The Chinese have a saying that is both a blessing and a curse: “May you live in interesting times.”  Also one of their pictograph letters stand for both: “crisis and opportunity.”  We are certainly living in interesting times as our church, led by the PNC, is continuing in its search for the new permanent pastor.  Some may wonder why this has been taking so long, but in a denomination where the church can determine who to call and pastors can determine where they want to go sometimes the discernment process takes time.  

I have served on the Committee on Ministry in four different presbyteries serving as liaison with a number of churches and have seen this process from all perspectives.  Most recently in Branson, MO they went through four searches before they found the pastor they have now who is truly blessing them with his leadership.  During this time Branson experienced, what I see us experiencing here – a time of opportunity for the lay leadership of the church to become more involved.  Branson has become and Rochelle is becoming, a stronger church for having gone through this process.

This is a season of trusting in God’s leading and timing.  One of the hard lessons that I have had to learn personally and have seen many churches having to learn is that God’s timing is frequently not our own.  Most of the time we want things to happen much more quickly than they do.  We need to trust that God is preparing exactly the right person to hear the call to come and be the pastor of this church.  Perhaps more importantly we need to trust that God is using this time in the life of the church to prepare this church for that new pastoral leadership who will come and lead you into a future with opportunities far beyond anything we can imagine at this time.  As I have frequently shared, because I have to frequently remind myself: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths” Prov. 3:5-6.  As I shared Sunday about “Resiliency” we trust that God is in control: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Rom. 8:28.  Let us come boldly before the Throne of Grace knowing that we will receive all we need for life and that all that we go through is to truly make this church “An Amazing Place for Amazing Grace.”

--Munn Hinds, Jr.