“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we move through Advent and approach the close of 2025 and the dawn of a new year, I want to pause and simply say thank you. In a season that invites us to watch, to wait, and to bear witness to God’s inbreaking light, I am deeply grateful for the ways each of you has embodied Christ’s presence in your communities.

This year has asked a great deal of us. It has required endurance, imagination, patience, and courage. And yet, through it all, God has been faithful—and so have you. The ministries you lead, the sermons you preach, the prayers you lift, the pastoral care you offer, and the quiet daily acts of obedience that no one sees but God—these are the threads that have strengthened the fabric of our district and our connection.

As United Methodists, we believe in grace that goes before us, grace that sustains us, and grace that sends us. Looking back over 2025, I see evidence of that grace everywhere. I see it in the excitement surrounding the continued summer literacy initiatives in Oxford and Red Oak; in the feeding ministries that bless neighbors in Franklinton; in the warm spaces offered in Louisburg during cold months; and in the safe, nurturing environments created for children in preschool ministries at Zebulon and Rocky Mount. And there are so many more expressions of grace across our district—far too many to name, but each one a faithful witness to Christ’s love.

I am honored to travel our district week by week and give witness to the goodness of God revealed in each of our communities.

At the same time, Advent teaches us not only to remember but to hope—to lean forward into God’s preferred future. As I look toward 2026, I am filled with genuine and holy anticipation.

We remain committed to healthy churches and effective leaders everywhere—not as an institutional slogan, but as a gospel conviction. Healthy ministry springs from grounded spirituality. Effective leadership grows from deep listening, shared learning, and a willingness to be shaped by the Spirit. As your district superintendent, I am committed to supporting you in both creating environments where clergy can flourish and congregations can thrive in mission and discipleship.

We also continue to lean into our denomination’s renewed vision to
love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. This is not simply branding. It is a calling. It is a way of life for those who follow Christ, who comes to us in a manger. It is an invitation to rediscover the heart of our Wesleyan movement.

• To love boldly, in communities that are hungry for compassion.
• To serve joyfully, remembering that true greatness is found in self-giving love.
• To lead courageously, trusting the Spirit who goes ahead of us into places we cannot yet see.

My prayer is that these words will guide us not only into a new year but into a renewed imagination for what God can do among us.

As we light the candles of Advent and prepare to proclaim once again that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it,” I give thanks for each of you. Thank you for your faithfulness in 2025. Thank you for the countless ways—seen and unseen—you shepherd God’s people. And thank you for walking this journey together.

May Christ’s peace be born anew in your life, your family, your congregation, and your ministry.

With gratitude for the year behind us and hope for the year to come,
David