Farewell Letter from Pastor David
October 13, 2000
Dear Church Family,
By the time many of you read this letter I will have shared with you the tremendous journey Loretta and I have been on the last few months. Saying good-bye is never easy, but understanding that this is God’s will not only for me, but also for Grace Church, eases the pain a little. If you did not have the opportunity to hear this Sunday’s message (Oct. 15), you can pick up a free cassette copy of it at the Welcome Center.
I want to thank you, again, for your prayers, cards and letters to my family and me during this past month. Your love and kindness have given me the courage and strength to follow God’s will. I also want to thank the elders and the pastoral staff for their friendship and support during the last three weeks. I’ve always known we have a great group of men leading this church, but I stand amazed at their integrity and devotion to pursuing God’s will. Clearly, these men are filled with the Holy Spirit. It has been one of the great privileges in my life to have served along side this group of men.
This November would have marked the anniversary of my 17th year in Des Moines. When I close my eyes my mind floods with the memories of those years. Without question I can look at my experience with you and realize that this has been a “Spirit-thing,” not a man-thing. I give all glory, honor and praise to God who started this work and will finish it without me. I thank God for the privilege of leading you for 17 years. You are a pastor’s “dream” church. You have received the Word preached weekly with joy, you have followed our leadership under God, and you have learned to worship Him in song and in the Spirit. You, my dear church family, have become imitators of God in the truest sense.
This Sunday, when we see each other again, it will be time to say good-bye. Yes, I will have a tear in my eye, but there is peace and joy in my heart because I know that God is going to use me in Florida for His Kingdom, and He will continue to use you for His Kingdom! Our journey together will be finished, but I am excited to see how God will use you in the future. Remember to love the people around you and strive for unity within the body; stay close to God and be sensitive to His Spirit; pray daily for your pastors and elders and for the man God is preparing right now to become your senior pastor. Finally, remember dear church family that I love you all in Christ, and that my address may change, but my destination is still the same–I’ll be waiting for you at the Eastern Gate.
To God Be the Glory!
David Nelms