By: Charlie Fuller.
My dear, wonderful, and new-to-me Wilshire family:
It all began with a phone call.
Your gifted, loving and simply wonderful pastor, Timothy, asked if I’d be willing to come to Dallas and talk about helping with a music interim. I’m so glad I said, “Yes.”
It would take a dozen issues of the Tapestry to properly thank you for all we’ve experienced together these last nine months. You’ve been loving and gracious beyond measure! Your staff and music staff in particular have been a great source of support and encouragement. I’ve learned much from all of them and the rest of the church during these days. I think you know you have a wonderful staff. I’m grateful to have shared these days of ministry with them and look forward to resuming that shared work soon.
Sanctuary Choir has both loved me well and responded so beautifully to my leadership in ways beyond description. They rallied and adapted and adjusted to new leadership in thoughtful, faithful and loving ways. They are also a Wilshire treasure!
God is busy in this Wilshire community doing the gospel things that we can only partially explain in human language. One of the many ways I see that is in how you are adjusting to the expected struggle that comes with change. You’ve experienced the retirement of your pastor and music minister after long, beautiful and effective seasons of ministry. Even as you grieve a beautiful season fading into the past, I see you as a church embracing the exciting new future right in front of you. Thanks be to God!
In the weeks, months and years to come, we’ll experience more of the presence of God’s Spirit through the work and ministry of Ariel Merivil. There are great days ahead for our shared community, and much of that will be seen and heard through our music ministry. We are in such great hands with the coming of Ariel!
As the Apostle Paul said, “I thank my God for every remembrance of you.” My wife Cindy and I will see you soon as we come to Dallas and I begin my new role as Director of Pathways to Ministry and Coach in Residence.