After eight years of sacrificial service and dedicated leadership, Art Sheridan has discerned that the time has come to step down as administrator of the Partnership in Mission. Art has helped oversee the expansion of our work to a multi-nation ministry and has helped equip and send hundreds of missioners into the field.

We thank Art for his faithfulness and pray God's richest blessing as he moves forth to answer God's new call.

Art shares his parting words below.

In Christ,

Tom Garlitz

This Is Not Farewell - Rather - Until Our Paths Cross Again

This was a difficult piece to write to you! For a year I have prayed and reflected on a stirring within me to answer a call to live the Gospel message as a servant to others, and in April I decided to "retire" as Partnership in Mission Administrator. This is a very difficult time for me as I begin my transition which is essentially leaving family to become part of a different family in a new ministry.

In 1997 I answered a stirring within me and travelled to Sucre, Bolivia and at the young age of 54 was in the back of a pickup truck with Bruce going to build bathrooms! It was the "retreat" that changed my life.

After many return missions to Sucre I left the corporate world in 2003 to answer Tom Garlitz's call to become the Missions Administrator for Partnership in Mission. And with trust in God and the nudging of the Spirit and the unbelievable response from you - Partnership in Mission reached out to Quito, Ecuador, Naivasha, Kenya, Bacolod and Borongan, Philippines, the Navajo Reservation, and domestic National Disaster Service.

I am now called to live out a Henri Nouwen daily reflection - "We have to keep asking God to help us see clearly what our call is and to give us the strength to live out that call with trust". As I write to you I am filled with emotion. I remember the words from a Faith Promise dinner speaker, David Justin, "Mission will break your heart and ruin your life forever". That speaks to the work that still needs to be done, but for me it also speaks of the relationships that were formed. I am reminded of a line from the "The Servant Song" - "We are pilgrims on a journey, we are travelers on the road; we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load". We came together as strangers to serve the poor and marginalized and became fast friends! We developed close and loving relationships - sometimes as close as our families. We celebrate when we come together for mission or socially, and we miss one another when our paths lead us in different ways. Many times I thanked God for your gifts - "We are all teachers, we are all students, we all have something to give and we all have something to learn".  What is the phrase - thank you trusted and faithful servant - you (we) have done well.

My departure as administrator will also be a journey as we make the transition through September. I will be part of the Kenya mission helping to orient and support the new mission adminstrator.  Missioner Norma Arias asked me if I would participate on another mission as a team member. I said if I get all the paperwork in and the selection team chooses to accept me, then yes. I am not leaving the family!

Don Headley shared that the Mayan believe  that time creates the world and so as time continues - so does creation - there are new realities. Things will continue to change - there will always be a new reality for us to live through. Hence our prayer is: -

We pray for the acceptance of the new reality that God puts before me (us) today.

With love and peace,

Art