Cultivate Change

Well, announcements have been made and change is upon us. I have 10 more weeks to serve as the pastor at Epworth Children's Home before John and I embark on a new chapter.

The Cook's are moving to Winnsboro, SC at the end of June! I have been appointed to serve as the pastor at First UMC Winnsboro. We are excited John can continue to teach Physics at USC; Winnsboro is about a 40 minute drive to the Columbia USC campus.

This change is exciting, bittersweet and so many more emotions.  I will miss the kids.  I have loved with my whole self serving at Epworth. Epworth is an amazing place where God is visibly at work. So much history and I have loved being connected to ALL the United Methodist Churches in South Carolina. Those who know me know that I love it when everyone can be involved. I'm an includer.

Ministry at Epworth Memorial UMC has been beautiful, inspiring, hard and oh so rewarding. My understanding of theology and God has been tempered, forged by some of the harder questions of life. Epworth has also been comfortable; as it is a natural extension of my Christian Education background. Before being appointed to Epworth, I served 15 years as a United Methodist Christian Educator. I have both a Masters of Christian Education and a Masters of Divinity. And while I'm torn, I told John it feels like I'm leaving part of my heart behind, I'm also excited about First UMC. This will be a new kind of adventure. It is a shift away from Christian Education to looking at the whole church. It will be fun to serve a typical congregation with grown ups, families, committees, musicians, a choir, a secretary and a janitor. Somebody pinch me!

I'm excited about the new role, new adventure and new friends we will make along the journey. I'm eager to start. I have so much to learn about what God is already doing at First UMC.

Oh, I came up with a hashtag for our move (and time at First Winnsboro):  #theCooksWinn 

Attitude determines your altitude....and John and I are choosing to look at this move as a win!

First UMC, I looking forward to "winning" with you!

Pastor Meg