Church Family & Friends,
We hope that you have had a wonderful Christmas and that you enjoy your New Year’s celebrations, too! As we approach 2021, we anticipate the Lord’s faithful pruning and strengthening in our lives and in the life of us as a church family. We are thankful that we can be completely confident in the Lord’s promises that he is faithful to continue his work of salvation in us.
We wanted to make you aware of one very important piece of information as we enter 2021. As many of you know, Pastor Timothy had planned a study Sabbatical in 2020, but due to all the unforeseen variables of this year, he and the rest of the elders believed that was not the optimal timeframe. As we came to 2021, Pastor Timothy reviewed the calendar for a potential for a study Sabbatical, and he came up with two options. In comparing those options with our ministry calendar, we decided that the earlier timeframe would work best.
Pastor Timothy’s study Sabbatical would be from January 21-March 25. The goal of this Sabbatical is for Pastor Timothy to grow spiritually and to refuel in pastoral ministry. He will focus on the Word and prayer. He will also be studying a couple of pertinent biblical and practical topics (i.e. – Biblical Theology and also the Bible’s teaching on caring for those who have been abused). He will continue to regularly participate with our church family, but in terms of his elder responsibilities, other elders and church members will be coordinating those ministries while he is on the Sabbatical. He will not be in elder’s meetings nor will he be communicating to the entire church family during this time. Also, on occasion, he may either visit or stream other church services to learn from other ministries.
Once he returns from Sabbatical, he will share with the elders what he has learned and will also seek to share with the church family the encouragement he received in the Word and prayer. We do hope and trust that this will be a time that proves greatly beneficial for Timothy as well as for our entire church family. We also anticipate, upon Pastor Timothy’s return, for Pastor David to look at either 2021 or ’22 to be a year that would include his study Sabbatical.
As a church family, we also request that you pray for Timothy and the rest of the elders as we continue to seek the Lord for the spiritual welfare and unity of our church family. May Satan’s attacks turn back on himself and may the Lord’s glory only increase exponentially among the people of Ventura!
With great love,
The elders of Ventura
David Pollard, Ben Jacques, Jonathan Wilwerding, Mick Nienhuis, Mark Buhl, and Timothy Durey