Special Announcement from the Pastoral Search Committee (5/12/24)
Dear New Life Family,
After two and a half months of seeking the Lord and following a comprehensive process, the Pastoral Search Committee has identified who we believe the Lord is calling to be the next Lead Pastor of New Life Church. The Committee is putting Pastor James Louis and his wife Billie forward as the candidate we have selected and will ask members to vote on in June.
Pastor James has been the Assistant Pastor at New Life since 2018, serving as the Family Care and Youth Pastor. He and his wife Billie have been active members of New Life since the early 2000s. James has his ministerial credentials from the New York District Assemblies of God School of Ministry. He was licensed in 2016, ordained in 2018, and then received his Ecclisatic Chaplaincy Endorsement from the Assembly of God in January of 2022.
Pastor James has been the Town of Saugerties Police Chaplain since 2020. He also serves on the Hudson Valley Leadership Committee with Assemblies of God, the Assembly of God Chaplain Association from Assembly of God, the International Conference of Police Chaplains, and the National Black Chaplain Association.
Pastor James did his basic training for the Army at Fort Dixon, NJ and enlisted at West Point. He’s been a Licensed Practicing Nurse (LPN) for over 20 years, including 15 as a Hospice nurse and currently as a cardiac nurse.
Pastor James has a real passion for the Lord and is full of the Holy Spirit. He’s active and well-regarded in the greater Saugerties community. He and his wife Billie are an incredible team in ministry together. They are active with all aspects of our youth programs, from nursery to KidZone, to Girls Ministry and Youth Group. They collectively counsel couples and individuals and often make home and hospital visits together.
Should he win the congregational vote, Pastor James will decide, in collaboration with the Church Council, which roles he will continue with as Lead Pastor.
We will hold a special business meeting after service on Sunday, June 9. It is extremely important that all voting members, of which we currently have 40, are in attendance. The day before on Saturday, June 8, we will have a fellowship gathering where members are encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity to ask Pastor James and Billie questions to help inform their vote the next day. We’ll share more information about that in the coming weeks as plans are solidified. For now, please save the date for June 9 after service for our special business meeting. We are required to have a quorum for attendance, which is ⅓ of the total members. For Pastor James to be officially appointed as Lead Pastor, two-thirds of the votes of those in attendance will need to be in favor of him. Pastor Chris Delmadge from the New York Ministry Network Superintendent’s office will lead that brief meeting and vote.
It has been a great honor and privilege for all seven of us to serve on the Pastoral Search Committee. We’ve greatly appreciated the support and prayers of our family and our church family during this time.
God Bless,
The Church Council
Rachel Senor, Secretary, Interim Chairperson
Jeannie Bach, Treasurer
Ruben Haro Montelongo
Jill Hummer
James Kimberly
Melissa Lasher
Joel Panthappattu
After two and a half months of seeking the Lord and following a comprehensive process, the Pastoral Search Committee has identified who we believe the Lord is calling to be the next Lead Pastor of New Life Church. The Committee is putting Pastor James Louis and his wife Billie forward as the candidate we have selected and will ask members to vote on in June.
Pastor James has been the Assistant Pastor at New Life since 2018, serving as the Family Care and Youth Pastor. He and his wife Billie have been active members of New Life since the early 2000s. James has his ministerial credentials from the New York District Assemblies of God School of Ministry. He was licensed in 2016, ordained in 2018, and then received his Ecclisatic Chaplaincy Endorsement from the Assembly of God in January of 2022.
Pastor James has been the Town of Saugerties Police Chaplain since 2020. He also serves on the Hudson Valley Leadership Committee with Assemblies of God, the Assembly of God Chaplain Association from Assembly of God, the International Conference of Police Chaplains, and the National Black Chaplain Association.
Pastor James did his basic training for the Army at Fort Dixon, NJ and enlisted at West Point. He’s been a Licensed Practicing Nurse (LPN) for over 20 years, including 15 as a Hospice nurse and currently as a cardiac nurse.
Pastor James has a real passion for the Lord and is full of the Holy Spirit. He’s active and well-regarded in the greater Saugerties community. He and his wife Billie are an incredible team in ministry together. They are active with all aspects of our youth programs, from nursery to KidZone, to Girls Ministry and Youth Group. They collectively counsel couples and individuals and often make home and hospital visits together.
Should he win the congregational vote, Pastor James will decide, in collaboration with the Church Council, which roles he will continue with as Lead Pastor.
We will hold a special business meeting after service on Sunday, June 9. It is extremely important that all voting members, of which we currently have 40, are in attendance. The day before on Saturday, June 8, we will have a fellowship gathering where members are encouraged to attend and will have an opportunity to ask Pastor James and Billie questions to help inform their vote the next day. We’ll share more information about that in the coming weeks as plans are solidified. For now, please save the date for June 9 after service for our special business meeting. We are required to have a quorum for attendance, which is ⅓ of the total members. For Pastor James to be officially appointed as Lead Pastor, two-thirds of the votes of those in attendance will need to be in favor of him. Pastor Chris Delmadge from the New York Ministry Network Superintendent’s office will lead that brief meeting and vote.
It has been a great honor and privilege for all seven of us to serve on the Pastoral Search Committee. We’ve greatly appreciated the support and prayers of our family and our church family during this time.
God Bless,
The Church Council
Rachel Senor, Secretary, Interim Chairperson
Jeannie Bach, Treasurer
Ruben Haro Montelongo
Jill Hummer
James Kimberly
Melissa Lasher
Joel Panthappattu
Posted in Lead Pastor Search