From the Elders of Trinity Community Church

May 15, 2024

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”   Ecclesiastes 3:1

Dear Trinity Church Family,

A new season of Christ-exalting ministry and faithful pastoral leadership is beginning here at Trinity, and we are eager to share the news with you.

The Lord’s favor and blessing has been on this church for almost three decades now, and has become even more apparent in extraordinary ways over the past 10 years.  By God’s grace, we continue to enjoy the faithful leadership and shepherding of our devoted pastors, elders, and deacons.  Exceptional preaching and teaching, tireless pastoral care during times of illness and distress, and a vision that has inspired and encouraged us in following and serving our Lord are among the evidences of His continuing favor and blessings on His church here at Trinity.

We are especially grateful for the grace and mercy God has granted us over the course of Pastor Chuck and Cathy’s 27 years of faithful and fruitful ministry among us.  Chuck and his beloved bride raised their five children at Trinity – the children were ages 5-15 when the family first arrived in the Fall of 1997.  They watched as each of their kids eventually entered into marriage, and have since given them “a small church” of grandchildren to love and shepherd to the glory of God.

As Chuck and Cathy move toward the twilight years of their ministry among us, our elders have anticipated the need to give prayerful consideration to seeking God’s sovereign provision for faithful pastoral leadership for this church in the years ahead.  In a conversation with the elders following his heart surgery three years ago, Chuck shared his desire to begin the process of making needed adjustments in his role and responsibilities as Lead Pastor.  Among Chuck’s reasons for requesting consideration of an eventual change in his leadership role was a continuing concern on the part of his doctors and family regarding his heart health, as well as a desire to be able to spend more focused time with Cathy and their growing family.

In the months that followed, the elders and Chuck continued in conversation and prayer, seeking the Lord’s timing for Chuck’s readiness and decision to make the transition from his role and responsibilities as Lead Pastor.  At the elders’ January meeting this year, Chuck shared that he and Cathy had prayerfully decided that the time had come for him to make this transition.  Their decision was graciously accepted by the elders.  Included in their subsequent conversations was the elders’ desire to acknowledge Chuck’s years of faithful ministry by giving him the honorary title of Pastor Emeritus – a Latin term referring to “one who is recognized and honored for faithful pastoral ministry and service.”  As the Lord leads, Chuck and Cathy look forward to continuing in worship, fellowship, and ministry with us.

Following several months of conversation and prayer, and consistent with the process provided for in our congregation’s bylaws, the elders have asked Pastor Andrei, our Pastor for Preaching and Discipleship, if he would prayerfully consider taking on the role and responsibilities of Lead Pastor for our Trinity Church family.  The result of our elders’ discussions and prayer was and continues to be a united conviction and confidence that our Sovereign Lord has gone before us in preparing the way for this transition in faithful pastoral leadership for our growing church.

Following several lengthy interviews and encouraging discussions with Pastor Andrei, the entire elder team, including Pastors Chuck and Sam, voted unanimously to nominate Pastor Andrei Sava to fill the role of Lead Pastor for Trinity Community Church, effective July 1.

Among the many statements shared by the elders regarding Andrei’s character, gifting, and qualifications to serve as Lead Pastor are those listed following this letter, statements that include the following:

• God has raised up and provided Pastor Andrei from within our congregation.  It is a significant blessing for us that he already knows, has met with, discipled, and ministered to so many in this church family, especially our men, young and old alike.  He has developed strong and positive relationships with our church staff, and has built trust with many in our congregation as well as in our community, both Christian and non-Christian alike.
• Pastor Andrei has a forward-looking vision for what God might do through this church in the years to come.  He knows that we serve a great God, a God who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).  He looks toward the future for this church, confident in what God can do.
• Pastor Andrei lives a life of integrity even outside of public ministry.  He consistently seeks to honor the Lord in every aspect of his life.  He is a loving and faithful husband to his sweet wife Samantha and a loving and devoted father to their four precious girls.

As our church moves into this new season of pastoral leadership and ministry, both Pastor Chuck and Pastor Sam share a deep love and gratitude for Pastor Andrei, and will continue to unwaveringly encourage and support him in his new role and responsibilities as Lead Pastor.  Pastor Sam will also continue in his valued role of serving alongside Pastor Andrei in preaching and teaching, in addition to fulfilling the numerous other responsibilities he has as our gifted Pastor for Teaching and Equipping.

Below are a few important dates to make note of regarding our continuing Lead Pastor transition process, as well as the full list (mentioned above) of godly qualities and gifts the elders have identified and affirmed as characterizing Pastor Andrei’s heart and ministry among us.

As elders, we are deeply grateful for our pastoral team, as well as for each of the faithful and hardworking ministry staff God has graciously given to our congregation.  And we invite you to join us in daily praying that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be glorified as we enter and rejoice in this new season of pastoral leadership in the life and ministry of our church.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to His power at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, now and forever.  Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

For God’s Glory,

The Elders of Trinity Community Church

Important Dates in the Lead Pastor Transition Process

• Sunday, June 23, 2024
  Special Congregational Meeting (12:30 p.m.) to vote on the elders’ nomination of Pastor Andrei Sava to serve as the new Lead Pastor, effective July 1.  Watch for an email in June with more information on this meeting.
• Sunday, June 30, 2024
  Commissioning and Installation of Pastor Andrei as the new Lead Pastor (at each of our three worship celebrations).
• Monday, July 1, 2024
  Pastor Andrei begins his new position as Lead Pastor.

Qualities Recognized in Pastor Andrei
and Unanimously Affirmed by the Elders

Recommendation submitted by the Lead Pastor Transition Committee to the Elders

March 2024

The Lead Pastor Transition Committee unanimously recommends Andrei Sava to be the next Lead Pastor of Trinity Community Church.

Below are some of the reasons for this recommendation.

• Andrei is qualified for the role according to passages of Scripture such as 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5. As we have seen through the years, he is a man who is above reproach and in pursuit of godliness (1 Timothy 6:11).
• He is committed and desires to faithfully teach and preach God’s truth in the Bible. Andrei works hard to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and seeks to adhere to Paul’s exhortation to preach the Word (2 timothy 4:2).
• He understands the necessity of prayer and is a man of prayer (1 Timothy 3:1-8; James 1:5)
• He is committed to shepherding the flock God has put under his care (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5). Andrei has built relationships and trust amongst so many in our congregation, so much so that people seek out his counsel.
• He continues to grow in maturity, wisdom, and humility (1 Peter 5:6). His faithfulness in ministry has been the impetus to expand his roles as the years have passed (1 Timothy 4:12).
• Andrei’s work ethic is consistently strong. He does not need prodding to get to work. On the contrary, he needs firm encouragement to decrease his work load (Colossians 3:23-24).
• He lives a life of integrity even outside of public ministry. Andrei is a faithful husband and father and seeks to honor the Lord with every aspect of his life (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
• Andrei has an apostolic heart for the lost world (Romans 1:1-7) and is committed to the Great Commission (Matthew 28-19-20).
• He has a forward-looking vision for what God might do through this church in the years to come. He knows that we serve a great God, a God who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), and Andrei looks toward the future for this church confident in what God can do.
• God has raised up and provided this man from within our church. It is a significant blessing for him to already know and have ministered to this flock, have strong positive relationships with church staff, and to have already built trust with those in our congregation and in our community, both Christian and non-Christian.