This is Rodlie Ortiz. I made this announcement this past Saturday in our church business meeting. In case you weren't there, I want to pass the announcement along here.
I've accepted a call to be the pastor of evangelism at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. Allow me to back up a little now and give some background and context to this news. 

I've been here now at Carrollwood Church for the past 5.5 years. During that time about five different opportunities for different churches have come my way. I prayed about all of them, but I felt that God was saying no to those opportunities. About 2.5 years ago, I received a message from Dwight Nelson, the senior pastor at Pioneer Memorial Church, wondering if I'd be interested in a ministry position that had opened up at that time. I prayed about it, but I felt God saying no at that time as well. However this past December, the pastor contacted me again and let me know that another position had opened up, and he asked if we'd be willing to pray about this one. Iveth and I went back to prayer and this time we felt like God was saying yes. I would be replacing Pastor Skip McCarty who has been there for 25 years as the pastor for evangelism.

Concerning transition dates, it looks like June 4th would be my last Sabbath at Carrollwood. I'd be traveling up on June 11th to be introduced to the church up there, and then I'd fly back down, and then I'd preach at the Riverview SDA Church (my previous church) one last time. The following week we'd spend time packing, and then moving trucks would actually come on June 26th. These dates are not set in stone yet, but it looks like that's what may happen. That would mean that I'd have about a month left as the "official" pastor. I suspect that it may be several months before a new pastor is selected and transitions into the new role. The church will be in good hands, though. I've been meeting with Chuck Reeves, our head elder, quite a bit the last week or two making transition plans. There is a team of three elders (Chuck Reeves, Dan McNab, and Chris Henry) who will be helping in the preaching and pastoral care during the transition time. There are great teams of people in place at all levels, so I feel confident that you will be in good hands until the next pastor comes in.

I just want to add that all of this is terribly difficult for me to share and making this decision was heart-wrenching for sure. Iveth, as well as Jonathan, Daniel and I have come to love you all quite deeply. I think that for many of you, I've hopefully moved beyond the point of just being your pastor, but perhaps also your friend. I feel like we have.  Just to add a little more context, I've now been here for 5.5 years in my church churches. This is very unusual for a pastor to be in his first church that long. Usually a pastor is in his first church for about 3 years to get some experience and then gets transferred to another spot. I knew that I wasn't going to be in Carrollwood that much longer anyway, since I'd already been here for so long, so I'm glad I was able to stay as long as I have.

It's been an amazing honor and pleasure to serve you and to be your pastor. I hope and expect to keep in touch. Again, I'll still be here for several more weeks so no goodbye's yet. In the meantime, I want to make the most of my time with each of you. If you'd like to get together for whatever reason, please send me an email at rodlie.ortiz@gmail.com, or you can call me at (813) 482-4298. I'd love to get together for whatever reason. 

Also, this is public information now, so you can feel free to pass this along and share it.

Blessings and much love, 

-Rodlie Ortiz