by Chris Sierp
Angie and I first heard about Preston Trail when we attended a wedding that Pastor Jim officiated. A few years later, when we were looking for a new church home, we decided to visit. That was around 2017. When we visited, we immediately felt welcomed.
Neither of us were consistently raised in a church. We were “that couple” who rarely attended and squeaked in just before, or after, service started. Once inside the Worship Center, we would sit in the uppermost areas, far away from being noticed. Then, in 2020, Covid hit. So, we did what many others did and watched service virtually.
Thankfully, normalcy began to creep back into everyone’s lives and things began to open, including Preston Trail. After attending the outdoor service in September of 2020, we decided to help with the outdoor Christmas service later that year. All we did was smile through our masks as we served hot chocolate & coffee. And we connected with some amazing people. (Brooke, Staci, Julia to name a few.) Everyone was just so welcoming, real, and authentic.
We didn’t realize, until later, that by saying yes to serve that Christmas, our journey had started. Why? Because later that day, Angie came up to me and said, “we are going to sign-up for Rooted.” My reply… “OK, but what is Rooted?”
That YES was one of the most important and impactful yeses in our lives.
We went through Rooted in early 2021. For us, Rooted was indeed a catalyst for life change. We dove into scripture like I never had before. We leaned into the seven rhythms that Rooted teaches, we all shared our life stories, and we served, as a group, in the community. Our group was incredible, most we would have never met or connected with outside of Rooted. Angie was baptized at the end of that semester by our facilitator. Pure joy.
After finishing Rooted, we found homes on two serve teams, Angie with Early Childhood (which is another amazing story by itself) and I joined the Welcome Team. We were indeed changed people. We were new.
We then said yes to facilitating a Rooted Couples Group in the fall of 2021. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were all in!
We met another awesome group of people through that semester of Rooted. A few months later, we then said yes, again, to being Rooted coaches. Since then, we have helped lead facilitator trainings & huddles and communicated with the leaders each semester. Another yes – and another amazing group of people we met at Preston Trail.
So, just a few years removed from being a couple who, upon arriving, would make our way to the upper sections at church, never meeting anyone or serving anywhere - we were in two small groups, serving in two areas of the church, and were Rooted coaches.
It was unbelievable how far we had come. Or was it?
At the end of our last semester of Rooted this spring, I heard about a new staff role leading couples’ and Rooted groups. Rooted literally changed our lives, so I was immediately interested. I just didn’t think I would ever be considered. Why would I be?
I am not a pastor. I have never worked at a church. I certainly don’t have a seminary degree. No way would I be a good fit, right? Well, a few months later, here I am. A certainly imperfect person and career technology salesperson, on staff, at the church home we adore, working with couples’ groups and the Rooted ministry that changed our lives three years ago. Three years ago.
How does that happen?
There is one answer. God.
God has connected every path, person, and possibility in our lives.
God introduced me to my friend almost 20 years ago who, years later, indirectly introduced us to Preston Trail.
God nudged us to visit this church years later and then to begin our serve journey. He introduced us to some of the most real, authentic, and welcoming people we’ve ever known. God put us in our Rooted group, led us to facilitate, coach, and serve.
Then, and I still tear up saying or thinking about it, God put me in the view of friends on staff that would be willing to consider me. Me, a sales guy, with a messy story and no vocational ministry experience, for such an incredible role.
It’s almost too much to fathom. But it is real and here I am.
I am forever grateful for our God for putting me in the position I am in today.
So, if you see me smiling with tears in my eyes, you’ll know why.
Thank you, Lord!
Neither of us were consistently raised in a church. We were “that couple” who rarely attended and squeaked in just before, or after, service started. Once inside the Worship Center, we would sit in the uppermost areas, far away from being noticed. Then, in 2020, Covid hit. So, we did what many others did and watched service virtually.
Thankfully, normalcy began to creep back into everyone’s lives and things began to open, including Preston Trail. After attending the outdoor service in September of 2020, we decided to help with the outdoor Christmas service later that year. All we did was smile through our masks as we served hot chocolate & coffee. And we connected with some amazing people. (Brooke, Staci, Julia to name a few.) Everyone was just so welcoming, real, and authentic.
We didn’t realize, until later, that by saying yes to serve that Christmas, our journey had started. Why? Because later that day, Angie came up to me and said, “we are going to sign-up for Rooted.” My reply… “OK, but what is Rooted?”
That YES was one of the most important and impactful yeses in our lives.
We went through Rooted in early 2021. For us, Rooted was indeed a catalyst for life change. We dove into scripture like I never had before. We leaned into the seven rhythms that Rooted teaches, we all shared our life stories, and we served, as a group, in the community. Our group was incredible, most we would have never met or connected with outside of Rooted. Angie was baptized at the end of that semester by our facilitator. Pure joy.
After finishing Rooted, we found homes on two serve teams, Angie with Early Childhood (which is another amazing story by itself) and I joined the Welcome Team. We were indeed changed people. We were new.
We then said yes to facilitating a Rooted Couples Group in the fall of 2021. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were all in!
We met another awesome group of people through that semester of Rooted. A few months later, we then said yes, again, to being Rooted coaches. Since then, we have helped lead facilitator trainings & huddles and communicated with the leaders each semester. Another yes – and another amazing group of people we met at Preston Trail.
So, just a few years removed from being a couple who, upon arriving, would make our way to the upper sections at church, never meeting anyone or serving anywhere - we were in two small groups, serving in two areas of the church, and were Rooted coaches.
It was unbelievable how far we had come. Or was it?
At the end of our last semester of Rooted this spring, I heard about a new staff role leading couples’ and Rooted groups. Rooted literally changed our lives, so I was immediately interested. I just didn’t think I would ever be considered. Why would I be?
I am not a pastor. I have never worked at a church. I certainly don’t have a seminary degree. No way would I be a good fit, right? Well, a few months later, here I am. A certainly imperfect person and career technology salesperson, on staff, at the church home we adore, working with couples’ groups and the Rooted ministry that changed our lives three years ago. Three years ago.
How does that happen?
There is one answer. God.
God has connected every path, person, and possibility in our lives.
God introduced me to my friend almost 20 years ago who, years later, indirectly introduced us to Preston Trail.
God nudged us to visit this church years later and then to begin our serve journey. He introduced us to some of the most real, authentic, and welcoming people we’ve ever known. God put us in our Rooted group, led us to facilitate, coach, and serve.
Then, and I still tear up saying or thinking about it, God put me in the view of friends on staff that would be willing to consider me. Me, a sales guy, with a messy story and no vocational ministry experience, for such an incredible role.
It’s almost too much to fathom. But it is real and here I am.
I am forever grateful for our God for putting me in the position I am in today.
So, if you see me smiling with tears in my eyes, you’ll know why.
Thank you, Lord!
Learn more about Rooted at prestontrail.org/rooted