Pastor's Letter

Dear friends,

It is an honor to be a new part of the Onaway and Millersburg community! For those of you whom I haven't yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is Corin McDonald, and I am the new Pastor here for Onaway and Millersburg UMCs. I graduated this last December with my M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, with a certificate in Pastoral Care. I have been so honored to be a part of these congregations for these last few months, and for those of you who I've had a chance to meet, it's my hope and prayer that I've been able to be a blessing.

I have a heart and passion for preaching and discipleship, and for helping to equip everyday people with the knowledge of how to read and understand scripture. I view a significant portion of my job to be about acting as a resource for my community; so I hope that if you have questions about the Bible, about theology, or just about church in general, that you'll reach out. One of my greatest joys as a pastor is helping others to connect more with God, and to have those "ah-ha!" moments where something finally clicks.

It's my personal mission as a pastor to help ensure that all persons have an opportunity to encounter God through worship and the sacraments. If you've been looking for a place to learn more about the Christian faith, to grow in your faith, or to learn more about the nature and character of God, I hope that you will join us in Sunday service, and that it the Word of God would speak to you in whatever place you may be in your life. You're always welcome; even if you're a skeptic, have reservations, or don't have everything perfectly together in your life (after all, who does?). This is part of what it means to have "Open hearts, open minds, and open doors"; no matter where you are at in life, God loves you, and I hope that you'll feel at home in our congregation.

I pray that God will richly bless Onaway and Millersburg during the time that we have together, and I hope that we will be a unified body in mission and service to our community as we seek to both love God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If there is any way that I, or the church, can be of service, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm excited to see all the ways that God will continue to be at work here in the Onaway/Millersburg community, and I hope that you will be, too.

Peace be with you through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 - Pastor Corin McDonald