An Important Update on C.J. & Pita and Youth Ministry at LCC
Hello Life Youth Family,
This week your students heard from me about something new, scary, and exciting that has been going on in the background for the last few months at LCC. For as long as I’ve been in ministry I have had a love not just for students, but kids ministry and the opportunity to walk alongside families in discipleship. Pita and I have always felt like ‘someday’ (that day that’s always on the other side of the next big project or event and never seems to get closer), God would take me out of youth ministry into some form of family and kids ministry. Over the last few months, God has begun to bring that “someday” closer and closer.
Through a lot of long talks, encouraging conversations with Pastor Brandon and Elders, some tears, and a whole lot of prayer, it has become clear to all of us that God is calling Pita and I to take a step out in faith to pursue family ministry. We aren’t exactly sure where it will be yet, but together with the Elders we’ve set a goal of 3 months. While it might be a little longer or shorter, we are trusting that in that time God will make it clear where He is calling us, as well as provide for a new youth pastor to step into LCC’s growing ministry.
It’s exciting to chase that dream, scary to do something new, and bittersweet to leave our current church family. We don’t use that word Family lightly, LCC has truly become our home and family of believers over the 5 years we have been here. We’ve been loved on, cared for, laughed together, camped together, and been a part of the Jesus-centered community God desires for all of us. The bitterness of leaving is balanced by the knowledge that LCC is going to go on loving each other, following Jesus together, and taking the good news of the Gospel out into our community. No matter where we go, it will be hard to find a place quite like LCC to call home.
The sweetness of this bittersweet feeling is that our time at LCC is not over yet. We’re blessed to get a few more months of being a part of our church family here as we seek what God has next for Pita and I, and what God has next for the youth team here at LCC. It’s a blessing to get to share what God is doing with you all, and to get this remaining time to celebrate and be with the church as we look for God’s next step for us. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask to go to coffee, sit for a meal, or just get a big hug. We are going to miss our LCC family, and we want to make the most of these remaining months.
Thank you for the trust you have put in me to disciple your kids these last 5 years. Thank you for the many, many ways you have supported both Pita and I and the ministry. Thank you for being the primary disciplers of your kids, and partners in our youth ministry. Most of all, thank you for being our church family.
With love and gratitude,
C.J. Cooper
Student Ministries Director (for now)
Life Community Church
This week your students heard from me about something new, scary, and exciting that has been going on in the background for the last few months at LCC. For as long as I’ve been in ministry I have had a love not just for students, but kids ministry and the opportunity to walk alongside families in discipleship. Pita and I have always felt like ‘someday’ (that day that’s always on the other side of the next big project or event and never seems to get closer), God would take me out of youth ministry into some form of family and kids ministry. Over the last few months, God has begun to bring that “someday” closer and closer.
Through a lot of long talks, encouraging conversations with Pastor Brandon and Elders, some tears, and a whole lot of prayer, it has become clear to all of us that God is calling Pita and I to take a step out in faith to pursue family ministry. We aren’t exactly sure where it will be yet, but together with the Elders we’ve set a goal of 3 months. While it might be a little longer or shorter, we are trusting that in that time God will make it clear where He is calling us, as well as provide for a new youth pastor to step into LCC’s growing ministry.
It’s exciting to chase that dream, scary to do something new, and bittersweet to leave our current church family. We don’t use that word Family lightly, LCC has truly become our home and family of believers over the 5 years we have been here. We’ve been loved on, cared for, laughed together, camped together, and been a part of the Jesus-centered community God desires for all of us. The bitterness of leaving is balanced by the knowledge that LCC is going to go on loving each other, following Jesus together, and taking the good news of the Gospel out into our community. No matter where we go, it will be hard to find a place quite like LCC to call home.
The sweetness of this bittersweet feeling is that our time at LCC is not over yet. We’re blessed to get a few more months of being a part of our church family here as we seek what God has next for Pita and I, and what God has next for the youth team here at LCC. It’s a blessing to get to share what God is doing with you all, and to get this remaining time to celebrate and be with the church as we look for God’s next step for us. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask to go to coffee, sit for a meal, or just get a big hug. We are going to miss our LCC family, and we want to make the most of these remaining months.
Thank you for the trust you have put in me to disciple your kids these last 5 years. Thank you for the many, many ways you have supported both Pita and I and the ministry. Thank you for being the primary disciplers of your kids, and partners in our youth ministry. Most of all, thank you for being our church family.
With love and gratitude,
C.J. Cooper
Student Ministries Director (for now)
Life Community Church