1^st ANNUAL REPORT – Pastor Randal J. Pabst

Grace and Peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What GIFTS! Grace and Peace. What wondrous GIFTS!

You ALL are a GIFT given to me from our kind and generous God. Together in shared ministry we become a GIFT to each other and the world……

I am so excited to be here at Bethel Lutheran Church. I relish your JOY in the Lord and the wondrous GIFTS God has given you to share with others. You are Alive, Active, Energetic, Creative, Joyful, Wonderful, Caring, Sharing, Reaching Out Children of God. How blessed I am to be called as your “Lead Pastor”.

On behalf of my wife Sue, and my daughters Katie and Joanna, I want to express our heartfelt thanks for your hospitality and welcome over these past few weeks. You have given us all a GIFT of yourselves and it is cherished and appreciated. It is only through the Grace of God that we were able to sell a home, buy a home, move 8 days before Christmas, participate in 24 Worship services and meet and experience the wonder of the Bethel Lutheran Church family.

I am amazed and delighted in the tremendous and diverse gifts you all bring to the ministry and work of this congregation. You are focused in your calling to be the hands and feet of Christ to the world, and the potential you have is tremendous. God has richly blessed this congregation over and over again. You all are an incredibly gifted “body of Christ” for the South Bay and the world.

So the challenge is “what next” to do with the wondrous GIFT that has been given to us in this partnership of lead pastor, staff, and congregation.

Here is a quick overview of my plans and priorities for now:

- First and foremost for myself and my family, to continue to get settled as Sue and I finish unpacking and organizing our house to make it into our home.

- Continue to learn more about how Bethel works (maybe even learn how the phone system works- maybe not!?!)

- Get to know you and for you to know me.

- Prioritize the key areas of my involvement and leadership partnering with you and the staff of Bethel.

- Begin a process of “what next” as we look prayerfully at our future ministry together under God’s Grace, seeking God’s guidance, asking for God’s direction with the wondrous GIFTS that we have been given.

Finally, it is in the spirit of “thankfulness to God” that I conclude with a few very special thank yous. First, I cannot express enough my appreciation to Sue for her faithful love, help and unselfish support through this entire call process and move. I am blessed beyond words by her partnership. Also, thanks to Katie and Joanna for their tremendous help in getting us moved into our new home for Christmas. Next, a special thanks to the Bethel staff and leadership – especially Pastor Rick (what a blessing he has been, and is to Bethel and now, to me) – for the patience, generosity, openness, genuine welcome and support that has been extended to the “new guy” upon my arrival. And of course, special thanks to ALL of you! Slowly I will begin to put your names and faces together. I appreciate your patience and understanding as we begin this partnership into “what next” as we deal with the wondrous GIFT that has been given to us: To expand God’s kingdom in this place, in this time...as only GOD directs toward and we discover anew "what's next"!

Faithfully in Christ’s Service,

Pastor Randal J. Pabst, Lead Pastor