Hello!

My name is Jonathan Wisdom, and I am so excited to be joining the communities of Ransom and Verona as the pastor.  I would like to take this time to tell everyone a little bit about myself.  I am from Southeast Missouri in a town called Farmington.  I have four sisters in addition to my parents and we are all very active in each other's lives.  Alongside that, I have one niece and four nephews.  And last is the newest addition to my family, Fitz, my four month old Great Dane.

I am currently one semester away from completing my undergraduate degree in Pastoral Ministry from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL.  Alongside the study of the material within my major, I will have also completed my minor in music.  For a long time, music has been a HUGE focus of my life.  Throughout middle school, high school, and my college careers, I have been heavily involved with church praise bands, school choirs, and school bands.

Throughout my time in High School, I had opportunities to go on overseas mission trips.  As I was on each different trip, I began to realize that God was calling me to ministry.  I had no idea what that looked like at the time and I was a little hesistant to go into ministry, but after a lot of pray, I realized that faith often is expressed by doing something you are unsure of, knowing that God will provide whatever you need along the way.

And provide, he has.  Looking back over my college career, I cannot express the times that God has gotten me through and provided my every need.  It is my prayer that as I enter this new relationship with the churches that we will be a praying group that relies on faith.  It is my prayer that we take the step out and rely on God to provide.  I do not know what this will specifically look like in our contexts.  It may be doing something that has already been tried but maybe didn't work; it may involve something that hasn't even been thought of yet.  Regardless, I hope that we can step out on the limb together and experience what God has for us when we gather together in his name, with the goal of making disciples and building relationships.

Once again, I want to express the joy I have to get to serve you and the surrounding community.  I cannot believe the blessings God has given me, and I expect that these two churches will be much the same.  I am very excited to come alongside and for us to do ministry together, as the hands and feet of Jesus.

Blessings,
Jonathan Wisdom