Exciting News and Ways to Respond

Hey, Mount Pleasant and IMPACT family, I want to take a minute to share some updates with you. First, after a 14-month search, we have hired a new Executive Pastor – Aaron Gable. Aaron, his wife, Tracy, and their four children live in the Atlanta area, where he has been the Lead Pastor at Lifebridge Church for the past ten years. Aaron was born and raised in Colfax, IN, on a farm where his parents continue to live today. He is a graduate of Johnson University (formerly Johnson Bible College) and has a strong resume of leadership and service in the local church. His role as Executive Pastor will be to oversee the day-to-day operations of the ministries and ministry staff. Aaron will begin commuting to Greenwood three days a week in April, planning to relocate with his family to Greenwood on June 1. Please pray for Aaron, Tracy and their four children as they begin this transition.

Second, as I write this message, I realize it was basically two years ago when the COVID-19 virus dramatically impacted, not just our church, but all the churches across our country. At that time, we found ourselves trying to figure out what our next steps would be moving forward during a growing pandemic that was unprecedented, at least in my lifetime. The next several months brought a period where we worshiped from home, a slow and cautious return to in-person worship, and a new weekend reality today where we have what I would call a “hybrid” weekend experience of in-person worshipers and many who continue to worship from home. In some ways, things look very different today than they did two years ago, and in some ways, we are doing all we can to make them look the same. I’m so grateful for our staff, who have been incredibly flexible and resilient through this entire period. I hope you will continue to pray for them and take advantage of every opportunity to encourage them. To be completely honest, all of this, along with a lengthy search for a new Executive Pastor, has been exhausting for me. As a result, our Elders have graciously given me the opportunity for a little time away to rest and prepare for the next season of ministry with our new Executive Pastor. We will have different staff members filling the pulpit in the coming weeks, and my brother from Compassion Christian Church in Savannah, GA, will be a special guest speaker. I will be preaching Easter weekend as we celebrate the resurrection. Please keep our entire staff in your prayers and pray for me as I take this brief break.

Finally, I’m sure you’ve been watching everything unfolding in Ukraine. We have two mission partners who have found themselves in a position to minister to and help Ukrainian refugees. Those partners are Proem Ministries in Poland and TCM (Taking Christ to Millions by Training Christians for Ministry), who operate a Seminary in Austria that trains and serves workers in Europe and beyond. This need is over and above their regular ministry activities and has become a big challenge, especially for Proem, a neighboring country to Ukraine. This past week I listened on two occasions as three women from Proem who were in Indianapolis for a wedding shared heartbreaking stories about this need. As a result, Mount Pleasant is sending a special gift to both Proem and TCM, but we also want to invite you to help. This weekend we’ll have what I call the “tip” jars on the steps of the stage, and at the end of each service, you can drop any gift you can share in the jars. Our Worship Pastor, Brian Tabor, will explain this opportunity to anyone who doesn’t read this message. We will make sure it accompanies our special gift. To learn more about these mission partners and to join us in scripture reading and prayer, click here.

Please know how much Sandy and I love Mount Pleasant Christian Church and our IMPACT Campuses. I have always believed that a single church in Central Indiana can change the world. Thank you for demonstrating that truth over and over again.

Pastor Chris