07/01/2025
Dear Beloved Members and Friends of First United Methodist Church of San Gabriel,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As I prepare to transition into a new appointment, my heart is filled with deep gratitude and love for each of you. Serving as your pastor has been one of the greatest privileges of my calling. Thank you for welcoming me into your church family and entrusting me with the sacred journey of walking together in faith, worship, service, and love.
Over the years, we have prayed, laughed, cried, struggled, and grown together. We have shared holy moments, in worship, around the communion table, in meetings, at potlucks, during funerals, and in quiet conversations that reminded us of God’s presence among us. You have shown me what it means to be a community grounded in grace, resilient in hope, and committed to justice and compassion.
Thank you for your patience when I didn’t always get things right, for your encouragement when the road was hard, and for your trust as we followed Christ’s lead into new and faithful ways of being the church. Thank you for your generosity in spirit, and your deep love for one another and for your neighbors.
Though I am called to serve in a new place, please know that I carry you with me in heart and prayer. The seeds of faith that we planted together will continue to grow, nurtured by your faithfulness and God’s ever-present Spirit. I have no doubt that God is not finished with this church, that there is still much ministry ahead and a future full of promise.
I leave with a heart full of love and a spirit at peace, knowing that God, who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion. May your next season be one of renewed purpose, strong leadership, and surprising joy.
Please continue to care for one another, to welcome the stranger, to stand for what is right, and to trust that Christ walks with you, always.
In His Service,
Pastor Nesi
