Church Staff Updates
May 2026
Thanksgiving Family,
Keeping in rhythm with this month of transitions, like the shift from school year to summer and graduations, we have a few important church staff updates to share with you. We are celebrating some of our staff who served faithfully and welcoming two new team members to support ministry.
Celebrating Faithful Service
First, we congratulate Harold Carlson on his official retirement from Thanksgiving Church, which was effective April 30th. Our gratitude to Harold and Nancy for 22 years of incredible service and leadership is greater than can be expressed in words.
Harold has been a faithful guiding light, and his bedrock influence on Thanksgiving will continue for many years to come. We wish Harold and Nancy a happy and healthy retirement, and we’re excited that they’ll continue right on worshipping and serving with us as part of the Thanksgiving family.
Click here to read a personal message from Harold.
While it may come as surprising news to some, it has been no secret that Kristi Waszak had a specific timeframe in mind when she accepted the Staff Director role two years ago. And now, that time has come. Kristi will be stepping away from a full-time staff position effective May 15th.
We’re thankful to the Lord for the abundance of blessings Kristi brought to Thanksgiving through her unique gifts and abilities to lead, to inspire, to rally the troops, and simply make others feel special and know they’re loved. It’s hard to say goodbye to such a one-of-a-kind leader, so we’re glad to know it’s really more like “see you soon”. While she may not be in the office every day, she and Matt will keep their light shining bright at Thanksgiving until things are aligned for their planned move to the East Coast. Their faith journey is a testament to the growth and change that life brings, and we support them wholeheartedly in this new chapter. You can read all about it in this letter from Kristi.
There are no plans to directly replace either of these specific staff roles since these responsibilities have been realigned among other existing roles, such as the new Executive Director role (Jim Taylor), and other adjustments communicated previously. Many functions going forward will be carried out by high-capacity volunteers and interns. Our church leadership will continue to evaluate the staffing structure to ensure that we continue to meet our goals and continue to grow in alignment with our mission and vision.
Welcome to the Team
With two names coming off the staff roster, we’re excited to report that two new names are being added! These two passionate new ministry leaders will both be serving within our NextGen ministry. This is exciting news as we look to engage the next generation with the knowledge of their identity in Christ and equip them for life-long discipleship.
First, we are thrilled to welcome Baylie Nielsen as our new Children’s Ministry Resident, beginning May 15th.
The residency is not a traditional staff position. It is a 2-year program designed to help raise up and equip future ministry leaders through hands-on ministry experience, mentoring, leadership development, and practical training. Baylie will serve alongside our Children’s Ministry team while continuing to grow as a leader and disciple-maker.
We are especially excited about Baylie because of her heart for kids, her love for Jesus, and the way she naturally connects with families and volunteers. She brings experience working with children, a servant-hearted attitude, strong relational skills, and a desire to help kids grow in their faith. We are grateful for the gifts and energy she will bring to our ministry.
We are also excited to welcome Jane Williams as our new NextGen Director, beginning June 1st.
Jane’s role will primarily focus on Sr High Ministry while also helping support other NextGen ministry areas. We are incredibly excited to have Jane join the team because of her passion for students, leadership experience, relational gifts, and heart for helping the next generation follow Jesus.
She brings energy, vision, and a deep desire to help students grow in authentic faith and community. We believe she will be a tremendous encouragement to our students, families, volunteers, and staff team.
We are thankful for the ways God continues to provide leaders who will invest in the next generation and help people grow in faith together.
Please join us in praying for Harold and Kristi and their families as they enter new seasons of life, and for Baylie and Jane as they prepare to step into their new ministry roles. When you see them in the coming weeks, be sure to give them a warm Thanksgiving greeting!
Pastor David Pastor PJ
Lead Paster NextGen Pastor