Reflecting on my first few weeks at Immanuel, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. You have welcomed our family with open arms, and it especially brings me so much joy to see how comfortable and exuberant Franklin feels in his new church home. From helping unpack boxes to caring for Franklin when he was off school and all the many other ways you have supported us in this transition, I can never fully express the gratitude I feel for each of you. Thank you for making us feel right at home among you!

As I’ve said in worship, I encourage you to reach out to me and allow me the opportunity to get to know you. I know we’ve also had a bit of strange start with the COVID spread derailing us a little, but I would be thrilled to have a chance to meet with you in person, by phone, via facebook, or in whatever other way I might be able to get to know each of you better and learn more about IBC. Please contact me at the church office or via email at revemilyholladay@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!

Perhaps the biggest “elephant in the room” as I start my ministry at Immanuel is that I am pregnant! So, we’ll have another interruption to our beginning together, as I begin my maternity leave when the baby arrives. I will send out more information in the coming weeks, as I am sure you have many questions, but the most important things to note are: My leave will begin on or before October 8, when Dr. Laura Levens from BSK will be our guest preacher. The leave will last 12 weeks, and during that time, Dr. Chris Caldwell will be the primary guest pastor. Chris retired as pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in 2017, and currently serves as chair of the Religion Department at Simmons College of Kentucky. He is one of my favorite preachers, so I know you will be in good hands.

Look out for more information to come! And feel free to reach out until then if you have any questions or feedback that would be helpful for me as I attempt to learn more about IBC.

– Pastor Emily