FBC Wentzville family,
My family and I are in a season of a lot of changes. It is hard to leave a place that has been a huge constant in our lives. As we are selling our home, finding a new one, leaving our church, and joining a new one, it is hard not to look back and reminisce at the impact that this place and group of people has had on me and my family.
I was thirteen years old when my family first visited FBCW. My earliest memories were attending Big Top VBS and an older student introduced himself and told me to sit with him through the service in that big, white tent. I slowly started attending weekly student ministry programs, the occasional event, and eventually mission trips and camps. God called me to ministry while a high school student. I was given opportunities to grow and learn in that calling. I was mentored by Jeremy Shirley as a high school student, college student, and a part time student ministry associate—and even now. There are so many years’ worth of memories from my time as a nervous middle school student, a learning and growing high school and college student, and as a Student Pastor—it’d be hard to mention even a tenth of them in this blog post. (However, I would love to talk about our shared memories with you Wednesday evening!)
I’ve had the benefit of being invested in by so many pastors, volunteers, and other students in my time here that have truly grown me and shaped me into the person I am today—that although we are leaving our home church, it will never cease to be referred to as such.
If I could encourage you with anything, whether you are a child, student, parent, “older person”—any member of FBCW—it’s that no second is wasted in investing in someone else. When we love God, we know he tells us that means to love people. Sometimes it feels like the impact being made is missing or minimal, but every Sunday School class, chaperoned retreat, Saturday at Upward is making an impact for someone and building them into who God wants them to be. I know this because it was done for me and my family for 15 years—and we had the opportunity to serve here and do the same for others.
We are going to miss all of you and this place—even the teal carpet, a little bit. We are excited about where God has led us and want He wants to do through us. At the same time, I am excited about what God will continue to do here and how He will use this change for His purpose!
See ya later, fam!
In Christ,
Alec, Emily, and Elias Erhart