Announcing a New Pastoral Appointment

Dear Members and Friends of Park City Community Church,

 On Sunday, March 14, an announcement was made at both
worship services that I have 
received a new pastoral appointment in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference.
On July 1, 2010, I will assume a new ministry role as Pastor of Tri-Lakes
United Methodist Church
in Monument, CO. Tri-Lakes, which was founded in the
mid-90s, is a growing church in one of the fastest-growing population areas of
Colorado.

 I write to you today with a deep sense of sadness that our
time together as pastor and congregation is ending after seven fruitful years,
but also with excitement about the potential not only for my new appointment,
but also for Park City Community Church. I did not ask for a new appointment,
but my ordination as a United Methodist Elder involves a commitment to serve
where the Bishop and the Annual Conference deem that my gifts for ministry can
best serve the larger Church. I believe in the system, and know that the Bishop
and Cabinet do their prayerful best to match the right pastor to the right
church at the right time. I trust that not only for myself and my family, but
also for Park City Community Church.

 The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is the local church’s
liaison with the Annual Conference and is already working with our District
Superintendent, Rev. Steve Goodier, to create a profile that the Bishop and
Cabinet will use to match the best pastoral leader with the needs of Park City
Community Church. In the United Methodist appointment process, the church does
not review the resumes of potential candidates in advance, but meets the new
pastor by way of introduction rather than interview. If both church,
represented by the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, and pastor agree that it
is a good match, the appointment will be made. Your Staff-Parish Relations
Committee, led by Johnna Roussos, is an outstanding, thoughtful, and
professional group and will represent the church well in this process. Pray for
them, and please contact a member of the team if you have questions or
concerns. I have included a list of their names with this letter.

 My last Sunday in the pulpit will be June 6, 2010, after
which I will use my remaining vacation days to make the move to Colorado and
prepare for my first day on the job, which will be July 1. This will also allow
time for the Trustees to prepare the parsonage for a new family and for the
congregation to catch its collective breath before welcoming the new pastor.
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee will be working to provide pastoral
coverage during the interim weeks between my departure and the new pastor’s
first Sunday, which will be July 4, 2010.

 As of June 7, our relationship as pastor and congregation
will change dramatically. While I will always be your friend, I will no longer
be your pastor. I will no longer be available to you for weddings, funerals, or
other events. You will soon have a new pastor who will have the privilege of
being involved in the life of the people of this great congregation in so many
ways. I ask that you do your absolute best to welcome your new pastoral leader
and help him or her in the process of beginning a new season of ministry
together.

 Times like this remind us that change is difficult, but it
is also a constant part of life. The good news is that change also brings with
it an opportunity for growth and new possibilities. I fully believe that God is
at work in the midst of the changes here at PCCC, and that this church’s best
days are still ahead. I am already praying every day for the success of my
successor and for you in the midst of this transition. I would covet your
prayers for Jennifer and me, for Hannah and Rob, and for the people of
Tri-Lakes UMC as well. By managing this transition well, with God’s help,
everyone involved will be further strengthened for the common work we engage in
for God’s Kingdom.

In Christ,

Pastor Bob Kaylor

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