CCF says goodbye to Pastor Belzer

The Campus Christian Fellowship will say goodbye to Pastor Joe Belzer in July as he takes on the role of head pastor at a new Kirksville church called The Crossing.

The church also has a facility in Quincy, Ill. that will be in charge of the financial dealings with the new church, Belzer said. He said they are negotiating for the old shoe factory in the south part of town to be the location of the church.

"Actually, it's kind of exciting to think about for the community of Kirksville," he said. "As a campus ministry, you kind of focus on college students, so it's been kind of exciting to think about a church that could integrate students and people from the city."

Belzer said he had been in contact with the church in Quincy and decided that what it represented was exactly what he wanted to pursue. He said he was attracted to the contemporary style of The Crossing.

"I think a lot of people see the church as irrelevant to our culture, you know," Belzer said. "Some people see it as a little outdated. ... I'm excited to step into a church that is like, 'Hey, this is 2008.' The music represents 2008, even the artwork - everything represents, you know, that this is today."

Belzer said his departure will affect his family and the community and that he has received a variety of responses about his new job.

"I think in some ways it will be better for my family," he said. "They're really excited about it, about it integrating other families and the church environment. ... Some [people] are really excited for us, you know, that we have this opportunity. Some are really sad when they think about the changes it will have for CCF, so I guess it's probably a wide spectrum."

Belzer has worked with CCF for 24 years and said the organization is looking to hire someone to take his place. He said CCF most likely will replace him with a current staff member and hire another person to help out.

Women's minister Megan Hand said she does not think Belzer's leaving will necessarily hurt the ministry but that it will be a transition period for the church.

"I think it's more of kind of a loss of a father figure type thing," Hand said. "He's someone that has invested 24 years of time and work into this ministry, so I think it's more sad to see someone leave. As far as hurting the ministry - it'll just be different. I don't know if it will be better or worse."

She said she is excited for Belzer to take on the role of a community leader and that The Crossing seems as though it will appeal to a different group of people.

"I've been to [The Crossing] and have met quite a few people here in Kirksville that go to the church in Quincy," she said. "I really like it. ... It's maybe more of a younger crowd church. It maybe pulls in more of a different crowd than country churches in Kirksville now."

Senior Michael Wieberg said he has been involved with CCF since he was a freshman and that Belzer has been beneficial to the fellowship and the community. He said it definitely was a shock to hear that Belzer was leaving.

"I think some of the reason why it's been an effective ministry is because he's been here," Wieberg said. "I also know that he's just an incredibly loving and honest man, and if he feels like this is where God is calling him, if this is where he needs to be in this new position in another church, I completely support his decision to do that. I don't feel in any way that he is abandoning us or anything."

Belzer said he is sad to be leaving CCF but excited to be able to reach out to the community in a new way. He said he thinks working with University students has been beneficial for him and his family.

"I would just like to say that it's been a joy working with the students here, and I think for my kids, having college students invest in them and their role models have been students who love them and who are academically pursuing dreams - I feel like it's been a dream job in a lot of ways," Belzer said.