“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8

This past month has been a busy and exciting one. God has been up to so many wonderful things at Bethel. One of the big things we have done together is the “First 90-Day Initiative Listening Sessions.” We want to thank everyone who came out to take part whether it be during a live session or providing feedback via online. We, as pastors and Council, are excited to read all you have offered and will start to prioritize your ideas into an action plan to be shared with you this September.

Another task that we have been working on here at Bethel is re-envisioning our organizational structure in a manner that allows Bethel to be most effective in living out our mission. After conversations with the Council, we will be moving forward this month in very exciting ways. The first is transitioning Pastor Kris from her role as Pastor of Adult Ministries to a new position of Executive Pastor. In this position, Pastor Kris will report to me and and we will continue to work side-by-side in leading the church, much like we have over the past year and a half. In this position, Pastor Kris will be overseeing the daily operations of the church, which she has been doing extensively throughout the transition. Since Pastor Kris has already been called as an associate pastor at Bethel, we do not need to offer her a new call in order for her to fulfill this much needed role. This change is effective immediately; please join me in congratulating Pastor Kris in her new position.

With the re-envisioned organizational structure, the role requirements for the third full-time pastor have been defined, laying the groundwork to begin the process of calling a Pastor of Faith Formation. This individual will oversee the ministries from birth to senior adult. The Pastor of Faith Formation will work alongside Pastor Kris, me, and the rest of the staff to provide the same amazing programs we have been offering, as well as begin to look at providing new ministry opportunities in areas that we have not been able to give our full focus to during the transitional period. If you are interested in being a part of the Call Committee, we invite you to go to our website and fill out an application form; applications are due by June 10th. The Nominating Committee will review all applicants and then make a recommendation to Council at their June meeting. We anticipate the Call Committee will begin their work in July 2024.

We want to thank each of you, the Council, and the staff for trusting us as we continue to live out our mission of Connecting, Growing, and Serving. Know that if you have any questions, you can always reach out to either Pastor Kris or me. We ask that you please continue to hold all of us in your prayers as we lean into the future of Bethel.

With Gratitude,
Pastor Ladd and Pastor Kris