From the Pastor's Desk

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About Your Pastor: My name is Eric Limbo and I am the pastor of College Grove United Methodist Church. I cannot begin to describe how good it makes me feel to be back home - well, almost home. I was born on January 14, 1970, in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and that is where I lived and grew until I left for college. Shelbyville is actually about twenty miles southeast of College Grove, but I have found an attitudes of openness, honesty, and genuine Christian caring here in the small community of College Grove that I remember from my youth but no longer see in my hometown of Shelbyville. Growing up, I was involved in just about every conceivable extra-curricular activity in school as well as the Boy Scouts and the youth fellowship of Shelbyville First United Methodist Church, which is where I preached my first sermon at age 16. From playing tuba in the band and singing bass in the church and school choirs to playing tackle on the football team, I have always enjoyed using the talents which God has given me. Thankfully, I was able to work in my parents’ paint store while I was in high school, which gave me the ability to afford the expenses associated with these groups, but also allowed me the time off to enjoy them. I was graduated from Shelbyville Central High School in 1988, but not before I was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in 1986, attended Boy’s State in 1987, and listed in Who’s Who Among American High School Students 1987-1988. Although I already knew in my heart that God was calling me to preach, I tried to resist. In 1988, I enrolled in Lambuth University in Jackson, TN, and I had no intention of majoring in Religion. In fact, Computer Science, Biology, Psychology and English were all considered as possible majors at one time. But God kept calling. As a United Methodist University, Lambuth requires all of its students to take an Old Testament and a New Testament course. After the completion of those courses, I was hooked. I found myself much more interested in Religion and Philosophy than I had ever been in any other course. I was graduated cum laude from Lambuth University in the Spring of 1992 with a major in Religion and a double minor in English and Computer Science. Finally accepting of God’s call, I attended licensing school during the Summer of 1992 and was Licensed to Preach at the 1992 Tennessee Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; however, I felt that God was opening another possibility for me when a youth director position was advertised at the United Methodist Church located two miles from my apartment in Nashville. I was already accepted to Vanderbilt Divinity School for the Fall of 1992, and I felt that a Youth Director position, instead of an appointment as a student pastor, would offer me a chance to dedicate more time to my seminary work. I served as the Youth Director of Andrew Price Memorial United Methodist Church from the Summer of 1992 until I was appointed to my first church as a student pastor in June of 1994. I served the Greenwood Circuit, which consisted of Bethel, Jackson’s Chapel, and Greenwood United Methodist Churches in Charlotte, TN, for two years. As I look back upon that appointment, I realize that my memories are oftentimes a blur caused by driving back and forth to Vanderbilt Divinity School three to five times a week, preaching at three different churches on each Sunday morning, with a charge-wide worship service on Sunday evenings and a Bible Study on Wednesday evenings. Also while serving the Greenwood Circuit, I completed my second of two course of studies in Clinical Pastoral Education at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville. Despite such a demanding schedule, it was also during those two years that I met my wife at a family dinner of the Greenwood Church organist. Sonja had attended MTSU and was back living with her parents in Mount Juliet and working full-time in Nashville. After dating for a little over six months, we were engaged to be married. About eleven months later, we were married on May 18, 1996. Realizing the possible conflict of interest and not wanting my new wife to have to drive an hour to work each day, I requested a new appointment closer to her work. In June of 1996, I became the student pastor of St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Nashville. During my six years at St. Andrew, I managed to finish my M.Div. degree and was graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School. Also during that time I: was ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church and made a Probationary Member of the Tennessee Annual Conference; began volunteering as the Chaplain for the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management of Nashville/Davidson County; attended numerous seminars and earned several accreditations from the International Critical Incident and Stress Foundation; helped start St. Andrew Child Care Center; became a Master Mason in Centre Star Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons and served as Master in 2003; also became a member of The Order of the Eastern Star and served as Worthy Patron of Harvey Freeman Chapter in 1999. After six years at St. Andrew, I requested a new appointment and Sonja and I were relocated to Pegram, TN, located in southern Cheatham County but still very close to her work as the Store Manager of Luxury Linens at 100 Oaks Mall. While serving as the pastor of Pegram United Methodist Church, I was ordained as an Elder in Full Connection by the Tennessee Annual Conference. I was also very fortunate to find a very talented and active community of performers of music and theater in the Pegram area. During our five years in there, I had numerous roles with the Cheatham County Community Theater, including: Benny, "Guys and Dolls"; Balthazar, "Amahl and the Night Visitors"; Baptista, "Taming of the Shrew"; Max, "The Sound of Music"; and Charlie Cowell, "The Music Man"; and Captain Keller, (Helen Keller’s father) "The Miracle Worker." I was also a member of the South Cheatham County Choral Society from 2004-2007. But, regardless of how difficult or how rewarding any of those previous accomplishments have been, nothing could have prepared me for the most difficult and the most rewarding role a person can have - the role as a parent. A couple of years after we were married, Sonja and I had tried to have children, but we were told we would probably have to use in vitro-fertilization or even possibly adopt. We had basically given up on having children, especially after Sonja had been diagnosed with a disease called Sarcoidosis in 2003 - but God had other plans. What two different doctors told us could not happen did indeed happen and Caden Eric Limbo was born July 20, 2006. The pregnancy was not uncomplicated because Sonja had to quit taking her medications for Sarcoidosis for nine months and then an ultrasound revealed that Caden was complex breech and would require a C-section. The complicated pregnancy, the lack of medicine for the Sarcoidosis, and the C-section allowed us to see that her physical health was worse than first thought. She has since filed for disability and we are awaiting word. In 2007, I was appointed to Hartsville United Methodist Church in Trousdale County. Although I was concerned about being appointed that far from my parents in Shelbyville and Sonja’s doctors in Nashville, I now realize how fortunate we were to be that close to Sonja’s dad in Mount Juliet. We lost Sonja’s Mom to cancer in 1998 and we would lose Sonja’s Dad at the end of June 2008, but at least we had that last year in close proximity with Caden’s "Papa A". So that brings us to College Grove. In the Summer of 2008 I was appointed here and now here it is January 2009. We recently discovered that Sonja also had Cushing’s disease and now she is recovering from having an adrenal gland removed; however, that may eventually explain a lot of her health problems. Caden is now 2 and a half years old and full of energy. "Papa E" and "Granny" Limbo are thrilled to have Caden less than thirty minutes away and my brother, his wife and two kids recently moved to Huntsville. And once again I will say that I am surrounded here in College Grove with some of the most honest, caring and loving people you will ever meet. The motto of College Grove United Methodist Church is "Preserving the Past While Preparing for the Future" and that is exactly what we are doing. While our heritage and traditions are important to us, the continuing growth of God’s church is even more important. Our Sunday Morning worship is held in the sanctuary that was built in 1888 - but just behind the church a new 5000 square foot fellowship hall was just built. Even though the outside closely resembles the sanctuary built 120 years ago, the inside has all modern conveniences and constructed as "green" and energy efficient as possible. Now that you know a little about me and a little more about College Grove United Methodist Church, let me invite you come join us sometime. Who knows? Maybe you will feel about College Grove the same way I did -- I have come home! Peace in Christ, Bro. Eric Limbo