New Senior Pastor Selected!

This past Sabbath, April 19, Pastor Chris Buttery was officially presented to our congregation as the new Senior Pastor for Sacramento Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. Four months of deliberation between our Church Board and the Northern California Conference finally brought us all to this meaningful and happy moment!

Elder Ed Fargusson, Conference Vice President, lead Pastor Chris and his wife Jennifer onto the podium to break the long awaited news, which was enthusiastically received by our members. In response to Elder Fargusson’s dedicatory prayer, Pastor Chris said the following as he commenced his first sermon as Central’s new Senior Pastor:

“Jennifer and I are very honored to take the helm here as the lead pastor for Sacramento Central. When we came here a year and a half ago we came because we knew God had called us here. We came here very happy to be a part of the team never thinking we would be here accepting and having accepted the senior pastor position. We do consider this be a high honor and a privilege.

We realize that there are some big shoes to fill (both literally and figuratively!). Pastor Doug has been a huge blessing to Sacramento Central and the surrounding community. He has led this church in a very powerful way. Admittedly it’s somewhat foreboding to be following in his steps. We recognize the huge responsibility that rests upon us. However we know God will help us as we trust in Him and put our best foot forward.

As a pastoral team we plan to walk in the humble footsteps of Jesus. We plan to minister to His congregation and the surrounding community that this church has been given spiritual watch care over. We plan to lead His people into ministry and evangelism, and to continue the good work that has been happening here.

We are excited about the potential and possibility of the work that is still to be done and is going to be done here at Sacramento Central. We have a lot to do before Jesus comes back which means we need to pull together and forge ahead in the proclamation of the three-angels messages in the exciting recognition that Jesus is coming back again soon.

There are certainly some housekeeping items we need to take care of right away. There are a couple of pastoral positions we need to fill right away – another associate and a youth/young adult pastor. We’ll be working toward that and ask that you continue to pray as we seek to get these positions filled as soon as possible.

And of course we know, and we’re not exactly sure when, but Granite Bay will be opening up their new interim facility which means the Amazing Facts media team and equipment will be moving out of Central. It’s our intention, and it’s obviously yours to continue a vibrant media ministry here at Central. Our Media Study Committee has started the ball rolling and soon we’ll have some important decisions to make that will ultimately require the church’s support if we want to see it become a reality. While there are many different mediums to share the gospel with our community and the world, media is definitely one. We also have an online membership and viewership that we need to continue to nurture and strengthen.

We have a lot to do right now, but we are excited to see how God is going to lead us as we enter a new phase, a new chapter in our history here at Sacramento Central. I like to think that we are continuing on where we left off, forging ahead together, and hastening Jesus return.

Jen and I know that you’ll be praying for us as we pray for you. We’re looking forward to this new journey together. God bless you. We have an exciting future ahead of us. Can’t wait to see what God’s got planned for each one of us!”

We welcome Pastor Chris to his new responsibility and ask that God will continually bless, direct, and strengthen him. We also ask God’s blessing on his wife and children and pray that Heaven’s protection will always be theirs. Welcome Pastor Chris. We are joyful that God’s providence has brought you here to lead and direct in the mission of our beloved church. – Pastor Mike Thompson