Holding On To Faith
The last year and half has been truly a test to our
faith. Holding and sticking to what you
believe in despite the consequences, especially when it comes to financial security
can be difficult. In fact, most ministers
who have talked to about the misuse of funds told us flat out they would have
never said anything, not because they disagreed with us but because they wouldn’t
have wanted to deal with the aftermath and truth that there would be a job
loss. And yet, when we had that
conversation to come forward, we did so knowing that we wouldn’t know where God
was going to take us, but we knew it would probably be with a loss of a job or
jobs. Yet we followed God. As so many have followed before us, into the
unknown, into the rocky waters or the barren desert.
We had hoped and prayed that by now things would be
different. That we would be settled into
whatever our new chapter looked like and excited about our future possibilities. However, that is far from the truth. We are in a new chapter for sure, but this
one is full of unknowns and struggles.
God has yet to reveal the full plan for the Roths. But some of the plan is starting to come to
the front. Including the fact that Marjory
will be the Roth that stays on as Huron’s 40% Pastor while Russ will be invited
by the session to hold the title “Parish Associate.” This enables him to still have pastoral
relations with the congregation, including sick visits and moderating session;
he will continue to preach some Sundays. For now, Russ does not have another “church
job.”
One of the things that is clear is that God is providing
us a path and confirmation that staying here and continuing our pastoral
relationship with Huron is in line with God’s will. From our first conversations with the PNC 3
years ago, Russ and I felt connected and called to Huron. This exciting new journey in which Huron is
standing alone and moving forward has already proven successful with over 50
people in our Worship service several times this summer! This summer the Anchor the Way Monday night
worship was filled with promise and our filled nursery is always a sign of
hope.
We are going to be the first to say, this wasn’t our
plan. And if we had it our way, God would’ve
provided another call for us instead of us standing here wondering. But, we trusted God to lead us here and so we
cannot give up faith now. God has been
such an amazing and good God throughout our lives – especially our last 9
years! God has proven time and time
again that when you trust, you will be provided for. When you believe, amazing things can happen. And when you live for Christ, you will be
rewarded – even if it doesn’t look like it.
We might not be where we thought God should have us, job wise, but we
are sure where we know God wants us.
So let us begin, this new chapter in Huron’s story – a new
pastoral relationship with Marjory as your called and installed and Russ as
your Parish Associate. Let us go into
the future of Huron Presbyterian not regretting the past but holding steady in
our faith, knowing that God’s plan is bigger than ours!
