From Pastor Bobby
Beloved,
I’m writing to share a major movement in my life and the life of our church. After a trying and true season of slow, steadfast discernment, I have decided to begin the process of stepping down as one of the pastors of our church.
Serving in this role since we first began in 2020 — and even the two years of hope-ing leading up to it — has been a dream realized for me. And getting to walk week to week alongside people like you has been my pride and joy. These are the treasures I hold near to my heart. But to live into the deep DNA of embodied theology we’ve so care-fully cultivated in this community, I’ve needed to accept the authority and agency of my own body’s longing to shift away from pastoral leadership.
My life has been telling me for a while now that it’s time to release this role, and to unapologetically pursue my own well-being. It took me a good while to slow down enough to listen, but as I’ve at last done so I’ve sensed the ministry of starting and sustaining the systems and structures of leading a church, alongside the often isolating and consistently weighty role of pastoring, has stifled my ability to truly hear the sound of my own soul and be my full self.
As I step into a seasonal shift of life, even quite literally turning 40 years old this past week, I’ve realized my great longing and deep desire to meet myself again — the me I haven’t seen in the mirror for far too long. And to experience flourishing once again in a way I’ve lost along the way. That’s the Bobby I want to find again, the “me” my family deserves first and foremost.
I do love our church familia so dearly. And I have such sincere admiration and gracious affection for my co-pastor and hermana, Pastora Inés. The shepherding of this beloved community will continue to thrive in such precious, prophetic, and pastoral hands. And I already know other leaders will step — bravely and beautifully — into any of the space I leave behind. My greatest hope is they would be stewards of the Spirit and attentive listeners, so rooted and established in compassionate love and abounding in anchored hope!
As for a timeline, I will continue preaching in our normal rhythm and will be in the pulpit June 23 and July 14. And then on July 21, there will be a service aimed at honoring, celebrating, and remembering God’s faithfulness to and through my family among our beloved community.
I know transitions are so hard in so many ways. Especially as so many of us have experienced such visceral loss in previous churches. But I’m trusting in the prophetic words Dr. Janette Ok preached in our pulpit just two weeks ago:
“Don’t think the Spirit is not at work…for the room that God’s gonna make…for the new that’s coming. You need to be ready to respond and embrace Spirit inspired change, even when you feel like you just started something. Even if you have something to lose. And maybe…maybe that’s a good thing.”
Dr. Ok knew not of this news at that time. But the Spirit did. And the Spirit spoke. And the Spirit led. I believe the Spirit will continue to pour out in such radical and remarkable ways. More and more. Even and especially at times like these.
Please know I’m so dearly thankful for you. And I’m here to connect if you’d like. Don’t hesitate to reach out via email (bobby@thechurchwehopefor.com). Truly. And lastly, as my family and I will continue praying for our familia, I tenderly ask for you to be praying for us as well. We’re trusting God’s guiding hand all the way through. But as you can imagine, and perhaps may now be feeling yourself, this is still a hard road to walk. Even if in this season, that road feels like a necessary path toward peace.
With such love,
Bobby
From Pastora Inés
Dear familia,
As you receive this news from Pastor Bobby, I remain available to connect with you all when needed. Though transitions are hard in general, we want to honor and normalize sacred endings and sacred new beginnings. Please know that this church will continue the hard and holy work of being a beloved community, moved by the Spirit, to follow the life, love, and justice of Jesus.
In the meantime, please know that I (Pastora Inés) have been diligently praying and meeting with our church-planting coach, Nick Warnes to craft a Spirit-led strategic plan to hold this time of transition. With his guidance and the approval of our church board (Pastor Gail Song Bantum, Dr. Phil Allen, Jr, and Pastor Jennifer Botzet), we have put together a pastoral care team for the next three months to help provide pastoral care and support to me, our ministry teams and our congregation.
In the coming weeks, you will hear more as they will connect with ministry teams and volunteers to help carry the load and be present to each of you when needed. You already know the pastoral heart and giftedness of Nicola Patton (nicola@thechurchwehopefor.com) and Mondo Scott (armando@thechurchwehopefor.com) as they are already leaders among us. I am grateful for their “yes” as I have asked them to step up in places of leadership to provide support to our ministry rhythms.
We love you familia and I trust in God’s faithful and steadfast love for this community and through the people in this community. We are in this together!
Gracia y paz,
Inés