It is with the strange mixture of emotions that often comes with transitions that I share I have been appointed to another church in the Oklahoma Conference. June 16th will be my last Sunday as the pastor of Cornerstone UMC in Oklahoma City, and on June 23rd I will be beginning a new appointment at Heritage UMC in Broken Arrow.
My family and I have been so privileged and pleased to worship with, serve with, love, be loved by, make disciples with, and grow in Christ deeper with the Cornerstone congregation over the last four years. I have learned so much and discovered so many things about my calling from the amazing God I serve while being a pastor at Cornerstone. We will miss this fantastic congregation. However, I am excited about the Reverend John Punni who will be taking my place as pastor, and look forward to seeing all that God continues to do in and through this congregation.
I am also very excited to become the pastor at Heritage. My family and I have heard such tremendous things about this church, and I anticipate discovering so many amazing things God is doing in and through this wonderful and dynamic congregation. We have already experienced their hospitality and welcome from afar, and we look forward to the season ahead in Broken Arrow.
Words of Scripture that have been rolling through my mind during this season of transition come from Hebrews 12:1-3. May we fix our eyes on Jesus: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Pastor Chris Symes