Dear First Pres Family,
It is with joy and sorrow that I tell you that I have been offered and accepted a position back in my home state of Michigan. I will be working throughout the school year at a church in Detroit and then in the summers will be working at the camp associated with that church. That camp happens to be the same camp I worked at for seven summers throughout the aughts. This has been a dream of mine to work as the program director full time at Camp Westminster for several years and now that dream is becoming a reality! So, that is the joy.
The sorrow is obviously leaving you all. It has been my deepest delight
to walk with you all for the past decade. I have made more meaningful connections than I can count, grown in ways I couldn’t have dreamed of when I started, and created memories that will never fade, even if I wanted them too (I’m looking at you 24-hour bus ride through Peru’s mountains while deathly ill).
When I started this job, I wanted to stay for four years to see my freshmen graduate. I’ve now seen those who were in 3rd grade when I arrived graduate, and what a blessing to see so many amazing children and youth come through this church and go on to amazing things, as spectacular people.
As we know from Ecclesiastes everything has its season. I am thankful for my season here, and thankful for everyone who welcomed me, embraced me, laughed with me, cried with me, confided in me, picked me up when I was down, allowed me to help them up when they were down, taught me, allowed me to teach them, heard me, saw me, grew with me, supported me, challenged me, and allowed me to walk this path. There are not enough words for me to express how thankful I am to all of you for the past 10 years. It both feels like a lifetime and the blink of an eye.
To all of my youth throughout the years:
Keep being the amazing, inspirational people that you are, as you grow and learn and completely change this world for the better! Know that you are deeply and completely loved, just as you are. Always remember to leave things better than you found them and above all (to steal from one of the greatest teachers I know) love one another, even when it’s hard.
To the parents of all of my youth throughout the years:
They are who they are because of who you are. You should be endlessly proud of that.
Again, thank you all so much for everything. I cannot express how much this place has altered my life for the better. I will miss you all and this place will always have a piece of my heart.
Forever your brother in Christ,
TC Anderson
