Deacons' Corner
Dear Central Baptist Church Family,
In light of the recently announced staff changes I wanted to take a moment to address some of the conversations and anxiety circulating around our pastoral vacancies. We have been without a head minister for over 2 years. Now, we are preparing to celebrate the upcoming advent season without Charles. All of this work and change can feel like a herculean task, and it is natural to feel uncertain about what is happening in our church family. I want to reassure you that during this season of change and uncertainty, one thing that will not change is our dedication to following the lovingkindness of God as our guide. Our church remains deeply rooted in the shared belief of letting the work of Jesus inform the work we do together. God’s grace is present in this season of waiting just as much as in seasons of abundance.
As mentioned in an earlier statement from Church Moderator Christi Gabbard, an ad hoc committee was formed in direct response to the immediate need to develop financial packages, job descriptions, and action plans for Aaron & Charles to be called as pastors. The ad hoc committee comprises the essential officers and committee chairs needed to make these proposals — Christi Gabbard (moderator), Jody Cabble (deacon chair), Rebecca Wallace (personnel chair), Mark Thomas (finance chair), and Don Hart (search committee chair).
Just prior to the date of the ad hoc committee's first scheduled meeting, Charles informed church leadership of his resignation. The direction the committee took in light of that information was to focus on planning for this transition. In this meeting we discussed our personnel structure, identified areas of need, and discussed the hiring of a church administrator. Out of deep respect for Charles and his pastoral relationship with our church family, especially our children and youth, we honored his request to share the news on his timeline before making any public announcements.
Our church leadership takes our commitment to our church family seriously and we want you to be a part of this planning process. While these conversations may sometimes be difficult, if we keep our focus on Christ’s love we will be able to continue to fulfill our mission. Please join us Sunday November 22 for a special called meeting. We will be meeting in the sanctuary right after worship. During this time we will provide updates regarding personnel and next steps for the personnel committee. The meeting will be followed by a pizza party and then the hanging of the greens. Your presence, prayers, and voice are vital as we seek to be God's arms in this world as well as live out his vision for the future of our church.
We are committed to transparency and will share updates as concrete information is available. Please feel free to reach out to me or anyone on the ad hoc committee if you have questions or just need someone to listen.
With gratitude,
Jody Cabble, Deacon Chair