From Associate Pastor Zach and Laura

A message from Zach

As most of you have probably heard by now, I have been appointed as the Senior Pastor of FUMC Howe. This means that Laura and I will be moving to a new town and a new church. While we are excited about the move and the new possibilities, we are also grieving having to say goodbye to a church that means so much to us. FUMC Decatur was my first full-time appointment, and it was where I finished my journey towards ordination. I want to say a huge thank you to the whole church for all the words of encouragement and the ways you nurtured my growth in the ministry. I want to say thank you to Brian and the leadership of FUMC for giving me opportunities to preach and grow as a pastor.

A message from Laura

Over 5 years ago I took a leap of faith and moved to Decatur to serve as the youth director. From the very beginning, you all were supportive of the ministry and me. Through your kind words, special notes, volunteering, and encouragement I felt the love of Christ through you. I was blessed to work with amazing young people who taught me way more than I could ever teach them. We shared laughter, adventure, some tears, and tons of love. Thank you to the parents and other volunteers who made my job easier. Thank you to the youth who made my job such a memorable experience.

From both of us

FUMC Decatur will always be a special place for us. Not only did we have a wonderful time serving here, we also count this as the place where we fell in love. Thank you for the love and support you showed us as we began our life together. You showered us with so much love and spoiled us beyond our imagination. We will forever be grateful for your generosity, and we will always have a piece of you in our hearts. Our story will continue in another place, but its beginning will always be at FUMC Decatur.

It is hard for us to say this, but “Thank You” and “Goodbye.”

Zack & Laura