Excited to be moving to Minnesota in two weeks!
For the last several months, I have been looking for a position in a church, as my graduation from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School approached. I was open to basically going anywhere once I graduated. I looked at church job posting websites, and networked through my school’s placement office. I had phone/skype interviews with a handful of churches this spring. I visited one in Nebraska in April and one in Minnesota in June.
Last week, I was offered a call to be the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
I’m really excited for this opportunity, this adventure, and this next season of life. I really enjoyed the people at Cornerstone and I also liked the area. I truly believe that now is the right time to make this change. I’m happy to be moving into the Evangelical Free Church of America (the denomination of the seminary from which I graduated). I’m excited for new roles and responsibilities at this church. I’m excited to forge new bonds and friendships. I’m excited to do more teaching on the Bible. I’m excited for new experiences in a new place (the county I’m moving to has over 1,000 lakes! And I want to take a picture of each of them!)
That said, it’s bittersweet to leave the current church where I’ve been serving for the last two and a half years. I’ve learned a lot in that time. I’ve had the privilege of serving under a pastor who’s been a mentor for me. Someone who’s opinion I truly value. I’ve been blessed to learn from the wisdom he’s gained in over thirty years of ministry. Aside from Jesus, and my parents, there are few people who have truly done more for me than I could ever repay them. Pastor Kit is certainly one of those people. I leave a bunch of great students who I’ve seen grow as young men and women over the past few years. I’m so proud of the men and women they’re becoming. I also am sad to leave so many of the adults I’ve gotten to know, formed friendships with. In some ways, it’s surreal to be leaving. It’s hard to leave a place and a group of people you love.
I leave a great city.
Columbus will always be home. But Chicago has a special place in my heart. When I first graduated from college, I would go back up to Bowling Green fairly often. I still knew a lot of people there. I had had a great experience in college. I didn’t think any other place would ever compete with BG. But as each year went by, I felt like I knew fewer people in BG. But Chicago? I’ll always know people here. Like the renowned improv group in this town, for me, Chicago will always be my Second City.
To the people I’ve formed relationships with in Chicago, through church, through Trinity, through work, I love you guys. I’ve had a great four years here.
jrb
Josh Benner 