Dear Church Family

Dear Church Family,

This last Sunday I announced to our deacons that I will be retiring as pastor of Crane First Baptist. Sunday, January 28th, will be my last Sunday with you.

I am sure that your first question would be, why? The simple answer is that I have realized that physically I cannot accomplish all that I desire to accomplish as a full-time pastor. I do not want to limit what this great church can and should be doing due to my own physical limitations.

For the first time in over 46 years of ministry, I am not leaving one ministry role for another. This is a bit unnerving for both Shirley and me. We trust that God does have a role for us that will fit where we are at in this moment in our lives. Right now, we don’t know what this may look like. We ask for your prayers about this future!

Shirley and I want to say thank you for being so good to us during these last four years. We love this body of believers. We both see that Crane First Baptist has a rich and wonderful future in what God will do in and through you. I know that God is already preparing the right man, in the right family, to move this great church into the future.

Again, thank you for the joy of being a small part of what God has been doing through this local body of believers. I would ask that you allow this period of transition to be a time for each of you to be even more committed to your church.

Your servant,

Pastor Jim