Good afternoon! It certainly is an autumn day, isn't it? Gloomy, dank, and just a hint of wet, sloppy snow. That certainly wasn't the case yesterday. The sun and the Son both shone brightly on Calvary!

If you came to Calvary Church yesterday, the buzz was certainly deafening. Our attendance at all three services were higher than normal - we had almost five hundred at the 9:30 service alone - and full of eager members and visitors for a glimpse of our possible future lead pastor in Rev. Ron Citlau and his family! (Wasn't it fun to see his kids introduce themselves?) I had people tell me that the wait in the nursery to pick up their children was longer than usual to get their kids because there were so many young parents here! It was a wonderful time to be at church yesterday morning.

It was also a blessed time to be at Calvary yesterday evening when 350 people gathered for our Special Congregational Meeting. We heard from Barry Voorn the timeline of the steps that were taken to get to this point; we heard testimonials from Search Team members Jeanne Hagenberg and Brian Dryfhout; and we had heartwarming prayers from Greg VanderVelde and Joe Wydra, Jr.

I am pleased and excited to announce that with 360 ballots cast (including all the absentee ballots), you, the congregation of Calvary Church, overwhelmingly affirmed your Consistory's vote to extend a call to Rev. Ron Citlau. Praise be to the Lord!

I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to all who came out Sunday in support of Calvary Church. You are now a part of history, a major milestone in Calvary's history. Be proud of that. Cherish that. Thank God for allowing you to help mold His kingdom. What a humbling thing it is, to be asked to collaborate with the One who created the universe!

Well, now what? The call is being made and extended to Rev. Ron Citlau. The decision now rests at his feet. I ask of you two things now:

1. Pray. Pray that God will bless Calvary Church by throwing the doors wide open for Ron to walk through to join us in the vision to reach the lost and hurting of our world. Pray for discernment that Ron will know exactly what God's will is for him and his family. Pray for Ron's congregation over at Faith Church, Hammond Campus. Pray for their anxieties with saying goodbye to their beloved pastor. Pray that they feel peace and follow God's will by allowing Ron to serve as our lead pastor. Pray, above all, that through all of this God's will is absolutely followed.

2. Encourage. Consider sending Pastor Ron and his wife, Amy, words and cards of encouragement as they pray and seek God's direction for their lives. Cards can be mailed to 917 Walnut Ln., Crown Point, IN 46307. Emails can be sent to rcitlau@faithchurchonline.org. Let's make this an overwhelming gift of encouragement from Calvary Church!