Greetings! My name is Johnny Loughridge. I have the honor of spending the next year with New Covenant Christian Church as she prepares to seek, discern, select, and welcome the next pastor. My role is called a “transitional minister” because we will be actively moving from one place in the congregation’s history and ministry to another as we say goodbye to Rev Tim Pool and hello to a completely new minister.
            We will talk about grief at losing Tim and affirmation of New Covenant’s ministry so you can build on those years together by preparing for new chapters in ministry. As God is preparing New Covenant for these new chapters, so is God preparing that new minister to be with New Covenant.
            Some churches have a tendency to relax and wait until the new minister arrives and (I have heard it said often) “tell us what to do”! New Covenant’s ministry is so dynamic, diversified, and exciting, certainly during this rarity in your church life “an interim period” is not a waiting period! My prayer is that New Covenant will NOT wait around for any one to show up but will continue in your wonderful ministry in Jesus Christ and even explore any new ministries you feel led too. You will hear me say often, let’s not hire a minister then find out what their vision is for New Covenant BUT perhaps we will want her/him to JOIN NEW COVENANT CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) ON ITS JOURNEY OF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST as we live out the vision God has given us! Do you hear the difference? It should be an exciting year! I look forward to getting to know you and to serving Christ along side you.
            Thanks for wearing name tags on Sunday mornings. This small effort is not for me really but to enable you to better know each other and folks that the Lord has challenged to be with you in ministry (formerly known as “visitors”). That is most important, but next reason is just as important: name tags with help your new minister get to know you. So let’s begin practicing now!
            So what part of the planet do I come from? Well Texas of course! Now that may not a very popular place in your world but my Oklahoma roots might. Both of my parents and all four grandparents were born and reared in Oklahoma (Leedy and Ardmore). And my eldest daughter was born in Midwest City since I came to Midwest Blvd. CC right out of Brite Seminary @ TCU (Tim Pool and I were classmates). After 2 years, I kinda changed places with J. Clyde Wheeler as he served MWBCC as interim and I went to Crown Heights as associate. Then I spent 5 years at First Christian, Sand Springs, OK. I guess I am coming full circle so to speak because I remember in my years in Oklahoma City when I watched New Covenant Christian Church being born!
            My lovely very smart bride Rev. Coretha Loughridge will continue to hold down the home front since she is the Area Minister for the Northeast Texas Area of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest Region of the Christian Church. She has about 65 congregations to work with out of her Tyler, Texas office.
            So, my door will always be open. Stop by and let me know how I can be of help on your faith journey. Just call me Johnny and my wife Coretha.

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