Doug B. to leave Sacramento Central Chruch

[Gregory Matthews]

As taken from the Sacramento Central SDA Church on Facebook:

Quote:

Pastor Doug Batchelor Leaving Sacramento Central Church on January 18, 2014.

Dear Friends,

When Karen and I first accepted the call to come to Sacramento Central we never dreamed two decades would go by. Being associated with Central Church and all our friends and associates there has been one of the richest experiences in our lives. A significant part of our memories and history have been woven in with the fabric of Sacramento Central. Central Church is where Karen was baptized, it is where we were married, and our youngest boys were dedicated and baptized there. The members have been our life and family for more than 20 years. But as Solomon said “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Sadly, the time has come for a change.

Six years ago we planted a church in Granite Bay that has grown exponentially. Two weeks ago the Granite Bay church planted another church in Loomis. At the same time the ministries of Amazing Facts and Central church have continued to grow. Obviously it is not realistic nor in the best interest of these congregations and ministries to have a senior pastor that is so frequently traveling and spread so thin.

Consequently, my last Sabbath as senior pastor of Sacramento Central will be January 18th.

The Northern California conference will soon be working with the Central church board in the process of selecting a new lead pastor and fill other staff vacancies.

Some may be wondering what is the plan regarding the prolific Central Church media ministries? Ultimately this will be determined by the vision of the new senior pastor. With the increasing demand for good Seventh-day Adventist programming content we are optimistic the Central media ministries continue to grow and flourish. In the meantime, subject to the church’s approval, the conference has agreed Amazing Facts will continue to record the adult Sabbath school in the sanctuary for a while to provide a transition time for Central Church to assume the local media ministries from Amazing Facts.

In conclusion we would like to say what a delight has been serving with such a stellar team of associates pastors like Harold White, Chris Buttery, and Mike Thompson not to mention the magnificent office staff, elders, and board.

This has been an incredible honor and privilege for Karen and me to be able to serve with this wonderful congregation. We are very confident the Lord will continue to reach the lost in amazing ways through this unique church family.

We solicit your prayers for both the Sacramento Central and Batchelor families during this transition.

Doug and Karen Batchelor

PS – We are not leaving town. Amazing Facts and the Granite Bay church still look forward to working together with Sacramento Central to expand God’s kingdom locally and beyond.

As I understand it, this announcement was made to the Sacramento Central at church services yesterday.

[olger]

Knew this was coming.

Rejoice always,

G

[debbym]

But no word shared here on what DB's plans are and where he will place his energies. More travel and speaking i suppose, since that is why he says he made the choice. He was doing too many other things, stretched too thin?

Churches do not need their pastor to be a mother hen always fluffing her wings over them anyway.

I wonder how many missionaries, and ministries have been spawned from sac central since he was there. I Trust there were many.

[phkrause]

I'm guessing from what I'm reading from that letter, that he is gonna just spent more time with AF, and the Loomis Church.

[Windsor]

We all knew this was coming eventually but I was hoping it would be far in the future. Always looked forward to his weekly Sabbath School class and sermon. Hope he will still be making as many videos as before.