Congratulations to Own Own Martin Leathers // M-Note 5.31.25

I often remind our church that before I decided to become a pastor, I was just a normal person who went to church. I was lucky. The church in which I was raised supported kids, invested in students, and created an environment that helped people connect with God. I was one of those people. Over time, I began to feel a nudge, a sense that perhaps God was calling me to more. I met with a pastor, began volunteering, started to study scripture, and eventually decided to go to seminary. While in school, and afterward, I worked in churches that were patient with me and continued to encourage me. Eventually, I was ordained. While I'd worked hard, I never would have gotten to that milestone without healthy churches that invested in me.

When I started The Gathering, I wanted it to be a place where people were encouraged to pay attention to God’s nudge, and a community that supported those who wanted to grow closer to God. For many of us, that nudge propels us to serve, lead, and get involved in ministry we never thought we would do. One sign of a healthy church is a place where people are growing and listening to God’s voice in their life. Every once in a while, that voice leads to a call to professional ministry. I am proud that over the years, many people have answered a call to ministry here at our church. And I am really excited that next weekend, we will add another person to that list.

As many of you know, Martin Leathers has been the Director of Student Ministry at The Gathering for nearly a decade. During that time, he has impacted the lives of so many of our young people. But alongside his work, he began to answer a call to ministry and embarked on the long process of being ordained in The United Methodist Church. Next weekend is a significant milestone in that journey. At the Annual Conference next Sunday, Martin Leathers will be ordained as a deacon. This is the final step in a long journey, and just the beginning of a new stage of his ministry.

Martin has such gifts for ministry, has already impacted the lives of so many, and has worked hard to get to this point. While his work here will continue (yes, he is staying at The Gathering working with students), this milestone is a significant personal accomplishment, as well as a celebration for our entire church.

So if you know Martin, or have been impacted by his ministry, I hope you will join me in congratulating him. You can write him a note here. I want to thank you for being a church where so many people are hearing and following the call of God in their lives.

Peace,
Matt

P.S. This weekend I will continue our series "Multiply." I will talk about the difference between being a “watcher” and “doer”! I think it is an important message for all of us to hear. Additionally, we will have a chance as a church to pray for Pastors Morgan, Ryan, and Aaron as they all begin to answer a call to start new ministries. I hope you will make time to be in worship!