Update on the future of Munger Place Church

Dear friends,

Twelve years ago, HPUMC launched a new campus in East Dallas that you know and love as Munger Place Church. Today, that campus is among the more vibrant communities of faith in Dallas. Of particular importance is the remarkable percentage of congregants who are new believers and first-time participants in a local church community. That is the direct result of God’s work through the leadership and culture of Munger Place. Indeed, Munger is part of an extraordinary movement of evangelism and discipleship.

As you are aware, Munger’s Campus Pastor, Rev. Andrew Forrest, will be leaving his post and following God’s call to a wonderful church in Tulsa, Oklahoma as its new Senior Minister this June.

Such a move invites equal part celebration and mourning. Celebration in that we praise God for the extraordinary opportunity placed before Andrew and his family–Asbury UMC is one the leading churches in America! Mourning in that Andrew has been such an effective and dynamic pastor–one easily labeled “irreplaceable.”

Before us now is the holy privilege of identifying the next Campus Pastor of Munger Place. To do that, I have created the Munger Place Transition Team, comprised of staff and laity including Cleve Clinton, Rita Clinton, Dr. John Fiedler, Randy Golden, Brenda Hargett, Laurie Martin, Gwen Parker, Edward “Chip” Robertson, Greg Swalwell, Cary Walker, Mary Wilson, and myself. This delegation from both our Mockingbird and Munger Place campuses is charged with the following:

1. Reclarify the relationship between both campuses, and…
2. Identify the next pastoral leader of Munger Place Church.

This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate what God has done at Munger, to give thanks for the past, and to renew our hope and commitment for the future.

As the Senior Pastor at HPUMC, I have one goal in this process: to ensure, God willing, that the ministry of Munger Place Church continues to flourish and that Munger will continue to be God’s church with the mission of developing deeply devoted followers of Christ.

The ministry of Munger Place Church is vital, both to East Dallas and to HPUMC’s overall contribution to the Kingdom of God. Achievement of that goal will require a prayerful, thoughtful, and strategic process–the same process that led us to find Andrew 12 years ago.

The Transition Team has just begun its work. And already, it’s exciting to see the level of confidence and passion this team has in its assignment. Great things are ahead for your church community!

All leadership is a stewardship. No matter how remarkable and effective leadership is momentarily, it is always temporary. Just this week I was reminded that Munger Place welcomed several thousand people per week to worship in the 1950s by a pastor none of us can name today. God provides, and God will provide Andrew’s replacement.

This transition, though anxiety-inducing, provides all of us with the opportunity to renew our commitment to share synergies and resources of our church community. After all, great churches are always built around the shared gifts and graces of its community, not just the giftedness of its leader. I invite your prayers, and I shall be praying for you as you rally around your common commitment to following Christ.

Blessings,

Rev. Paul Rasmussen
Senior Minister