This past Sunday I read to the church family, the resignation letter of our Associate Pastor, Kyle Hooss. As I said Sunday, no one could have been more surprised than me. It has been a joy to work with Kyle. I have been blessed by his friendship and greatly helped by his giftedness. We were in one of those times when the staff seemed to be working together on all cylinders as the old saying goes.
Kyle and his sweet family felt called to a small church in Hartsville, South Carolina. He will be the “Campus Pastor” for up to three years while he learns the spiritual DNA of the sending church, Cornerstone Baptist Church located in the Florence/Darlington area. After 3 years, with the Lord’s blessing, they would be launched as an autonomous church and Kyle would be the Pastor. There is no doubt that he will do a great job. He is as talented and dedicated as anyone I have worked with in that position. Like you, I wish him and Melissa the very best. We say to Kyle what we say every Sunday about prayer: “If you write it down, we will lift it up”. We will pray with him for favor with God and man.
Kyle’s last Sunday with us is February 8 and his last day is Wednesday, February 11. Until then, you will find him working as hard as he always has. Make sure you speak to him and bless him.
Now, our journey begins. We will pray, seeking God’s guidance, do some reviewing to see where we are and what we need to do next. Pray for us as we begin the “Mystery of the Hunt!” As you can figure out, the way this process often works is we will likely be talking with someone, who like Kyle, is serving another church but is open to a move. And there will be another church like JIBC who will miss the departing staff member. It is not the best system, but it is one of the main ways this process is worked out!
We love the Hooss family and will miss them. See you this Sunday, good Lord willing.
Pastor Tom
