Dear Friends, Family, and Colleagues,

I am overjoyed to share with you that effective July 1, 2016 I will begin serving as Senior Pastor at Gary Church in Wheaton, Illinois. Upon meeting with the Staff Parish Relations Committee this weekend, my wife Sandy and I immediately felt welcomed and at home. Hearing and reading the words “Pastor Chris” warmed my heart.

I am truly thankful to the cabinet for discerning me for this appointment and I am looking forward to returning to pastoral ministry in DuPage County. Likewise, I am thankful to Bishop Sally Dyck for honoring my request to complete my tenure this year as Director of Connectional Ministries for the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church (NIC).

It has been a pleasure to serve the NIC in this capacity and to have previously served as the Director of Outreach and Witness Ministries. The NIC is one of the most diverse conferences within the United Methodist connection. Whether you seek a congregation that is theologically conservative, evangelical, fundamentalist, or theologically progressive there are congregations that will welcome you. The racial, ethnic, cultural diversity, and geographic diversity—town and rural, suburban and exurban, as well as large Metropolitan areas are a gift. I have enjoyed living and serving among the people of the NIC, its churches, and its communities. The staff and the elected leaders, clergy and laity, of the conference represent that diversity and I will truly miss working together with them in a collaborative spirit to establish new ministries and strengthen existing ministries within the churches, the NIC and beyond. They are truly a gift to be cherished!

Over a year ago I had the opportunity to express reasons why I felt the end of the current quadrennial period (2016) would be a good time for me to transition. The discernment process has been rigorous for me but thoroughly beneficial and reaffirming of my strong belief that transformation happens from the grass-roots, among people using their God-given spiritual gifts and talents in communities of faith and institutions with a vision for the common good in their contexts.

Gary Church has been blessed with great pastoral leadership and some of the most amazing lay people that you will ever meet. I am impressed by their devotion to worship God and to each other and I am excited about their passion for ministry and the mission of the church. The number of ministries and mission projects engaged by the congregation is inspiring.

I ask for your prayers in the coming weeks of transition time and assure you that the NIC will be in my prayers.

You remain my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ!

Rev. Dr. Christopher L. Pierson

“Pastor Chris”