Farewell & New Beginnings
Goodbyes & See you laters
Faith and I are embarking on a new chapter in our lives – we moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico this October.
Ten years ago, we took a leap of faith and became youth pastors at New Life Church here in Santa Barbara. We arrived with dreams, visions, and a burning desire to make a positive impact. Looking back, it's clear God had even more in store for us than we could have imagined (Galatians 3:20).
The relationships we've built here are truly special and will forever hold a cherished place in our hearts. The ministry experience has been incredibly rich and rewarding, and our passion for serving God's people has only grown stronger.
For the past four years, serving as Associate Pastor has solidified a calling I've felt for a while: church planting. Initially, I wrestled with this – who wants to start from scratch, right? But God's nudge on my heart wouldn't go away. After a period of discernment, we finally stepped out in faith in 2023. Sharing this call with our senior pastor was met with nothing but love and support, which was a huge encouragement.
This move is bittersweet. We'll deeply miss our incredible church family, the friends who have been by our side through thick and thin, and the people our children have grown to love as family. Yet, the call to plant a church and follow God's leading is undeniable.
So, where are we headed? Las Cruces, New Mexico! This charming city sits in the southwest corner of my home state. When are we leaving? We'll be there by late October.
In the meantime, we're honored to be serving as Interim Lead Pastors at New Life Church while our Senior Pastors are on a well-deserved sabbatical.
We'll keep you updated as things progress and share ways to stay connected and support God's vision for us in New Mexico. It's been amazing to see His favor already at work – at our recent Foursquare Annual Convention (Connection 2024), we met with ministers actively serving God in Las Cruces!
We're excited for this new adventure and can't wait to see what God has in store. Blessings to you all,
Fernando & Faith Morales
Pastors / Leaders / Creatives
