From Pastor Paul’s Desk

Dear Friends, It will come to some of you as a complete surprise, less-so to others, that the time has come for me to announce that I will soon be leaving Living God. My final Sunday with you will be August 28, and my final day in the office will be August 31. The timing of my leaving is based on two main factors: 1) the transition work needed prior to the arrival of the next permanent pastor is pretty well completed and 2) your Call committee is hard at work, having met and carefully interviewed three candidates whom they have also heard preach. Though a final decision about a candidate has not been made, I am confident that it will not be so long before they will have a name for the Congregation Council to consider. After the Council interviews the candidate they will have that individual preach and meet with the congregation for a final vote. Yes, you will have the final vote on the new pastor. A further consideration for the timing of my leaving is that St. Peter’s, Chester Springs, has recently lost their pastor. They now require a long term interim. In the time between my leaving LGLC and the arrival of the permanent pastor, Pastor Bill Braun will provide excellent leadership at LGLC. He will be the wrap-up interim for the short time required, though it is too early to tell how long this process will last. Please be patient. God is with you. It has been a fast and wonderful year since my arrival on September 19. I have surely enjoyed my time at the “Church for People who have no Church.” I pray that you will continue to have that sense that you are open to continued growth and especially growth because you will accept people who may not presently be Christians, who have never been to church, and who don’t know how to act and dress by standard Lutheran practice. All are welcome at Living God Lutheran Church. There is an excitement and energy at LGLC that I have rarely experienced in other congregations. I know that you are glad to be the church and you are looking forward to new opportunities for ministry. I will be very interested watching, from afar, the continuing development of this congregation. May God bless you always.

Your Interim Pastor, Paul David Townsend