I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6)

OK, folks, pretty much everyone we needed to tell personally has received the news by now, so Rebekah and I have agreed  it’s time for me to “spill the beans” via my blog. Besides, we’re already being “scooped” by half the population on Facebook!

THE FACTS: First, the short version; after almost 17 years in Brandon, Florida, Rebekah and I are moving to North Carolina.

Sunday morning (June 16), following an enthusiastic report from their “Pastor Nominating Committee,” the congregation of Wake Forest Presbyterian Church voted, unanimously, to extend a call to Rebekah to be their new senior pastor/head of staff; she will begin her ministry there in mid-August.

THE STORY: The whole story – of course – turns out to involve much more. It starts in Pensacola, back in 1982, where “ACT I” comprised a rich and exciting 14-year ministry with Trinity Presbyterian Church. The story has grown and continued (“ACT II”) here in Brandon, where we have enjoyed almost 17-years of a shared faith-journey that has been startling in the scope of its blessings, but quite impossible to summarize in a few words (so I’ll save that for another post).

ACT II has been such a positive affirmation that – a few months ago – it became clear to both of us that we should be open to talking about the possibility of pairing Rebekah’s passion for discipleship with one more community of faith.

But it had to be a church that both needs to take a fresh look at those “R” words we’ve been talking about, and is ready to take a fresh look at those “R” words (reconciliation, redemption, restoration, reaffirmation, rekindling, renewal, rebirth, resurrection, reawakening, reanimation…). These “R” words can be – and will be – remarkable.

So, in due course, and according to the mysteries of providence, Wake Forest Presbyterian Church and Rebekah Maul found one-another, and fell into an increasingly deep conversation about the possibilities. There were telephone conversations, emails, a Skype interview, more conversation, the trip we both took to visit the community, and then one more Skype conversation where the seven-member team asked, beautifully, “Rebekah, would you come to Wake Forest and be our pastor?”

ACT III: This has been a journey that could only have been orchestrated by God. Both of us feel excited, motivated, and specifically called to move to North Carolina and to begin “ACT III” in the context of the hope and promise-laden challenge that is the faith community known as WFPC.

I promise to write more about this wonder and joy in posts to come, but for today I want all of you to pray for the following:

• Wake Forest Presbyterian Church; that they will be open to the moving of the Spirit as they renew their commitment as Followers of the Way of Jesus.
• First Presbyterian Church of Brandon; that they will enthusiastically embrace the possibilities and the promise of a new direction in the near future.
• Rebekah and Derek Maul; that we will continue to be sensitive to God’s leading as we negotiate the myriad details involved in relocating after 17 amazing years here in Brandon with this faithful church family we love so deeply.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6)