It is with sad and heavy hearts that the Reads begin to say goodbye to Parkside. We have much history here and the Parkside community is a family to us now. It's fitting that the announcement of our leaving comes in February because we were first introduced to Parkside in February 2011, at a Woodland Lakes Valentines Fundraiser. We were hired to put on a concert as part of the evening's entertainment. Later that night, Betty Howell took us aside and mentioned that Parkside was looking to hire a worship minister. Daniel & I were newlyweds at the time, still living in Lexington, KY, and finishing up our Master's degrees. But, graduation was not far off and we were ready to move back home to Cincinnati.
Fast forward to that summer, we bought our first home together in Linwood (with George Madden as our realtor!) and by the Fall we were hired to help lead Parkside in worship. We were fresh faced and excited. Excited to be back home in Cincinnati, excited to meet our (soon-to-be) friends at Parkside, and excited about the future that God was displaying before us.
Of course, nothing in life turns out exactly as one might have pictured it, and drastic changes occurred in Parkside's leadership just a few months after we were hired, but we believed God was at work and stayed on, hopeful that God would still use us under the new and different leadership. Immediately we felt embraced by God's people at Parkside. We made friends that became family, we grew to love the musicians that were already serving in the worship ministry, and we were humbled (A LOT) at all that we didn't know about vocational ministry. It's not been easy but oh, has it been worth it.
Our own family has grown (quintupled actually) in the 7.5 years we've been at Parkside. All 5 of our children have been born in the season we've been serving here. And the love Parkside's people have shown us in that season has been beautiful and Christlike. The baby showers, home-cooked meals, gift cards, presents, hugs, encouraging words, and shared second-hand clothes have become invaluable resources that have blessed us and shown us God's love in incredibly practical ways. In short, we have been well loved by the people of Parkside. Thank you for that. You have earned a place in our hearts and in the stories we will tell our children about the community that loved us so well at the beginning of their lives.
For awhile now, we have been feeling the Holy Spirit stirring in us that the time was coming for our family to pursue another kind of adventure. The decision to leave has been fraught with tears and heartache. We have asked God over and over again to make His directions clear. And he has. And so, in obedience to Christ, we say goodbye to this beautiful Parkside family, trusting that God has great things in store for Parkside just as He has great things in store for the Reads. We still don't know what our new adventure will look like but the time has come for us to go.
We love you Parkside. We're excited for what God has next for you.
Love with all our hearts,
Daniel, Katie, Isaiah, McKenna, Micaiah, Boaz, and Selah
