From the Northpoint Leadership Team

10.24.2019

From the Northpoint Leadership Team

Hello Church Family,

For those of you who did not have the opportunity to attend the information meeting between services last Sunday, we want to provide an update regarding the pastoral transitions of Scott Williams and Geoff Grant, and our plans to move forward.

Thanksgiving for Scott and Geoff’s Ministry to Us: 

We want to first thank Scott and Geoff for loving and serving the people of Northpoint during their time of ministry to us. Please make sure you express your appreciation to them over the next couple of weeks. To ensure you get the opportunity, we have a planned time to say goodbye on November 10, between first and second service.

Change and the Loss of Relationships are Hard

We also want to recognize that while Geoff and Scott are taking another step in their respective ministries, and we know God is at work in their lives and ours, losing Scott and Geoff is difficult and emotional. They are friends to many and have built ministry relationships that root them into our church family. It is important to understand this as we move forward. Praying and trusting God for love, grace, and His provision through this process will allow us to adjust in a healthy and loving way. And, even in their absence, they remain our friends and brothers.

A Reminder from Scripture: We are God’s Church and We Trust Him Alone to Grow His Church

Finally, before we discuss the plans moving forward, we must be reminded of what God has said about His church. From Ephesians 4, we read: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” – Ephesians 4:1-6– Ephesians 4:1-6

It is His church, and the pastors and members of the body are His. He works in and through us as He wills, even as His children fail and sin. And, ultimately, the work of the church happens within and among the individual members themselves. The pastors, elders, directors, staff, and volunteer ministry leaders pray, serve, and invest countless hours and years into equipping the body, by His provision, so that the body would: “grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4:15b, 16

• The Leadership Team and Northpoint staff are already developing a transition plan. It will include the redistribution of duties to the elders, remaining staff leadership, support staff, and outside help as needed.
• Scott and Geoff are staying on board through mid-November and will assist us with potential contacts and resources to ensure a smooth transition.
• The individual elders will be increasing their communication and involvement at the ministry level.
• Tony will continue to faithfully preach from the pulpit every Sunday at Northpoint. We have already expanded his role as interim pastor to include providing counsel and input to the Leadership Team. He will provide input on our decisions, propose pathways for critical needs, and assist with staffing assignments.
• To accommodate the functions Scott Williams has performed in his administrative and adult ministries role, we will likely be working with more than one outside individual to fulfill the list of functions such as on-campus ministries, counseling, oversight of small groups, along with administrative, and financial functions. These may include resources from CBU or EFCA.
• All other staff is still in place.
  o Taylor Mendoza will continue to carry out the junior high, high school, and college ministry.
  o Our Directors are still in place, and active, and will continue to fulfill the duties of their respective ministries.
  – Terilyn Brown, Director of Children’s Ministries
  – Tamene Menna, Director of Outreach and Care
  – Marti Weigman, Director of Women’s Ministries
  o The Support Staff are still in place and will be continuing to work in their service areas.
• To accommodate the functions Geoff Grant has performed, we are considering a few interim individuals who have experience leading worship. Geoff has already offered ideas and names regarding interim candidates. No definitive staffing has been defined yet. In the immediate future, Geoff has defined the Sunday morning flow for several weeks with existing internal music ministry volunteers leading services.
• NL Moore is returning on November 3 to present their final report, findings, and recommendations. We are already in communication with Nancy in anticipation of her report and recommendations.
  o Some topics that Nancy has provided to us that need to improve at Northpoint include conflict resolution, decision making, expanded and improved leadership, love and forgiveness, a willingness to be shepherded, and communication.
  o Nancy will be providing recommendations that will serve to improve each of these areas. We look forward to learning and growing from this process.

• God is faithful. God has shown His faithfulness to us when past pastoral transitions have occurred and will do so again. As Scott and Geoff leave us, we know God will bless their next ministry endeavors. He is faithful not because of our faithfulness, but because He is faithful.
• God has worked before through interim leadership and ministry volunteers within the Body at Northpoint. We have hope and take encouragement from His perfect care for us in the past.