Thanking a colleague for his service, his assistance

On average the tenure of a pastor in a local church is about two years. It is no longer commonplace for a pastor to remain in the same community for more than ten years.

For this reason we must applaud Pastor Dale Proulx of Ashburnham Community Church who has been a fixture here in town for 13 years but will be leaving at the end of June to pursue a new career. As is the case with ministry in every church, there have been high points and low points, blessings and challenges along the way, but Dale has persevered through the peaks and valleys of church life, and I believe that Community Church (and our town) is better for it. Dale, you are a great example to me of dedication and perseverance in ministry, and for that I thank you.

I met Dale in the fall of 2004 when my family and I moved to Ashburnham upon receiving the call to pastor Peoples Church. He was the first person outside Peoples Church to contact me. He took me to lunch during my first week on the job. He made sure that I knew he would be there for me if I ever needed anything. I appreciated his willingness to reach out to me and to answer any questions I had about the community and ministry.

One thing I have enjoyed about ministering in this area is the willingness of churches to work together. This is especially true in Ashburnham, and Dale is a great part of the spirit of unity that exists here. Dale is a bridge-builder. He has always encouraged Christians in the community to work together. He has crossed denominational lines and reached out to people throughout the community. And for that I thank you.

I have also appreciated Dale's desire to minister to all the needs of the individual, not just spiritual needs. In ministry there is the tendency to focus on the spiritual side (and rightfully so), but sometimes we can neglect physical needs, such as pain, illness, and financial difficulty. In addition to being focused on spiritual matters, Dale also seeks to meet the physical and material needs of people, recognizing that we are all whole persons. Whether through volunteering for the Salvation Army, helping someone in financial trouble, visiting people in the hospital, or donating food to someone in need, Dale has always been available to help meet a variety of needs of people in the community. And for that I thank you.

Dale, I thank God for the work He has done through you here in Ashburnham, and I thank Him for your friendship and encouragement to me. You have been a blessing in my life. To God alone be the glory for the work He has done in you and through you.

I would like to switch gears in this letter now to speak directly to the people of Community Church. You have been blessed with a godly man as your pastor for 13 years. Praise God.

I want you to know that Peoples Church is praying for you as you enter into this time of transition. My prayer is that your next pastor will build upon the foundation, which God has begun with Dale as your pastor. Paul writes, "… He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1:6). May the good work at Community Church continue. Blessings in Christ.

Dan Allen is the pastor of Peoples Church in Ashburnham. He is one of the local worship leaders whose columns appear n a totting basis in the new "A Simple Word" series.