Friday, May 08, 2009

Changes: Moving

This week I shared with the church community I serve as pastor that I have taken another call to serve as pastor of a French Reformed Church in the town of Poissy in France (located in the Paris metro-area). For our family this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Such pastoral invitations are rarely extended to Americans. As you may know, we have lived in the past in France and hold it close to our heart. This is also a unique chance for us to provide our children with the opportunity to become bilingual and bicultural. This is also an opportunity for me to pursue further studies in theology and the challenge of cultural diversity.

We are both excited and torn. Excited for a new adventure as a family. Excited for new learning opportunities in terms of multi-cultural and cross-cultural pastoral leadership. We are also torn, sad to leave family, friends, our faith community and the life that we love and cherish here in Oakland.


I will continue serving Fruitvale Presbyterian Church as pastor through July 18th. During this time I will be working to empower the Session to search for a new pastor, prepare for transition, and transmit the knowledge of daily operations of our church that only I possess.


This news is shocking and difficult for many folks in our church community and our wider community context; as well as for our family. We love Oakland and hope to return. We've committed to a 5 year pastoral term with the Eglise Reformee de Poissy.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats! That's an exciting opportunity. I guess I'll have to come visit Fruitvale Pres before July 18th, though :-)

Monte said...

hey gene,
hope that you can! :)

V Smoothe said...

Wow, Monte. I'm happy for you and your family to have this opportunity, but I am sad for Oakland. It's a loss to the city.

Dolores said...

Monte, What a wonderful opportunity. We will really miss your creativity and sociable presence. Prayers and Blessings go with you and your family.

Unknown said...

And of course, you'll have to blog about your experiences in France...

Corn Dog said...

I love you and your wonderful ways. I will miss you and your family. You are the best. I am sending you a hug. That little corner will shine much less brightly, and the place will return to simply a building for me.

Monte said...

Thanks for the love. We're moving towards moving feeling excited and sad to leave Oaktown and our life here. Of course we own our house here and plan/hope to return!

I am planning to keep blogging, adding a cross-cultural living twist to the blog and expanding thoughts on church and urban life. I'm also planning to start a blog in French, as there really is little French Protestant presence in the blogosphere.