Update - December 8, 2024

Dear Friends of Avon Lake United Church of Christ,

I hope this message finds you well! The Search Committee is thrilled to present Reverend Mark Pettis for your consideration as our next Senior Pastor. Pastor Mark brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to faith that we believe will greatly benefit our congregation.

Having grown up as the son of two UCC ministers, Pastor Mark has been immersed in the church environment his entire life. His own calling to ministry came more than a decade after he graduated from college, following a career in government. It was through his work with congregations that he discovered his vocation, particularly focusing on how faith shapes our understanding of the issues facing our nation and the world. Pastor Mark is passionate about helping congregations discern God's calling and guiding them on their faith journeys.

Pastor Mark has served congregations in Minnesota and California, and in California he followed a pastor with a longer tenure than Pastor Kelly’s.  Most recently, he has been involved at the national level with the United Church of Christ National Ministries as the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Minister. In this role, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to foster dialogue and build relationships across different faith traditions. One of his colleagues noted that Pastor Mark is particularly gifted at creating dialogue and 'common cause' where perhaps none has been seen before. Whether in conflicted board meetings or reaching across denominational aisles, Mark has shown significant success in building deep relationships.

Academically, Pastor Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Pomona College in California and a Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry degree with New Brunswick Theological Seminary. His notable achievements include leading a Courageous Conversations ministry, helping a congregation expand and embrace their Open and Affirming identity, and co-convening the National Jewish-Christian Dialogue Table for the National Council of Churches.

Pastor Mark currently lives in Cleveland with his wife Elena who is also an ordained minister, son Thomas who is ten years old, and basset hound Winston. Thomas keeps them very busy with different sporting events throughout the year. 

The Search Committee is confident that Pastor Mark’s leadership will help Avon Lake United Church of Christ thrive and grow.  After listening to the congregation through the survey, listening to the staff, and many hours of reflection and discernment, we believe we are putting forward an outstanding candidate to be our next senior pastor.  We believe that the synergy between Pastor Mark's vision and the gifts of our congregation will enable us to achieve great things together and continue our mission of “Growing People to Serve God and Others.” 

Thank you so much for your continued prayers throughout this process and for your unwavering confidence in our committee. We truly appreciate your support. Please keep an eye out for more details regarding a "Candidate Weekend" happening from December 20th through the 22nd. During this time, we will have wonderful opportunities to meet Pastor Mark. Additionally, mark your calendars for December 22nd, as we will have a single service at 10AM. Pastor Mark will deliver the sermon, and following the service, we will hold a congregational meeting to vote on Pastor Mark as our next senior pastor.

Thank you once again for your prayers, support, and participation. We look forward to sharing more details with you soon. 

Warm Wishes,

Mallory

Chair, Search Committee