IMPORTANT SSPC UPDATE from Session & This Week's Newsletter

March 6, 2024

Dear Saint Simons Presbyterian Congregation,

On behalf of the session, I am thrilled to welcome Rev. Dr. Jim Jackson to Saint Simons Presbyterian Church as our part-time interim associate pastor. Rev. Jackson is a member of the Savannah Presbytery and recently completed two years with the Richmond Hill Presbyterian

church in Richmond Hill, Georgia as their interim senior pastor. He and his wife, Linda, moved to our community three years ago to be closer to their daughter Ella and son-in-law Patrick Kent.

We look forward to you meeting and welcoming Rev. Jim Jackson to our church. God continues to bless our Church during this time of transition.

Yours truly,

Leslie Hartman

Interim Associate Pastor Search Committee

Dear friends,

As chair of our personnel committee, Leslie Hartman's letter above reflects the timely movement of God's grace through the Reverend Dr. Jim Jackson's call as Interim Associate Pastor. As Leslie stated, our personnel committee heard God's strong nudge and has called him to serve. So, Jim started on Monday. When Savannah Presbytery approves, he will be "bonafide," but it's no big deal. If they approved me as Interim Pastor, with all his experience and professionalism, Jim will be a slam dunk. He will be introduced to you formally in worship on March 17th, but for now, read the attachments below for his own introduction, sense of calling, and faith statement. Jim's gifts are preaching, pastoral care, administration, and humor in the lovely Southern storytelling way. You may already know his wife, Linda, as well as his daughter and son-in-law, Ella and Pat Kent, who are members of SSPC.

When I mentioned above the "timely movement of God's grace," the timely part is twofold. Turns out Jim showed up AFTER I prayerfully and privately decided that I should finish my call as Interim Pastor with you at the end of June 2024. While I find this painful to write, there are many reasons I will share with you later. Primarily, as conflicted as I am, it is in the best interest of St. Simons, my family, and me. What makes it painful is my deep love and respect for you and the staff, having never expected that such a bond would be made in two years.

For now, please continue to faithfully believe God will move again to bring your next Interim Pastor in order to give whatever time is needed to free the Pastor Search Committee as they search for your next permanent Pastor. They are doing exactly the right thing, prayerfully and deliberately waiting for God's nudge that will surely come when the time is right.

With four more months as your Interim Pastor, we've plenty of time left, but I wanted you to know ASAP so the session could start making plans. Because they did such a great job with Jim, the session has named the old "Interim Associate Pastor" search committee to become the new "Interim Pastor" search committee. Please keep both Interim and Permanent Pastor search committees in your prayers as they wait and watch for God's timely movement of grace to fall again.

Gratefully,

Steve

JIM JACKSON'S BIO & FAITH STATEMENT

Happenings & Events

ON THE RADAR

MARSH MADNESS: SSPC Missions will be volunteering with KGIB multiple times throughout the month of March. Upcoming dates are March 11 and March 19. Details and signup below.
DAY OF SERVICE: Our Spring Day of Service is right around the corner, taking place on March 16. This is a great opportunity for everyone to volunteer your time and make a difference throughout our local community! Details and signup below.

CLICK FOR WEDNESDAY SUPPER SIGNUP

VIEW FULL CALENDAR HERE

LENTEN SEASON & HOLY WEEK

THIS SUNDAY IN LENTEN SERIES

Part 4 | March 10

Resources for Caregivers

Caregiving for friend or family member, someone who is disabled or in a health crisis, women versus men serving in the role of caregivers in this Nation represent a Public Health Crisis according to the CDC. As the baby boomers continue to age, additional responsibilities of caregiving will be upon us all in some form or another and finding the resources to meet the needs is often a very confusing process. One cannot know what one does not know or has ever experienced and so our offering in this regard will provide a drive-by view of various forms of assistance in our community that will help in finding in-home help (medical and otherwise), referrals and choices (nursing and assisted living communities) and many other similar caregiving dilemmas.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH CLASS RECORDINGS