Keith’s ministry among us has been extraordinary.
Beloved Saguaro,
For 31 years, Keith Koster has shared his extraordinary gifts with Saguaro Christian Church. Across more than three decades, he has helped shape the worship life of this congregation in countless ways. Thirty-one is more than a number. It's thousands of Sundays, rehearsals, choir practices, Christmas Eves, Maundy Thursdays, Good Fridays, funerals, weddings, Easter mornings, celebrations and difficult seasons. It is choosing music for a particular moment, sitting down at the piano or organ, gathering musicians together, and helping a congregation find its voice. It’s living out one's faith in community with others. It’s leading Shelter and Bells and Choir and always remembering who needed a little extra attention. It’s the kindness shared when someone needed a reminder of belovedness. It's ALL of this and SOOOOOO much more. Keith has accompanied us, led us, challenged us creatively, helped us try new things, and provided a steady presence through season after season of Saguaro’s life. Keith’s ministry among us has been extraordinary. His creativity, musicianship, flexibility, faithfulness, and deep love he has for this congregation have left a mark on all of us that will last forever.
As we have shared, Keith is not retiring. He has made the decision to resign from his position at SCC and begin a new chapter. We join in celebrating with him in his decision, but we also acknowledge how deeply he will be missed. His final Sunday serving Saguaro as Director of Worship is August 30. We will share more about that soon.
At our congregational meeting, we shared that a search committee has been formed and is actively working to identify our next Director of Music Ministries. The committee includes: Susan Hicks, Chair, Judy Jahnke, Roma Lamor, Rod Maerker, Kimberly Jeter Hall, Jasper Pontius, Susan Keenan, Rev. Jessica Braxton and Rev. Kelley Dick.
We are grateful for the care, wisdom, and commitment this group is bringing to the process.
Applications are currently being received and will remain open through August 11.
The next person will not be asked to be Keith. They couldn’t be and that wouldn’t be fair. Thirty-one years of relationships, history, trust, creativity, and shared ministry can't simply be replicated. But there are also gifts we have not encountered yet. There are musicians we have not met, songs we have not sung, ideas we have not tried, and ways of worshiping together that have not even occurred to us yet. That's the beauty of Saguaro is that we continue to ebb and flow like water, not static in our response to God, but alive and willing to say yes, however best we can.The Saguaro spirit that called Keith Koster is the same Saguaro spirit present today. Ministry has adapted. Worship has evolved. New ideas have emerged. And through all of it, God continues to show up. We are grateful for where we have been. We are hopeful about where we are going. And we trust that God is already at work in both.
In love and light,
Pastor Kelley