In the summer of 1987 Donna and I were preparing to leave Colorado Springs (where I had been an associate minister for three years while attending college) and move to our first full-time pastorate on the coast of Oregon. We began the 1,419 mile journey that July with three key pieces of information about our new appointment: There was no church, there was no congregation, and therefore, there was also no parsonage.

During our final worship service in Colorado Springs one of my college professors, T. Crichton Mitchell, invited our family to come forward so that he might place his hand upon us as he prayed for our journey. With his beautiful Scottish accent and elegant words he proceeded to pray for our family, our journey, and our ministry. Then, as he came to the end of the prayer he reminded us that, we were not simply taking Christ with us … Christ was going before us.

This July we are moving once again, but instead of 1,400 miles, we will only travel 54. We are very thankful that this time we will have a church building, a congregation, and a home … but most of all, we are thankful that Christ continues to go before.

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask.” _{Matthew 6:8b}

 Pastor George

 God goes before you to show the way, behind you to     encourage you, beside you to befriend you, above you to watch over you, and within you always to give you peace.