Dear friends,
I am writing to let you know that this past Sunday, I received a call to become senior pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, and also a separate call to become senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Amarillo, Texas.
This means that I now have three calls to consider: my current call here to Trinity plus these two new calls. In addition to these three is the awareness that I am among those being considered to become Trinity’s next senior pastor. I do not know which of these calls the Lord is leading me to accept or continue in.
The timing of all this is a bit unexpected. I do not know how my name got on either church’s call list. As I have said repeatedly when talking about Trinity’s call process, we trust that this is the Lord’s church and that he is in control and working for our good, even if we cannot see where he is leading.
As part of the discernment process, I will be visiting both congregations in the near future. I hope to reach an answer in about six weeks.
I would humbly ask for your prayers as I seek to discern the Lord’s leading. In addition, please pray for my family and the impact this will have on them, as this is the first call process that my kids will need to process in a significant way. Please pray for the three churches affected. If you have thoughts or insights or a feeling the Lord has laid on your heart, I would be interested in hearing those as well.
Thank you for your partnership in the gospel. To God be the glory!
Pastor Phil Cook
