Retired?? NOT A CHANCE!

I want to thank all the loving family and friends that have congratulated me on my retirement from Clovis Unified, leaving my career of 32 years in teaching. But retired? NOT A CHANCE! I have entered into a new journey, an adventure of faith and purpose.
On Tuesday, June 14, 2011 I officially joined the awesome team at Northeast Assembly of God as Associate Pastor. As many of you know I have been bi-vocational for over 19 years, being the Lead Pastor of Family Joy Community Church (FJCC). Not many people enjoy the jobs they have but I can honestly tell you that I had 2 jobs that I LOVED, teaching children through music (I don’t teach music; I teach children) and pastoring all the wonderful people of FJCC. Now that FJCC has partnered with Northeast a new adventure has begun, an adventure filled with potential, vision and hope for the future.
Coming to this place was a long and, at times, stressful process. But the benefits and blessings that we are experiencing make it all worthwhile. Several years ago I prayed a very dangerous prayer (a prayer I think everyone should pray). I said to God in prayer, “Lord, I will do whatever you tell me to do, and I will go wherever you want me to go.” God took on that challenge and sent me to Lindsay CA. to be their high school band director. I loved my students at Lindsay High School (still do) but God had other plans for us. As I look back I needed to get out of Fresno for a while so I could focus on my new life in Christ.
After 2 years at Lindsay HS God moved us back to Fresno and opened a door at Tranquillity High School and for 6 wonderful years I directed an awesome group of musicians and Color Guard!! On our final Spring Concert we received a standing ovation! I will never forget my family from TUHS. I still have contact with some of my students. GO TIGERS!! I love you so much.
But being a high school band director is too demanding for the next journey God had for me and Michelle.
I left TUHS for Clovis Unified and Jefferson Elementary School. There is a miracle involved in this move but I will share it at another time. Being at the elementary school level gave me the opportunity to begin our greatest journey, starting a new church in Fresno called, “Family Joy Community Church.” Maybe one day Michelle and I will write a book about our experiences as lead pastors of an amazing ministry, filled with many miracles and too many heartbreaks, but not enough to make us give up on our vision. I LOVE YOU FAMILY JOY!
Now God has us on another new journey, a journey of power and blessings. We’ve already seen God do miracles, healings, restoration, and empowerment. For over 6 months we have been in the planning stages with Pastor Mike Bruton and his awesome leadership team to bring together two groups of people to become one Church, one in purpose, power, and peace. Because of this partnership I was able to retire from teaching and go on as a full-time pastor with Northeast Assembly of God. Praise the Lord!
If you are not currently attending a church I strongly encourage you to come on by. Every Sunday there is awesome worship, a powerful message from God’s Word, and a lot of love to go around. By the way, I Still Got Jokes! I hope we see each other soon. Much Love!
PEACE

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