An Important Announcement from Pastor Justin and the Board of Directors

A Statement from the Board of Directors

As we’re sure you’re generally aware, being a Lead Pastor, especially at a small church like ours, involves much more than doing a sermon each week. In our case, Justin additionally serves as a counselor, event organizer, manager of the logistics of our fully-mobile church, navigator for spiritual guidance of others, facilitator of community outreach, and manager of communications with the church and the staff.  After more than four years of carrying these roles, with little to no breaks, we, the Board of Directors, believe Justin is long overdue for some much-needed extended rest and therefore whole-heartedly support Justin in taking a sabbatical.  While Justin is on his sabbatical, there will still be exciting things happening on Sunday mornings! Pastor Lindsey will be preaching two Sundays and Alyssa Kelly will be leading a special hymns and worship service. We hope to see you on Sundays over the next month and look forward to our Fall Kickoff when Justin returns. We pray you are as excited as we are for another year at this church that means so much to us all!

Alyssa Kelly
Megan Stearman
Jarrod Underwood
Nife Esho
Kendra Veinotte 
Scott Ireland

A Letter from Justin

Restore has been my heart and joy these last two years. However, I have found myself this year needing some rest and healing. Traditionally, the average shelf life of a lead pastor was 5-7 years, but in a post-COVID world, that number has dropped to just 3-4 years. And while Restore is only two years old, I will be coming up on my fourth year as a church planter this fall. Church planting often feels like "dog years" – one year can feel like seven. So starting July 28th, I will be taking a sabbatical and will return for our fall kickoff on August 25th. I am deeply grateful to the Board of Directors for lovingly granting me this gift of rest.

While I am currently weary, I am also hopeful. In fact, more hopeful than I have been in a long time. And I want you to be too! I started Restore because I believe that a church where you can be fully loved and fully known will change your life forever. This is the power of grace. I wanted a church that was free of "church games," moralism disguised as affection for Jesus, unhealthy power dynamics, Christian showmanship, and spiritual hierarchies. I wanted a church that faithfully clung to the hope of Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, while also giving you room to explore new ideas and even change your mind about God when you needed to. That is what Restore has become to me and I know to many of you as well. 

Starting a church can take an enormous toll on your family and children, who often involuntarily surrender many nights, weekends, and Sunday mornings to the labors of the church. One of my greatest fears in starting Restore was that my children would grow to resent the church because of the demands the church would place on their childhood. To my great delight and relief, my children love Restore, and they see many of you as their aunties and uncles. That is a gift that I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for. So from the bottom of my heart - thank you for loving my children so well. 

I believe that our best days are yet in front of us. It is my great joy and privilege to be your pastor. I want to be so for many years to come. You are my heart, Restore. So can I ask you for something? Would you pray for me and my family as we use this time to rest, heal, and rediscover our vision for Restore? Would you also pray for Pastor Lindsey as she leads the entire church pastorally in my absence? Lindsey has both my utmost trust and respect as a leader, as a pastor, and as a friend. I am truly excited that she will be preaching and confident that you will benefit from her spiritual insights and care, just as I have. Johnny continues to serve the church in so many crucial ways. Much of our ability to worship on Sundays is directly attributed to Johnny's devotion to making that happen. He will continue to direct those processes in the coming weeks. I am grateful to the staff for their willingness to shoulder more during this time.

I already find myself missing each of you (Even though I have started my sabbatical yet! I'll see you this Sunday!) and already look forward to the day when I will be back together with you. I am praying for you often, and I am grateful for this opportunity you have gracefully given me. 

With much warmth and affection,

Pastor Justin