Dear Friends in Christ,
Upon prayerful consideration and deliberation of the calls before me, I have decided to return the call to St. Stephen’s and remain at St. Luke’s. I feel that the gifts God has given me are best suited to continue to serve as pastor at St. Luke’s.
St. Stephen’s continues to remain in my thoughts and prayers that the Lord of the Church would bless you and bring another pastor into your midst soon. As the Apostle Paul writes, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13.
Together with you in the service of our Savior Jesus,
Matthew E. Schwartz, Pastor
