Simply Grace United Methodist Church
Pastoral Retirement & New Appointment: On March 22nd Rev. Dr. Kumar announced his retirement from ministry due to medical issues. At this time, we are in transition and will have a new Pastoral Appointment in June 2026. Until then we are being covered by visiting pastors and lay speakers for worship services. We look forward to introducing our new pastoral appointment in the near future. Please read below, the Farewell Letter from Pastor Kumar and his with Florine.
Farewell Letter from Pastor Kumar & Florine
March 22, 2026
Dear Church Family,
By the time many of you read this letter I will have shared with you the tremendous journey Florine and I have been on the last nine months. Saying good-bye is never easy but understanding that this is God’s will not only for me, but also for SIMPLY GRACE UMC.
I want to thank you, again, for your prayers to my family and me during this past month. Your love and kindness have given me the courage and strength to follow God’s will. I’ve always known we have a great group of people leading this church, but I stand amazed at their integrity and devotion to pursuing God’s will. Clearly, these people are filled with the Holy Spirit. It has been one of the great privileges in my life to have served alongside this group of people.
You are a pastor’s “dream” church. You have received the Word preached weekly with joy, you have followed our leadership under God, and you have learned to worship Him in song and in the Spirit. You, my dear church family, have become imitators of God in the truest sense.
This Sunday, when we see each other again, it will be time to say good-bye. Yes, I will have a tear in my eye, but there are peace and joy in my heart because I know that God is going to use me as I take some rest and He will continue to use you for His Kingdom! Our journey together will be finished, but I am excited to see how God will use you in the future. Remember to love the people around you and strive for unity within the body; stay close to God and be sensitive to His Spirit; pray daily for my family and for the man God is preparing right now to become your senior pastor.
Finally, remember dear church family that I love you all in Christ, and that my address may change, but my destination is still the same–I’ll be waiting for you at the gate of Heaven. To God Be the Glory!
Vijaya Kumar & Florine