27/08/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐!
Today, as your church family, we don't simply want to wish you a happy birthday. We want to take a moment to honour ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
At only 38, you have already made an impact on this church that reaches far beyond what can be measured in numbers, sermons, or programmes. You have reminded us that being a pastor isn't about telling people what they want to hear. It is about faithfully pointing people to ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ, even when the road there requires uncomfortable conversations, honest self-examination, repentance and change.
You have taught us that Scripture isn't something we bend to fit what we feel or what we want it to say. You have challenged us to go deeper, to understand God's Word in its proper context, to wrestle with the difficult truths, and to ask what the text actually says rather than simply what we wish it said.
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ.
And perhaps more importantly, you have taught us that biblical truth is not merely something to ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ, but something to ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐.
You don't shy away from the hard truths about sin. You lovingly confront the roots beneath our behaviour and continually point us back to Christ, reminding us that sanctification is a lifelong work.
Week after week, you give us sermons with substance. Not watered-down messages that feel like motivational pep talks and spiritual protein shakes, but ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ.
And sometimes, honestly, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ.
But we know that when you challenge us, it is not because you want to condemn us. It is because you love us enough to tell us the truth, and because your deepest desire is to see each of us become more like Christ.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ.
You are funny. You are relatable. You are honest. You are willing to be vulnerable. You allow us to see that our pastor is not someone standing above us, but a fellow sinner saved by grace, walking alongside us toward Christ.
You make space for people to be real.
And we see that especially in the way you invest in our ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง.
You understand that they are not simply "the church of tomorrow." They are part of the church ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ.
You have chosen to invest your time, energy and heart into the next generation, personally discipling young men and teaching them what it means to follow Christ.
And ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ.
To watch those young men stand before the entire church and speak openly about their struggles, their sin and their faith is something incredibly powerful.
That kind of vulnerability doesn't happen by accident.
It happens when someone has created an environment where young people know they are loved, where truth is spoken, where accountability exists, and where pointing one another back to Jesus matters more than appearances.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ.
And we see it.
But today, we also want to acknowledge something that can so easily go unseen.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ .
Pastor Dane, we know that your calling doesn't only ask something of you. It asks something of ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ง too.
There are sacrifices that your family makes when you give yourself to the service of God's people. There are evenings, weekends, conversations and moments that belong to the church because God has entrusted you with the care of His people.
And while we know that you work hard to protect your marriage, to be present for your daughters and to make your family a priority, we also recognise that ministry carries a weight that sometimes spills over into family life.
So today, ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ง, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ.
Thank you for sharing Dane with us.
Thank you for the sacrifices that are made behind the scenes.
Thank you for supporting him in the calling God has placed on his life.
And Kelly, thank you for standing beside your husband as he gives so much of himself to this church. Your partnership in his calling is part of the story too.
We pray that God will continue to protect the Livesey family, strengthen your marriage, guard your home and give you beautiful moments together that remind you that ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐.
Pastor Dane, we want you to know that ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ .
We know that ministry is not simply standing behind a pulpit on a Sunday morning.
There are conversations, prayers, counselling, preparation, discipleship, difficult decisions, people who need you, people who are hurting, people who need correction, and burdens that you carry that many of us will never even know about.
And yet you continue to show up.
You continue to preach.
You continue to disciple.
You continue to love.
You continue to challenge.
You continue to point us to Jesus.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
Thank you for giving your time.
Thank you for giving your energy.
Thank you for having the difficult conversations.
Thank you for opening God's Word and refusing to compromise its truth.
Thank you for loving people enough to confront sin rather than simply affirming it.
Thank you for reminding us that Christianity isn't about becoming better versions of ourselves, but about becoming more like ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ.
Thank you for reminding us that Jesus is not simply part of our lives.
๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ.
And on the days when ministry feels heavy, when you wonder whether the hours, prayers, sermons, conversations and sacrifices are making a difference, we pray that God will remind you of this:
*โTherefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.โ*
*1 Corinthians 15:58*
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ง.
Every sermon that challenged someone.
Every conversation that brought conviction.
Every prayer whispered over someone's life.
Every young person you invested in.
Every difficult truth you lovingly spoke.
Every person who took one more step toward Jesus because you faithfully pointed them there.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ง.
Paul also reminded Timothy:
*โKeep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this...โ*
*1 Timothy 4:16*
We pray that God continues to guard your heart, strengthen your faith, sharpen your understanding of His Word, and give you endurance to keep doing what He has called you to do.
And may you always remember the words of Hebrews 6:10:
*โFor God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints.โ*
๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ.
He sees the sacrifice.
He sees the late nights.
He sees the prayers.
He sees the preparation.
He sees the tears.
He sees the conversations nobody else knows about.
He sees the love you have for His people.
And He sees the heart behind the work.
So today, Pastor Dane, we pray that your 38th year will not simply be another year of ministry, but a year of ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก, ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ, ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ.
May God protect you from burnout.
May He protect your marriage and your family.
May He give you wisdom when you need to make difficult decisions.
May He give you courage when you need to speak hard truths.
May He give you gentleness when hearts are fragile.
May He give you discernment when things are unclear.
May He keep you humble when ministry bears fruit.
May He keep you faithful when the fruit is difficult to see.
And may He continually remind you that ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐.
*โThe Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped.โ*
_ Psalm 28:7_
Our prayer is that you will continue to run the race with your eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
And when the road is difficult, may you remember that you are surrounded by people whose lives have been changed, challenged and drawn closer to Christ because you were willing to faithfully answer God's call.
Thank you for saying yes to the call.
Thank you for giving us the real thing.
Thank you for feeding us truth when we would sometimes prefer something easier to swallow.
Thank you for reminding us that the goal isn't comfort, but ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ.
And above all, thank you for continually pointing us ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ.
May the Lord bless you, keep you, strengthen you and continue to use you mightily for His Kingdom.
May He bless ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ง for the part they play in the calling He has placed upon your family.
And may you never forget:
*โSo neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.โ*
*1 Corinthians 3:7*
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ.
God's church sees you.
God's church appreciates you.
God's church is grateful for you.
And most importantly,
๐๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐จ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ง.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐.
We love and appreciate you, Kelly, Morgan and Eden, and we pray that the Lord continues to use the Livesey family for His glory for many years to come.
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ.
๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ง.
*โWell done, good and faithful servant.โ*
_ Matthew 25:23_
๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ.
