Three Passions in Ministry

by Moderator Ed Brandt

Grace and Peace to you from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Church action is found at the Presbytery and local church levels. Please accept my deepest and thanks and gratitude for being asked to and elected to serve as Moderator for Peace River Presbytery for 2025. My heat is full of gratitude for Laurie Haas for her leadership and passion for service as Moderator for 2024.

There are three deep passions that are part of my approach to ministry.

First, I am passionate about “Living out the Call.” Each Teaching Elder and Ruling Elder are encouraged to deepen, explore, and ultimately live out their calling by God to serve the Lord’s church with intelligence, imagination and love. The world hungers for hope and a voice of reconciliation in world where the sense of community is fraying. Live out the call!

Second, I am passionate about preaching. People attend worship, or log online, searching for a message that lifts spirits and provides guidance along a pathway to living cluttered with signs, slogans, and 15-second sound bites. The responsibility to preach with passion, commitment, and love is such a tremendous honor and for God us work through us in such a holy is truly humbling.

Finally, I am passionate about New Church Development. Southwest Florida is growing and expanding in ways that are challenging developers, county planners, and the Florida Department of Transportation. Churches with AV capability are encouraged to establish remote locations via a Youtube to a Smart TV. Others with such a passion may explore renting facilities to work on outreach and growth in other areas. These are exciting times in Southwest Florida and the message of the church is one of hope and love that should drive each of us to see how that message can delivered with all the incredible technology available to us!

Melana Scruggs and Randy Moody are such a valuable part of Peace River’s Team. Please uphold them in prayer as they serve the churches, the PCUSA, and work with Clergy and Elders to make Peace River a dynamic and growing Presbytery!

If you are a Teaching Elder, please consider making an initial pledge to the Presbytery of Peace River for 2025. Clergy are members of the Presbytery and all of us rely on the work of Melana and Randy in good times and bad!!!  Please prayerfully support your church!

I remain a Servant of Christ…..