First, I want to stop and say thank you! Thank you for the unique role you play in our church community. Lately, I have seen you living out TWMC’s three-part mission to win people to Jesus, disciple them faith, and help those in need during an action-packed season. From VBS and Edge Camp, to Missions projects, to summer Sunday worship — you are a blessing to God, me personally, our broader church family and the world. It brings to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill that can’t be hidden.” I’m so proud to be your Senior Pastor. Thank you for shining Christ’s light so beautifully.

Which brings me to my next topic: spending the summer prayerfully considering our future ministry together in response to the division happening in the greater United Methodist denomination. You might be familiar with what’s happening, but if not, no worries. It’s a long and winding story, so I will skip to the bottom line: the time has come when we as a church congregation must decide a denominational affiliation pathway based on our core values and theological beliefs.

What does this mean, exactly? Well, if you hear one thing from me on this topic it’s this: The Woodlands Methodist Church is not changing. Our core Christian beliefs, our mission, our community are not changing. But… We may have to change our denominational affiliation to effectively advance our ministry in the near future. What does this mean? We must decide whether we’re to remain in connection with the UMC, affiliate with a different Methodist denomination, or become independent.