My friend and partner in ministry, Pastor Kirk Albrecht, shared the following message with our congregation at the conclusion of worship on Sunday morning, January 14, 2024. While we will mourn the loss of Pastor Kirk and Sarah's day-to-day presence and service at First Free, we rejoice that they'll be only an hour away (in Butler, not Lithuania), living and - in Kirk's case - working among their beloved family.
It’s a New Year, and like most years, it will bring changes to our lives – you can count on that!
For Sarah and me, it will hold some of the biggest changes we have experienced in a long time.
For several years, I have gone through the challenge of being a grandfather with limited time with our grandsons. My heart has longed to be closer to them and be more regularly involved in their lives. This has been a pull on my heart.
During this time, our oldest son Josh has been asking us to move closer to his family in Butler. When we would get together, he would usually ask me, “So when are you moving up here?”
Our roots in this church family are deep – for almost 25 years on staff, but all the way back to 1988. To consider leaving was very difficult for us. We have walked through many joys as a church family, and some significant challenges together over those years. We have rejoiced, laughed, wept, prayed, and followed Jesus together.
But the pull of family is strong – I think you grandparents know how precious the bond is with your grandchildren. In a few short years they will be out of the home and gone.
And so we announce today that we are moving on from First Free. It has been probably the hardest decision of my life. This church is like a family to us. Yet God was opening a new window of ministry that surprised me. On June 10, I will take on the role of Head of School at Grove City Christian Academy. This is a new venture for me, yet Sarah and I have both sensed God’s leading. Many trusted counselors in our lives have unanimously affirmed this direction for me as we hit our mid-60’s and look to make a difference in the lives of the next generation in a way that dovetails my abilities with the current needs of the school.
Our desire – with the approval of the Elders and the Trustee Board – is to move to Butler in May this year, our last Sunday here will be May 5. We hope to help provide a healthy ministry transition for the church in these coming months, much like Nancy Jo did last year when she retired.
We know for most of you this is sudden. We expect you might have questions – we will try to answer any that we can. We hope no one would try to read into this transition anything other than what it is – a desire to be closer to family, and an opportunity that God provided, to do that.
In the next 4 months, I will continue in my normal ministry duties, seeking to help people grow in becoming healthy followers of Jesus Christ. I will continue to give leadership in adult ministries, over our growth groups and ABF’s, and provide pastoral care to the church.
And we’re not moving to Lithuania – just about an hour up the road. I expect we will see you all regularly in the coming years, God willing. You will remain precious to us. Thank you for the privilege of serving among you over these years.
- Pastor Kirk Albrecht