11 Years. 11 years of leading worship, welcoming in new families, grieving when members died, praying for pastor's children, helping to carry the church through Covid, and devoting my heart to the people and community of the church. Why the bad review? I had a falling out with the church leadership that I won't get into, but I will say that it isn't easy to be a vaccinated liberal, even if you only express your political views outside of the church. That falling out led to me accepting a termination, but none of that is why I feel it is important to leave a bad review for the church. 11 years of nearly daily communication, weekly meetings, celebrations, prayer needs, and working as a team, and then one day absolute radio silence. Not a text, not a call...nothing...from either pastor. As of this post I've yet to hear anything from them at all. Now, of course the people of the church reached out to me, and we're upset with how things were handled and that I was no longer working at the church. It was during this time I had learned the concerns many members of the church had and why many of them had stopped going or were looking at different churches. Bethesda has great members...but it has bad leadership. These leaders that proclaim to be reflections of Christ, that preach reconciliation, preach care and compassion, have now demonstrated nothing to me but pride and neglect. Never was there a single moment of remorse on their end, whatsoever. Never a moment where I felt like I was going to be missed or desired to return as a member. If an 11 year personal and professional relationship can easily be rendered completely null, how much could they have ever really cared about me? If all that we had experienced and accomplished really meant nothing, then how much can any member there really matter to them? I'm not saying that you will have a bad experience at Bethesda, and like I said before there are MANY great people there, but if you are wanting to go to a place where the pastors are transparent and genuinely care about you, go elsewhere.