What a joy it was this past Sunday to gather with you for worship to our great God. Renee and I are excited to be here and are ready to work alongside you to help in any way to grow the Kingdom in this community. As I said on Sunday it is great to be home. Life has brought us full circle to be able to be here. For those that do not already know, this is where I was raised. My memories of growing up in this church are endless. Both of the spiritual knowledge I was taught and the countless friends I have because of this wonderful congregation. It was this church that set me on the path of being a minister. I was both encouraged and given the opportunity to teach. It was here I had my first job in ministry as the Youth and Family minister.
This is a new beginning, new for Renee and I and new for the Flatwoods Church of Christ! We all need to look forward and not backward. We cannot change the past or predict the future, but we can control today and with God’s help and our faithfulness to Him, He will direct our steps. A new beginning brings with it both excitement and reflection. As we step forward together, my heart is filled with hope’ and trust in the faithfulness of our God who promises to work in us and through us (Philippians 1:6). My prayer is that together we will grow in grace, deepen our love for one another, and be a light to this community. I am not here to change the message, it is eternal and unchanging, but to proclaim it with conviction, to equip the saints, and to walk beside you in truth and love.
I know that I have come back into a congregation with a rich history of faith and faithfulness. I do not take lightly the work done before my arrival, the seeds sown, the prayers lifted, and the lives touched. I hope to build on that strong foundation with God’s help. Let us move forward hand in hand, seeking the unity that Christ prayed for, and committing ourselves fully to the mission of the church: to love God, love one another, and bring souls to Christ.
I also want you to know that my door is always open. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, ask questions, share your thoughts, or simply sit down and talk. As Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers” (1 Thessalonians 1:2). I already give thanks for you and look forward to what God will do through us in the days ahead.
God Bless -Todd
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