak Grove and give your new pastor a chance. The Bishop and Cabinet very much value the vitality of Oak Grove and are choosing an excellent new Pastor to lead you! They have different gifts and graces for leadership and that’s a good thing! I’m sure that you will love and appreciate their leadership in no time!
Most of all, I want you to know that I have loved being your Pastor!
Oak Grove is a fantastic Chuch in a fantastic community and I am so grateful to have been in ministry with you!
Sincerely,
Pastor Heather
Feel free to drop her an email at pastor@oakgroveunitedmethodist.com
