Last year at the Vineyard Leaders Gathering God began to speak about him having a new adventure for me. Over the past year, I've been praying, talking to Andrew and Rosie and trying several different doors to see what God might have for me. One of the doors I tried was Teach First. I was accepted into the program, so from September I will be training with them and working full-time as an RE teacher in a secondary school in Perry Bar.
I will miss being a part of our awesome staff team. However, we very much feel that this is where God has led me and I am looking forward to a fresh challenge and a new adventure.
I am going to continue to be a site pastor alongside Becky at South Site, though I will need to take a break from preaching and some of my other responsibilities there for a while. But I will be consistently present on Sundays and available pastorally for people.
Grace and Peace,
Jeff
A note from Andrew and Rosie
Often in moments like this people can speculate and ask what’s the real story here? Well, let me be crystal clear for you all. Rosie and I love, trust and respect both Jeff and Becky. They are an exceptional couple and Jeff's been honouring of us by including us in the whole journey of discernment before coming to this decision. We want you to know that we're fully supportive of Jeff as he makes this move. He makes this step with our thanks and with our love and blessing.
Jeff is very natural at living out his faith and this change gives him the chance to be salt and light in a new workplace. That’s the call that most of you have and he’s stepping into that adventure from September.
Jeff's calling as a leader in God's Church remains, though his employment is changing. In his staff role Jeff has done an excellent job giving oversight to small groups, training, pastoral care and working to plan preaching series that serve the whole Church. As a team we’ll be looking to how those areas will be covered in the months ahead.
Please join us in praying for Jeff and Becky in this next phase of their leadership journey and for South Site and everyone involved in serving and leading here at Birmingham Vineyard.
Blessings,
Andrew and Rosie