Today, I want to share with you something I am thankful for. In doing so, I offer an "inside insight" to your pastoral search team.

Mike Cassidy and Gil Beaird are the elders represented on our search team. In addition to these men, we have Dick Folwarkow (who has served as an elder in years past) and Andy Fisher serving. Janet Lomas, Debbie Hansen and myself (Heidi Bylsma) are the remaining three to comprise your seven-person pastoral search team.

What an amazing group of people for me to get to interact with. Getting to know each of these men and women better has already blessed my life immeasurably. I truly do thank God for their presence in our flock!

When the search team met for the first time over a month ago, my concern was how God would take seven people--all with different hopes, dreams and expectations--and unite us as one heart and voice. What's more, how could we even begin to define what the body at Cool Community Church longs for and, most of all, accurately discern what God wants for us?

On Monday night, our search team met for the fourth time. It is already clear to me that God is uniting our hearts in a way that only He can! The comraderie and joy--even laughter!--as well as the ability to speak truth (with grace) to one another is so encouraging to me.

What I have seen is that certain things have come to the surface as the seven of us have interacted with many of you or heard your heart in our conversations with you. We each listen for God's voice, of course, through personal prayer and time in God's Word. God is faithful! The Shepherd's voice is definitely being heard! When we got together Monday night, there was a "hum" to our time that I feel only God could orchestrate. There IS unity in what we, on the search team, are discerning.

I am so thankful for these men and women and the way God is at work in our lives! It really is a *joy* to connect with them each time we meet. Their love for the Lord is so evident. Each takes the responsibility of being on this search team to heart. The sense of responsibility, in fact, is great. Please know that we don't take it lightly at all.

While I can't disclose the details of how all of these blessings on the search team are becoming so very evident, I do want you to have a sense of joy at this fact. I know it is the answer to many prayers being prayed. We continue to covet your prayers as we continue through this process.