Beloved family of Quest: A Community of Grace,
I’ve long known this day would come: the day when I would have to write a letter with this news. It was never a matter of if. It was always a matter of when. When I took my vows to become an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, I promised to go where God, through the authority and role of my bishop, sends me. Today in worship, Loren Sanders (the chair of our Staff Parish team), informed the congregation that Bishop Frank Beard has appointed me to be the next Lead Pastor at Troy United Methodist Church in Troy, Illinois, effective on July 1, 2017.
Troy UMC is a fantastic church that has made a great impact in people’s lives for the Kingdom of God. After meeting with their leadership on Thursday night this week, Amy Jo and I are confident that this is God’s call on us even though we didn’t ask to be moved. We really just wish we could take each of you with us on this next leg of our journey. Our hearts are filled with so many emotions and I’m sure it will feel like a roller coaster over the next few months. We are trusting in God to not only meet our needs, but also to meet Quest’s needs.
It was 14 years ago this weekend, on Valentines Day of 2003, when I was first appointed to start a new church in the Champaign-Urbana area. I still remember the feeling of complete exhilaration and tremendous anxiety as we stepped into the unknown. Starting a new church is risky business. In the United States, 40% don’t make it past their first birthday. Eighty percent don’t make it to their fifth birthday. And of the 20% that make it that far, only 20% make it to their tenth birthday. That’s right. Of all the new churches started, only 4% survive beyond ten years. But Quest not only survived, Quest thrived and is now even stronger since becoming Quest: A Community of Grace. Our church is perfectly positioned to make an even greater Kingdom impact in the years and decades to come. All I ever wanted to do was be faithful to God’s call to love Jesus and point people to him. I can rest well knowing that for the last 14 years, we’ve done that together.
So what happens between now and my last Sunday at Quest: A Community of Grace (Memorial Day Sunday, May 28th)? Together with the staff and the leadership of the church, I will be working diligently to hand over the reigns to whomever God, through our bishop, appoints as the next Lead Pastor of this amazing church. I invite you to begin praying now for whomever that may be. I anticipate an announcement sometime in the next several weeks. Of course, Amy Jo, Andrew, Anna and I will have many logistical things to tend to as we prepare to uproot from everything we’ve known for the last fourteen years. We are experiencing all the different emotions that accompany transition and recognize those will be amplified as our move date gets closer. Please pray for us as we pray for you. We love you, our church family, as well as our broader Champaign-Urbana community. We intend to cherish every moment between now and the end of June.
Faithfully,
Andy
Pastor Andy Adams 
Welcome to the neighborhood Andy! Excited to have you come to Troy UMC. Blessings, Larry
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I love that we’ll be closer to you and your great team at Christ Church, Larry!
Congratulations Andy!! A mixed bag of news for all involved! Know that we understand much of what you will go through in the coming months – and are available any time you guys have questions we might be able to answer ( or talk through, or listen while you think it through!). I do find it sad now that we’re finally in the same town again, it’s only lasting a year! We will definitely have to have a couple more pizza dates with the normal fords before you move! Hang in there- we’re excited for you guys, and know that God is in charge and will be with you all the way!
Love, PapaG and MamaC
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Yes, we’ll have to spend some more time together before we move. You’ve been there, done that many times over. We’d love to pick your brain and hear your stories, or just relax and enjoy your company. 😉
one of the most gifted of my peers.
You honor me, Brooks. Pretty sure it’s more than I deserve!
Wow, that certainly was a big surprise! I know that God has a plan for all of us – we never know till it happens as to what the plan is.
I’m so very proud of the godly man you have come to be since we first met. Change is always difficult, but it sure can make us all grow. Will miss seeing you around. I know you will be a huge blessing to your new church “family”. I will pray for you, Amy and the kids, and all those you have blessed so much around here. They will miss you very, very much – as I’m sure you will miss them too.
I wish you much love, happiness, health and success, Andy.