This summer, after much prayer and discernment, the Rev. Kimberly Deckel and the Rev. Andrew Stravitz made the decision to close All Souls Phoenix, a church plant they started in March 2020.
Their church planting journey held unforeseen challenges. Three weeks after launching, All Souls went to virtual services due to COVID. Throughout 2020, Kimberly and Andrew pressed into their mission of following Jesus in justice, mercy and humility, for the sake of others. But it eventually became clear that it was time to stop the plant.
“While closing a church is a hard thing, we find ourselves incredibly grateful for the time spent planting and pastoring All Souls,” Kimberly says. “So much good fruit came from that time, and God brought the most amazing people to worship with us, serve with us, and do life with us. So we are grieving the loss of something good and also celebrating something new and exciting.”
Andrew agrees that the church planting journey with the All Souls community was deeply meaningful.
“Collectively, helping folks discern a way to follow Jesus through a season of incredible strife and isolation was certainly the most valuable experience,” he says. “And personally, I learned from Kimberly what it means to be both tender and enduring in the face of opposition.”
God has graciously provided new roles for both Kimberly and Andrew. This fall, Kimberly begins a new role as Executive Pastor at Church of the Cross (COTC) in Austin, Texas, working alongside the Rev. Peter Coelho.
“I first got to know COTC last summer when Peter asked me to preach for them virtually,” she says. “Since then I’ve been praying for them and have gotten to know Peter better. It’s especially sweet looking back at how the Lord has allowed this connection to Church of the Cross to happen over the last year, not knowing that my family and I would end up there. I’m excited to serve this vibrant and missional community both in terms of operations and pastorally.”
In addition, Kimberly has accepted a C4SO position as Bishop’s Liaison for Women in Leadership, guiding and shaping our vibrant community of clergywomen and building a team to assist her in this role. Kimberly was already on C4SO staff as Area Coordinator of the Southwest Deanery, but when All Souls closed, the Southwest Deanery merged back into the SoCal Deanery, eliminating her Area Coordinator position. The role of Bishop’s Liaison for Women in Leadership will provide her a seamless transition.
As Kimberly begins her new roles, Andrew will pursue a career as a therapist.
“I am studying for the licensure exam for Marriage and Family Therapy, and I look forward to working with families and couples who are navigating complex trauma,” he says.
Both Kimberly and Andrew are excited to see what God does in and through them in the months to come. Join us in prayer for them as they begin this new season of their lives and ministries.
“As a diocese, we celebrate the Spirit-led risk that church planting requires, and we celebrate the good work All Souls did during a difficult pandemic season,” Bishop Todd says. “We are proud of Kimberly and Andrew for putting everything on the line to be ambassadors of the rule and reign of God.”