Transition, Gratitude, and Hope

In October, Pastor Stan Loutner announced that he planned to retire as Senior Pastor at Parkview Church. His final service as Senior Pastor will be on December 30, 2018.

In November, Pastor Jason Riggle accepted the invitation to serve as Parkview’s next Senior Pastor. Jason will begin serving January 6, 2019.

Time of Transition

We are entering a time of transition at Parkview Church. It is a time of sadness and excitement. Of gratitude and hope. Of reflection and envisioning. We are at a moment when we can look back and treasure our shared adventure. At the same moment, we can look forward with hopeful anticipation of the good that is to come. A moment where we can be present and appreciate love and joy, peace and compassion, kindness and service that is the Parkview family.

We at Parkview wish to take this moment to say thank you to Pastor Stan and Brenda Loutner for your years of service to your Parkview family. At the same time, we take a moment to say thank you to Pastor Jason and Amanda Riggle for choosing to serve alongside your new Parkview family. This is a time to remember that our beloved local family of faith is a small part of the family of this world that God so loves. Family matters. Our strengths make us stronger together and allow us to hold and care for one another together. Families share in pain and joy, in sadness and excitement, in transition and transformation. We support, lift up, grieve with, pray for, celebrate with, and deeply love each other. Our Parkview family is together and united as we embrace the future, the opportunities, and the hope in this season of change.

Pastor Stan and Brenda

What more can we say than, “thank you!” You joined our Parkview family with hearts and hands ready to serve. You turned away requests to compensate your service, but rather chose to serve alongside us. You volunteered your time and served daily with love, compassion, and kindness. You humbly deflected all thanks and compliments, yet poured out a seemingly endless flow of gratitude to others. You are a model of inspiration and encouragement. Everyone you meet is greeted with a smile and left with encouragement and an assurance of genuine love and concern. We often speak of the Way of Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit. We can talk about these qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, gratitude, humility, compassion, and forgiveness. But instead of talking about these qualities, you choose to live and model them every day and in every encounter. You are tremendous role models and everyone who knows you is better for it. As we transition to new leadership, we are so happy that you are and will continue to be part of our church family. For your service and love, we are blessed and forever grateful. All we can we say is “thank you!”

Pastor Jason and Amanda

All we can we say is “thank you!” You have chosen to join our Parkview family with hearts and hands of love and service. Before we even met you, we heard about your passion and love for family. Love for your own family, love for your church family, and love for the family of our shared humanity. Upon meeting you, we knew that you would be a perfect fit for Parkview and continue the mission and tradition of love and service.

We know this pastoral transition certainly spans the full range of emotions for you. As your ministry path has led you to service in a new church home, we also know that moving from the church family you have served so long will bring sadness. You will always be part of their family, and they will always be part of yours. As families go through times of transition, there is always the sadness, but there is also excitement renewal and anticipation for the future. There is true beauty in times of transition and change. We can reflect and cherish our memories and relationships and at the same time be excited to embrace the mystery to come. Your church family was, is, and will continue to be blessed by the impact you have made in the lives you have touched. I know their time of transition too will come with great excitement and opportunity the future holds. And it is with great anticipation, that we at Parkview greet and welcome you to share in our journey to come. Having you join our family is a true blessing for which we are excited and grateful. All we can say is “thank you!”

The Season of Good News

This season of transition fits beautifully with this season of good news. We know that the message of Jesus is the message of hope. The way of Jesus is the way of love. Love God, love others, love what God loves. For God so loved the world...He did not come to condemn the world. Fear not, be still and know, do not be anxious about anything, God is love, love is patient and kind. Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up. Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, and humility. Live in harmony with one another. Be joyful in hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope. In this season that is a good reason to be hopeful. And in this season THAT is some good news!

In this time of transition, we are grateful and hopeful. Thank you Pastor Stan, Brenda, Pastor Jason, and Amanda. We have been, are, and will continue to be blessed because of you. Enjoy the season!

And enjoy the day!