 Dear Central Christian Church,
It has been less than two months since I started working and worshiping here, and yet I feel like I have found a home and a family in the people of Central. For this reason, and many others, it is extremely difficult for me to tell you all that I have to leave Central, Dallas, and the XPLOR program. A lot of time, prayer, and discernment has gone into this decision and trust me when I say it was not an easy one to make. The short answer to the question "why?" is that my family back home needs me right now. They have been struggling financially and with mental and physical health problems since before I left for the program in August. But now those problems are escalating and I have been feeling a tugging at my heart that I need to be there to support them as they have supported me my entire life. While I am going to help my family in Tucson, I truly do feel as if I am leaving behind a family here in Dallas. In such a short time you all have touched a placed in my heart that will leave a lasting memory forever. You have shown me the true meaning of unconditional love and hospitality. You have shown me what doing Church outside of the walls of a sanctuary truly looks like. You have helped me learn about my calling and what my next steps may look like to further my own understanding of what Ministry can be. Every single person here has greeted me with open arms and has made me feel a true sense of belonging, and that is not always something that is easy to find. So for all of these things that you have done for me and all of the things that I have not mentioned here I want to say thank you. Those two small words do not feel powerful enough to really show the gratitude I have for all you have done, but they will have to do for now. I want to leave you with a few wishes that I have for Central. I hope that you continue to throw your doors wide open to the lost and broken. I hope that you find yourselves wandering out of those doors more frequently and in larger quantities to experience God's transforming love with your neighbors. I pray that God will continue to wrap God's arms around this space and all of the people that inhabit it and the work that is being done. I truly wish that more people will experience the amazing thing that you have going for you all here at Central. In the short time I have been here, I have seen such a true sense of mission and God's love in the leadership and direction of this Church. If I can discover so much in the short chapter I have been here, I can't imagine what is to be discovered in the rest of the book that is Central Christian Church. As for me, I ask that you keep me and my family in your prayers through this difficult time. I also ask that you keep my housemates, Erin, Myma, and Neo in prayer as they move into a new phase of their lives here in Dallas without me. I will try to find you all on Facebook and if you feel so inclined to add me back I would love that. I would love to stay in touch with each and every person here at Central who has made such a huge impact on my life. I promise to keep Central and all of its ministries and people in my prayers. I hope that our paths will cross in the future and if I am ever in Dallas I will make sure to stop in and say hello. Many blessings and best wishes, Stephanie Sager
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