To my St. Luke’s family,
I wanted to share with you all how God has been moving in my life during 2019. As many of you know, I began to feel the desire to enter seminary 15 years ago and Jessica and I have had the conversation many times about whether or not we should make that move. The time just never seemed quite right to uproot my family and leave Oviedo. So, God guided me to undertake the role of SMP vicar, and then SMP Pastor, here at St. Luke’s in 2016. Serving God with you all has been a wonderful growing experience. Being on the front lines of ministry in the school has provided me with many opportunities to share the Gospel as well as to grow in my own faith. I love serving in this place and I’m so thankful for the mentorship and opportunities that I’ve had here.
In early 2019 God tugged at my heart. I began to realize that He was moving me towards a leap of faith. Jessica and I began having the conversation and both of us felt that the time has come to make a change and head toward full time ministry. This conversation expanded to fellow pastors and close friends who all showed their support and encouraged us to follow God’s leading. He has really placed on my heart the desire to continue my education beyond SMP at Concordia Seminary to achieve the M. Div. degree. This would require me to be in residence in St. Louis for two years to complete the required classes.
My family and I love St. Luke’s, my fire department family, and our community very much. It would sadden us to depart. However, I feel very confident that God desires this change. St. Luke’s has been my home for nearly my entire life. It is my family’s village, and it has fostered our faith growth for years. God has worked through this fellowship of believers to prepare us and, now it seems, to send us out as laborers into God’s harvest. It would be our intent to complete the school year here and depart from you in early June of 2020. My family and I ask for your prayers and support as we move towards this new adventure God has in store for us.
His Peace,
Pastor Thompson
