The day I got married, I slept in, spent time hanging out with my groomsmen, and showed up at my mother-in-law’s house with just enough time to throw on my suit, run a comb through my hair, and start having pictures taken. This made the women nervous because for them, getting ready seemed a much bigger task! While I was standing in line at Tim Horton’s, a pit crew of women were attending to hair and make-up and clothing and whatever else happens to put the bride’s beauty on display. For the bride, preparation often takes an army--though any groom worth his salt will know it’s not because we need less work! It’s quite the contrary! It’s just common experience that great care and much time will be spent by many as the bride gets ready for her wedding day… and boy is it worth the work!
 
We can liken the work of pastors to those attendants who help a bride look radiant on her wedding day. In Ephesians 4, Paul uses the metaphor of growing up and maturing.  The idea is that faithful shepherds and teachers are a key means by which God prepares the bride (the church) for her groom (Christ). Though I’ve never given a pedicure to anyone in my life, there is a sense in which I, as a pastor, can call myself a beautician: my job, in the Spirit’s power, is to help make the church beautiful for her groom.
 
This is the biggest reason I’m excited by our time with Greg and Cindy Norfleet. I know from my wedding day that it takes an army of attendants to get the bride ready. There is more work to be done to get this part of the bride (Harvest) ready for her groom, so when I think of someone like Greg Norfleet—with his gifts, experience, and make-up—joining our pastoral team, I’m excited by how he could help beautify the church, equipping the saints for good works (Ephesians 4:12; Revelation 19:8).
 
As we’ve discussed this pastoral position, it has become clear that getting someone who could provide leadership to our counseling and pastoral care will have obvious benefits for the vitality of the church. To steal a word picture from Greg--if the Christian life is a marathon, we need both physical training (ongoing discipleship) and physical therapy (concentrated care to strengthen us when injured and to get us back into the race). If he’s called by the congregation, I think Greg’s compassion and familiarity with the Scriptures would not only be a direct benefit to our members but that these gifts would help to multiply the ministry of our members too! That really excites Pastor Dale and me!
 
I hope that you were encouraged by the Norfleets’ visit as well. It was great to see so many people get an opportunity to interact with Greg and Cindy through their meetings with the staff, the elders and deacons, the Love and Truth counseling team, the Women’s Ministry, and many others in private visits. It was a full week! Please pray for Greg and Cindy as they drive home to North Carolina today.  
 
The Session will meet tomorrow morning to vote on whether to recommend Greg to the congregation for a pastoral call. If Session passes this motion, a congregational meeting will be called so that you can vote whether or not to issue a call to Greg. We will keep you posted. Please continue to pray for the Lord's leading in this process.

 
Yours in Christ,  
 
Pastor Wayne