NETWORK PASTOR

We live in a world of celebrations! We celebrate birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, promotions, milestones, and accomplishments! While some of the things we celebrate and the ways we celebrate may cause us to pause, in light of our recent Network Conference, we need to celebrate! NetCon23 was epic in so many ways!

What a joy to see hundreds of pastors and church leaders from across New Mexico come together for three days of fellowship and powerful encounters with our God! It was so good from the opening moments until the last word! THANKS to Pastors Ruben and Nellie Guajardo and Casa Del Rey for being such amazing hosts; Rev. Rick Dubose and the SAGU worship team for their ministry with/to us; and to every partner and volunteer who served so well…we are grateful!

If you weren’t able to be with us, you’ll see some of the highlights of NetCon23 in this summer issue of LINK. You can see a lot more here so check them out. Also, you can listen to the recordings on our website.

What a time we had as we celebrated and honored Pastor Marcus and Sharon McClain at the Retirement Reception! Thanks for honoring these friends with your attendance, your cards and gifts, and your words of honor and thanks shared with them. They have now fully transitioned to their new home in Roswell and are settling into retirement. Thanks, Pastor Marcus & Sharon, for serving our Network with excellence and faithfulness over the years!

If you were at Network Conference, you know that one of the decisions that was made during our Business Session was the approval of a resolution that changes the way the selection process takes place for Assistant Network Pastor. With this change, our Executive Presbytery & myself left Network Conference with the assignment of prayerfully and diligently processing the choice for our new Assistant Network Pastor.

Thank you for your nominations even before we came to conference and for praying with us and for us on this journey. After a significant time of seeking God, a few days ago our Executive Presbytery unanimously voted to ratify the selection of Dereck Owen as our new Assistant Network Pastor.

Dereck and his wife, Gail, have a rich heritage in our Network. Dereck has served as the Network Men’s Director, Presbyter, and Executive Presbyter for the last several years. Gail serves as our VIVID Women’s Director. They have pastored First Assembly in Tucumcari for the last 23 years. Congratulations, friends, as you step into your new role; we know that God has raised you up for “such a time as this.”

I encourage you to pray for Pastor Dereck, Gail, their two sons Dillon and Creed, and their daughter Amber, who is a sophomore at SAGU, as they make this transition from Tucumcari to Albuquerque. Also, please pray for the church in Tucumcari as they move through this pastoral transition. Even as this LINK is published, we will be working through transitional details with the goal for Dereck to be in the office full time beginning on July 1.

In the coming months, we will be going through the process of selecting a new “At Large Executive Presbyter” to replace Dereck. So, stay tuned, as we continue our journey forward!

We love you all, and are forever honored and blessed to serve you!

Mike & Becky Dickenson

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF ORDAINED MINISTRY

William (Bill) Lee