What a year it has been at Covenant Grove Church. Less than a year ago we were asked to leave our meeting place at Enochs High School. After many months God led us to Orchard Elementary – and then right away opened up a door for us to be able to purchase property! Then He raised $165,000 in just over 2 months – more than we had even planned. And now He is moving again – and calling us to consider hiring a Youth Pastor.
Aaron Crumrine, our current Youth Minister, has done an incredible job of strengthening and solidifying a foundation in our Middle and High School Ministries. Aaron – through much prayer – has discerned he is not the person to continue as our Youth Minister. He is working a full time job and has 4 kids, and has poured so much into this ministry. As the ministry grows, it will need even more time. We are creating a 29 hour per week Youth Pastor position, which is a strong investment into our Youth. Joe Eldridge, who has been part of Covenant Grove and just graduated from Fresno Pacific University with a Contemporary Christian Ministry degree, has been looking for a Youth Pastor position and doing some intern work at Covenant Grove while he waits for God to open up the right door for him. God has put a trained, educated, Youth Pastor in our midst – could this be the person God is calling to be the Youth Pastor at Covenant Grove?
Joel Balam, who is the vice-chair of our Leadership Council, has formed a Youth Pastor Hiring Team. They will not be doing a full search process, but they are open to receiving other resumes until August 1. The Hiring Team is a small group that consists of youth, youth leaders, and parents (1-2 of each). They will be interviewing Joe and seeing him teach and lead Youth Group. The Hiring Team will make a recommendation to the Council, and then there will need to be a vote by the members of the church – either at the August 9th All Church meeting or at an All Church Meeting shortly after.
These are amazing times, and God is moving, and we are running to keep up with Him! It is all about following Jesus and reaching people with Him. Let’s stay in prayer and on the mission with Christ. What an adventure it is to follow Him!
