Special Announcement

A lot of you heard the news yesterday that after 14 years here at Horizons, Tricia and I will be leaving to serve the Faith-Westwood United Methodist Church in Omaha.  This is not an appointment we were seeking or asking for, but it came to us and we have accepted it.  We will remain at Horizons until late June.  Your new pastor will begin July 1.  
 
This has all transpired very quickly.  As recently as January my district superintendent, Galen Wray, said he did not foresee me being asked to move this year.  But two-and-a-half weeks ago I met with him and my bishop, Ann Sherer-Simpson, who told me I was needed at Faith-Westwood.  
 
This has been one of the most heart-wrenching decisions we've ever been asked to make.  How can we leave this great church and all of you we've come to love?  During our period of prayer and discernment we often felt pulled in both directions.  
 
For a long time I've wondered if we would stay at Horizons until I retired.  That sounded appealing, because when I compare Horizons to other churches in the Nebraska Conference, I think, "Why would I leave this to go there?"
 
But I've known about Faith-Westwood by reputation for a long time, and I've thought before that this would be a church I could serve if asked.  In my mind it's the only church in our Nebraska Conference that I could see myself serving at this time besides Horizons. 
 
This letter is not good-bye.  We have another three months before it's time for that.  My top priority between now and then is to continue to be your pastor and to prepare the way for the pastor who will be following me.  You can expect that Horizons' Staff-Parish Relations Committee will make an announcement about your new pastor sometime next month after Easter.   
 
And we believe that you, the Horizons Community, are a strong church.  You will make it through this transition, and you will thrive.  We look forward to hearing reports in the coming years about how you are growing in faith, in service, and in bringing more people to faith in Christ.  
 
Tricia and I love you, and we appreciate all the years we've had serving with you.  Seeing God bring Horizons from nothing to what it is today has been one of the great joys of our lives.  We look forward to being with you Easter Sunday at Horizons.  We remain . . . 

All for Christ,

Steve Todd