Answering the Call

January 24, 2014

Dear Shiloh Church Family, 

I can remember the night I came to meet the SPPRC (Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee).  I was both nervous and filled with anticipation.  By the time I reached Queen City Avenue my eyes began to well up with tears because I knew soon I would be calling this community, this city, this Delhi home.  Delhi has been home: our kids go to school here, my husband coaches here, David was born and baptized here.  Delhi feels like home.  We’ve developed such incredible relationships here and Shiloh has been a dream church, an incredible appointment, and truly a gift from God.  I realize that I’ve been afforded privileges,  one of which has been doing ministry along with you, that many pastors never experience in their life times let alone within their first few years of pastoral ministry.  You are incredible!  You are family!   I love this church!  

That’s why it’s been so difficult for me to wrestle with a call that God has placed on my life.  I’ve tried to ignore it, I’ve ran away from it, and now I believe God is calling me to embrace it.  In the same way that Jacob wrestled with God in the middle of the night, I have spent time wrestling with God through prayer, fasting, and silence.  I wrestled, giving God reasons, excuses, and fear-filled thoughts that kept me from trusting God’s voice in my life.  But there comes a time in our lives that we have to step out in faith and walk into the call that God has placed on us.  When an opportunity opened at Ginghamsburg Church I expressed my call to District Superintendent, Rev. Brian Brown and Bishop Gregory Palmer.  On Thursday night I stepped out in faith and was introduced by The Miami Valley District Superintendent, Dr. Rev. Christopher Heckaman to the Leadership Board of Ginghamsburg Church as their Executive Pastor of Discipleship, effective July 1, 2014.  Although I know this is God’s call on my life, it is both heartbreaking and absolutely exciting at the same time.  Why?  Because I have to leave the place that I love.  This wasn’t a choice between good and bad, this was a choice between great and call.  I believe that Shiloh United Methodist Church is still the most single resourced church of it’s size.  You, the people are our greatest resource!  I know that God has incredible plans for the people of this church and although I do not know who will be the Senior Pastor, I do know that God will send us a spirit-filled leader that will continue to help Shiloh claim our communities and the city of Cincinnati for Jesus Christ!    

Shiloh you will always feel like home.  You share a part of my family’s history that will never change, and leaving this place will be one of the hardest things I ever do.  I will always pray for the Kingdom work that God will do in and through you.  It has been an honor and privilege to be your pastor.  

Love in Christ, 

Rev. Rachel L. Billups