So then, ...

​I have been a pastor long enough now to not be surprised when God brings things together in ways that I didn’t see coming. One more small way that this happened has to do with the text for this Sunday. It was chosen long before I knew anything about this new position that I am assuming next month. If someone asked me to pick a final passage to declare to Oak Hill on my last Sunday this could likely have been the one I would have chosen. Three months ago, when I saw this was the text for my final Sunday – I smiled at the way God goes before me. Having said all that, here is the text as well as my “final wish” for Oak Hill as your pastor.
 
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
 
My desire for you is that you would continue to be more and more of who God declared you to be. You are God’s beloved children. You are the family of God. Oak Hill is a local manifestation of Jesus Christ in the Twin Cities. You are God’s representatives of grace and truth in the here and now. This is the place you are called to BE the you that God created you to be – nothing more and nothing less than that!
 
A lot has changed since our family arrived at Oak Hill in 2003. When we showed up our first Sunday, we had a couple kids entering 2nd and 4th grade. We now have a daughter-in-law named Taylor and a son-in-law named Sawyer. God is so good! I was in my 30’s and now I’m not. We knew a few names on the Oak Hill roster and now we deeply love our Oak Hill family. I came as a pastor with hopes that this would be a place of joy, love and hope. It has been just that as we walked through life together extending grace and declaring truth to each other.
 
Barb, Jack, Solveig and I have been “rooted, built up and strengthened in the faith” as you loved and cared for us so that we are “overflowing with thankfulness.” From that last statement you can clearly see how perfect the passage for this Sunday is for me. God cracks me up with his creative expressions of “I’ve got it Nick.”
 
As I step away from my role as pastor of Oak Hill Church I am filled with a combination of joy and sadness. I truly loved being your pastor and the fact that you shared your lives with me. I have said it many times, what an incredible gift it is to me that you choose to include me in your laughter and your tears. Along with feelings of joy and a bit of sorrow; I am filled with excitement. I believe that a great adventure lies ahead for Oak Hill and I will get to be a part of it in my new positions as Director of North American Mission and as a supportive member of Oak Hill Church.
 
Thank you so much for the great journey we have been on together. I truly love you!
Pastor Nick