October 16, 2023
To the Saints gathered at Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church,
It has been my great privilege and blessing to be in communion with you all these last four and a
half years. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I wasn’t initially sure about my call to this
body, however, God knew exactly what I needed. This place has been incredibly formative for
me in my growth in the knowledge and love of our Savior and my personal growth as a minister
of the Gospel.
Because of my love for you and this church, and my deep admiration for my time here, it is
bittersweet for me to write and inform you that my time at CK Pres is coming to a close. The
Lord has opened a door and has called Grace and me to a new assignment. Grace and I will
embark on a journey to West Seattle, where I have been called as the new Lead Pastor of a small
congregation seeking its new identity in Christ as Christ’s bride in their city. I am thankful for the
experience given to me through my time here, and I know that this endeavor will surely be
helped and shaped by the ministry of CK Pres. My final Sunday as your Ministry Associate and
Youth Director will be November 12th, 2023, and until that time comes I look forward to
continuing in worship with this blessed body of believers and the communion of the family of
saints that dwell here.
While we are excited about this new season of life, and excited to see how God moves in and
through it, this letter weighs heavily on my heart. I deeply love this church, all its quirks, and all
its people. I have been blessed with so many tender friendships and I have developed such close
relationships with many of you. Grace and I will miss you all more than you can imagine. We are
grateful for technology that can keep us close while we are physically distant from each other.
We ask for your prayers, knowing very well that this is a prayer-saturated church — we will need
it. As LoisAnne Sykes often says, “It isn’t the least you can do, prayer is the best thing you can
do.”
Know that you will often be on our minds, and in our prayers.
In Love and in Christ,
Ty Whitman
One response
Ty and Grace,
So very sorry to see you go but proud of you both for following God’s call. Tom and I pray that each day you will be blessed in a special way through your new ministry. Wonderful that you will still be in the area. Love and hugs. . .