Pastors
Friends,
When my family and I moved from
Austin, Texas last Spring I did not know what the Spirit had in store
for me as a pastor. How could I know that God would call me from a
gritty urban church to a lovely committed congregation nestled in a
beautiful mountain valley?
So, it is with no
shortage of excitement and a little bit of anxiety that I share with you
how happy I am that your Session called me to serve as your next pastor.
I have enjoyed getting to know this wise and loving group over the last
few months. I’m grateful for your trust in them and for the trust they
have placed in me.
You should know that I don’t come to Buckhorn alone! My wife Shelley is
an Emergency Medicine Physician who currently practices as an urgent
care doctor at Associates in Family Medicine. We have two sons, Micah
(9) and Liam (7) and a daughter, Hettie (2). You will undoubtedly see
(and hear!) them on many Sunday mornings.
One of the things that I find most exciting about your congregation is
the way in which you love one another. In the midst of theological and
political difference I get the sense that you truly care for everyone
who comes through the doors of the church and you love worshiping God
together on Sunday mornings. In a divided world, your congregation is
more of an exception than the rule. I am so grateful to serve a place
that holds close to its heart the values of care and concern for one
another.
I won’t officially begin serving as your pastor until March 21st which
happens to be the start of Holy Week. I look forward to remembering
Christ’s command that we love one another on Maundy Thursday, and then
celebrating the Risen Lord on Easter Morning with you.
In the meantime, know that you will be on my heart and in my prayers as
you journey together on these 40 days of Lent. Blessings to each of you
as you consider how you might prepare to make your journey to Jerusalem
through the cross and on to Easter morning. Remember, it’s a journey
best taken together.
Grace and Peace,
Joseph
Rev. Joseph Moore
Rev.
Kathy LaRocque
retired after 20 years in
ministry. She graduated from Louisville
Presbyterian Seminary. Received her doctorate in small church ministry
from Union Seminary in Richmond VA. Served churches in New York,
Kentucky, Indiana and Nebraska. She has two sons,
two daughters and seven grandchildren.
