Across the life of our connection, spring is often a season of holy discernment and transition. In the coming weeks, pastors and churches across our connection will begin to learn about new appointments that will take effect in July. For some congregations, this will mark the continuation of long and fruitful ministries. For others, it will signal the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.
In seasons like this, it is common to talk about ending well or beginning well. Both of those are important. But perhaps the deeper calling for us is to continue well the ministries that God had already begun long before we arrived.
The mission of the church does not pause when appointments change. The calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world continues in every season. Worship continues. The proclamation of the Word continues. The care of neighbors continues. The work of grace in people’s lives continues.
In the Wesleyan tradition, we understand the church as a connectional people. We do not serve Christ alone or in isolation, but together — clergy and laity, congregations and districts — bound by covenant and shared mission. The appointment system is one of the ways our connection seeks to steward the gifts of pastors and congregations for the sake of that mission.
Because of this, transitions are not interruptions in ministry; they are part of the way God continues the work of grace among us.
As appointments are announced, I encourage both pastors and congregations to keep their hearts centered on the mission God has entrusted to us. Give thanks for the ministry that has been shared. Bless the relationships that have been formed. And keep looking ahead to where the Holy Spirit is leading us next.
This season of transition also includes a personal transition for me. In July, I will be moving from the Heritage District to serve as the District Superintendent of the Capital District. In the coming months, the Heritage District will welcome a new superintendent, The Rev. Dr. Gloria Winston, who will walk alongside you in the next chapter of your shared ministry.
As I prepare for this transition, I find myself returning to the same calling I offer us: to continue well.
The work God is doing in the Heritage District is not dependent on any one leader. It is rooted in something much deeper — the love of Jesus Christ and the shared life we have together as the body of Christ. Long before any of us arrived in these communities, God was already at work. And long after we move into new roles and new places, that work will continue.
The foundation of our connection is the love of Christ that binds us together. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, we are “members one of another” (Romans 12:5). In the church, we are not merely colleagues or partners in ministry; we are sisters and brothers in Christ. Our shared life is grounded in grace, sustained by the Spirit, and directed toward God’s mission in the world.
For that reason, transitions in leadership do not break the connection — they remind us that the connection belongs to Christ.
I remain deeply grateful for the privilege of serving alongside each of you and our congregations of the Heritage District. The faithfulness, creativity, and commitment to mission that I have witnessed in this district continue to inspire me.
As we move through this season together, my prayer is simple: that we would keep Christ at the center of our life and ministry, trusting that the One who began a good work among us will continue it.
May we continue well in the love and mission of Jesus Christ.