Dear Resurrection Family,
I am writing to share an update from our RezKids ministry. Children’s Pastor Matt Prechter has accepted a position with L’Arche Chicago, a nonprofit that creates integrated homes and places of belonging for adults with intellectual disabilities. He will remain as Children’s Pastor through the end of October.
We are thankful for Matt’s contributions to our congregation over the last five years. After completing a residency in RezYouth in 2020, he served in ministry to our elementary children through 2022. He has led RezKids as Children’s Pastor since 2023.
Matt has served our children, volunteers, and families with great oversight, creativity, and faithfulness. We are especially grateful for how he integrated our children with special needs into RezKids in partnership with THRIVE. Matt also reinstated our summer Vacation Bible School in 2023, which discipled more than 80 elementary kids this past summer. He has shepherded our children and led our volunteers well.
A word from Matt:
“I will always be thankful that my first ‘congregation’ was children because of the manifold ways I’ve encountered Jesus through their questions, worship, prayer, and wonder. I want to express my gratitude to parents for the honor of shepherding their children, to our THRIVE families for teaching me what it means to invite everyone into the Church, and to the 100-plus adult and youth volunteers who help us to ‘do all in our power to support these children in their life in Christ,’ per our baptismal vows.”
Through this transition, RezKids ministry will continue its mission of helping children to grow into a transforming relationship with Jesus and his Church.
- Our Discipleship Pastor, Deacon Margie Fawcett, will supervise the Children’s Director and volunteers, providing stability and continuity. She previously served our congregation as Children and Family Pastor from 1996 to 2002.
- Christina Westberg will continue as our full-time Children’s Director. She has served our families and children faithfully since 2020.
- Trained lay leaders will carry on shepherding and teaching our children.
As we prepare to seek a new Children’s Pastor, we hope to bring on a part-time, temporary assistant for RezKids. If you’re interested, please email Personnel Director LisanneSeymour@churchrez.org. [Oct 16 Update: Former Children’s Pastor Sarah Graham has accepted the temporary position of Interim Children’s Manager effective immediately.]
We hope you’ll join us in expressing our gratitude and blessing Matt in this new chapter of ministry. Please keep him, his wife Christina, and their children in your prayers as he transitions to L’Arche Chicago.
Warmly,
Fr. Matt Woodley
Interim Dean