Where do I begin? The last 18 months, and in fact the last five and a half years that I’ve been Ascension’s Director of Faith Formation, has gone by so quickly. And here we are – the end of my pastoral internship at Ascension has come, and as I reflect on this wonderful experience, I’d like to share a few thoughts from our journey together.

Throughout my internship, but also since I began seminary in the fall of 2016, and even since I began as Ascension’s Director of Faith Formation in February of 2014, you have patiently walked alongside me, supporting and encouraging me in my journey of pastoral formation. From worship and other church leadership, mission trips, preaching, celebrations, tragedies, and tender moments of pastoral care, we have grown together in our faith and our relationship has deepened along the way. I can recall countless moments where you have reflected the very grace of God that I’ve tried to proclaim in my sermons, and your joy and celebration over my accomplishments as well as support in my struggles has been a crucial piece of my pastoral identity.

Over the past several weeks, many of you have asked what’s next for Ascension; for me; for us. And while I wish I had all the answers for what’s to come, here is what I do know. This month I begin my final fall semester of seminary, while returning solely to my role as Director of Faith Formation. I’m thrilled to focus my energies here once again and walk alongside the children, youth, and families of Ascension – inspiring faith and love for the amazing God I have come to follow even more passionately. And I look forward to building excitement and encouraging the faith formation of Ascension’s families next summer when Ascension begins to look for a new Director of Faith Formation who will love, challenge, support and walk alongside you in faith and life.

I’m eager for my final fall semester to get underway and I’m excited that for the days ahead that we will continue to walk alongside one another. Now, I may not know what the future holds, but what I do know with absolute certainty is that the Holy Spirit is alive and active at Ascension and continues to call us all to a deeper faith and relationship with a God who loves us, desires us, and pursues us every moment of this incredible journey. I know that the Spirit is stirring, and lives are being transformed. I know that whatever God has planned for the future, we will not have to face it alone. And I know that my love for you has grown deeper because of God’s blessing of each day that we have been gifted together.

What I also know is that I am grateful beyond words for your tender care and loving compassion for me, for my family, and for our relationship throughout this journey. I want to encourage us all not to worry about what the future may hold for any of us. God has blessed us with days passed and days yet to come. Jesus our loving Savior has already shown us the way, and now we need to trust and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to faithfully follow wherever we may be led.

Thank you for accepting, loving, challenging, and blessing me as your intern pastor and Director of Faith Formation. Thanks be to God for all that has been, all that is, and all that is yet to come.

Peace and love,

Tony

(Reprinted from the Sept. 2019 newsletter)