God’s Work of Pruning

Challenging times are ahead of us here at New City Church. It's been more than 9 months since we have been operating as a church without the leadership of Chris and Josephine Hatch, the founding members of New City. They are set to return late 2020, but until then, God’s church is being shepherded by the current lay-leaders, including myself. I have grown as a leader during this time alongside the staff members, but as expected, there's a lot more growth to experience. It's because God loves His Church. This growth happens through pruning, as always. New City will be losing several staff members this year, most notably Natalie Gooday, who has been diligently serving as the music director. Jason McFarland, who is responsible for our communications, is venturing out to explore creative writing and our apprentice, Katie Caskey, is finishing off her apprenticeship while also exploring her future options.

We will miss them all. Some we may see and work together again in the near future, and some we may bump into by God's providence.

While all this transition is going on within the leadership, Elena, my wife, has recently been told that the Montessori school that she works in will be closing down mid-July this year due to the lack of clients and so this has put us in a position of uncertainty as to what God is trying to say and where God is guiding us. If we were to surrender to the reality that God is wanting Elena to be unemployed for the next season, then we’d have to move to a more financial viable place, further away from New City.

There are uncertainties everywhere we see and some news of transition has been hard to take. However, believers are reminded of the comforting words of Paul in Romans 8:28.

"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Situations and circumstances that may feel uncomfortable and challenging, they are in existence due to the providence of God, governing everything in creation for the purpose of His will, His will that is good for His Church so that they may partake in God's great redemptive plan to restore all of creation back to Himself.

Elena and I will keep you posted as to the changes that are happening, but until then, please be in prayer for us as we navigate our way to submitting, understanding and stepping into God's plan for us as those that are called to preach and minister to the people of London.