For a United Methodist Pastor, the move to a new Church always begins with a call. Before For Sale signs and boxes and paperwork, the telephone rings. You are greeted by the voice of the District  Superintendent for the District and Congregation where the Bishop, in concert with the Cabinet,  has prayerfully discerned you can best serve the Church. Since 1993 Nancy and I have answered that call four times. We hold dear the Sacred Trust of my Ordination which includes the Vow to serve where the Bishop directs us to serve. And because we believe the Bishop and Cabinet rely on the direction of the Holy Spirit in their decision making, Nancy and I have always said “Yes!” and started packing, whenever the call has come.

Over the past 13 years I have been appointed to serve as Senior Pastor to both rural and metro/suburban Churches, ranging in size from 200 to 1500 members. Our life together in ministry has been awesome! Each appointment has presented significant challenges and incredible successes both for us personally and Together in Christ with the Congregations we have served. With each Church Family we have been blessed to build deep and lasting relationships centered in Christ, as we have learned to grow in the Spirit and share God’s Love together. Since getting the call from your (and now our) District Superintendent Rev. Sharon Ragland, Nancy and I have spent a significant amount of time talking and praying together, and marveling a lot about how God’s plan for our lives is so intricate. We have been humbled and filled with joy to once again experience God’s steadfast Love and Care. God is so Good! He always meets our most critical life needs while responding to our highest hopes and darkest fears, in Grace filled and life-transforming ways. God is always drawing us into a deeper, more Christ-centered and practical relationship with Him.

Following Sharon, the very next call I received from the East Valley was from my colleague and Brother in Christ, Bob Mitchell. In my view, the very best, most effective and highest relationship we can aspire to both as Clergy colleagues and together in our Church as Co-Workers in Christ, is like that relationship we see displayed by an Olympic Gold Medal  Relay Team. Each member of the Team uses their God-given gifts to run their leg of the race to perfection. Success is measured in three ways: 1.) Running your personal best. 2.) Executing a flawless hand-off of the baton to your teammate. 3.) Winning the Gold medal as a Team. By this measure Pastor Bob is a Champion. As are each of you, who are the Church and Staff of  CUMC.  Nancy and I are proud and honored to become part of your Team. We pledge to do our personal best with you to bring the Gospel of our Friend and Savior Christ Jesus into the lives and homes and hearts of our people, Community, and World. Today, from 251 West Chandler Blvd. Tomorrow, from our new Campus on Chandler Heights Blvd.  And into all the tomorrows we will share, from every next place God directs us to be for the World, the Body of Christ. This is the Race that is set before us.

Dear new Friends in Christ, from the moment we first got the call to come to Chandler, to this very day “ In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus and of the Love that you have for all the Saints, because of the Hope laid up for you in Heaven. You have heard of this Hope before in the Word of Truth, the Gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing Fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing Fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the Grace of God.” (Colossians 1:3ff)

Now, Together in Christ, let us “…press on toward the Goal of the Heavenly Call of God in Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 3: 14.).

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Mike and Nancy Downing