Getting to know Patrick Shea
Podcast Episode Pastoral Candidate Video
Patrick is 40 years old. He has been married to Jenny since 2007, and together, they have the great blessing and joy of raising six children: Declan (16), Kiersten (14), Hailey (12), Emmet (9), Lochlan (6) and Ayla (2). Jenny enjoys being active outdoors and homeschooling the children. She also enjoys getting projects done and planning fun adventures with the family.
Patrick was raised in Big Rapids and grew up at St. Peter’s Lutheran church and school through 8th grade. Patrick gave his life to Jesus just before 3rd grade while attending summer camp at Spring Hill in Evart. Just before high school his family made Trinity Fellowship EFC their new church home. The time spent at Trinity, especially in the youth ministry and on various adventure trips, was very formative for Patrick’s walk with the Lord. Patrick loves this community and surrounding area. For he and Jenny, west central Michigan is home.
Patrick received a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance Technology from Western Michigan University, MI (2007), and a Master of Divinity with a Pastoral Ministries Specialization from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary – Cornerstone University, MI (2015). Patrick recently completed ordination in the EFCA in December 2024.
Patrick initially thought he would be a missionary bush pilot after high school, serving the Lord overseas, but God redirected his heart to serving in the local church soon after college. Prior to coming to Trinity Fellowship in 2013 as their first Pastoral Resident, Patrick served for five years as Youth Director/Young Life Church Partner at Immanuel Reformed Church in Grand Rapids.
From 2015 – 2019, Patrick served as the Associate Pastor of Community Life at Trinity Fellowship’s Big Rapids Campus where he oversaw Connections and Small Groups, and he also partnered with Pastor Gary in preaching, teaching and equipping ministries. Patrick has served as the Campus Pastor of the Newaygo Campus of Trinity Fellowship EFC since 2017, and in that role, he preaches weekly, shepherds the Newaygo Campus congregation, and leads and equips the volunteer staff and ministry leaders for the work of ministry.
Along with spending quality time with Jenny and the kids, Patrick also personally enjoys diving into inspiring stories (books & mov-ies), watching and playing golf, training for and racing in sprint triathlons, being outdoors, and traveling on all sorts of adventures!
What excites you, Patrick, about becoming the next Senior Pastor of Trinity Fellowship?
I love the Lord, and I love His people. It’s not about loving to preach or lead for me. It’s simply and sincerely all about loving the people God has called me to serve, shepherd, teach, encourage and equip for ministry, and I love the people He’s called me to work alongside with as a team to accomplish that work. It’s the core and heartbeat of who I am as a pastor.
I’m relational in all I do, but I’m also mission-driven, especially as I see the need for the gospel and His Kingdom to expand in our communities. Having been Trinity’s first Campus Pastor at our Newaygo Campus for the past 8 years, I’ve learned a lot about rural multi-site ministry, its challenges along with its many strengths and opportunities. And I believe God has stirred in me a growing vision and passion to build upon our core values and expand our gospel mission through our multi-site model of ministry to become a growing and multiplying Kingdom Resource Center in West Central Michigan and beyond.
My pastoral vision for a long time has been to shepherd, lead, encourage, equip and multiply a Kingdom movement of church families who are united on a gospel mission to help people find Jesus and learn how to follow Him, one step at a time. I’m all about the local church being a Family on Mission within the communities God has planted them.
So, I’m humbled and excited to be able to serve, shepherd and lead Trinity Fellowship (Newaygo, Big Rapids, and beyond, as the Lord leads…) with this heart, vision, and calling as the next Senior Pastor. May the Lord do what seems good to Him as we seek to keep in step and in time with His Spirit, all for HIS glory, our joy, and others’ eternal good.
The Search Process
Once Gary deBock communicated his plan to retire in the summer of 2025, the highlights of the process so far have been as follows:
August 2024
A search team is affirmed and commissioned by the congregation
September 2024
N.L. Moore & Associates does on-site focus groups and additional research to help our church identify the kind of candidate God would call to Trinity Fellowship
October-January 2024-25
The elders submit a candidate profile and job description, then N.L. Moore conducts a nationwide search, engaging nearly 600 potential candidates
January-February 2025
The search team conducts extensive interviews and meets regularly to discuss candidates.
February-March 2025
The search team unanimously recommends Patrick Shea as candidate for the next Senior Pastor; the elders and pastors unanimously affirm this selection.
March 23
Patrick was available at the Newaygo campus for Q&A
March 30
Patrick was available at the Big Rapids campus for Q&A
April 13
At a special congregational meeting, the members of Trinity Fellowship overwhelmingly supported calling Patrick Shea to become their next Senior Pastor.
June 2025
An installation service will be scheduled for June, at which point Patrick will officially become the Senior Pastor. There will be a brief overlap during the month of June wherein Gary deBock will finish his employment with Trinity Fellowship, however, Patrick will be the Senior Pastor as of the installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How has God been clearly leading in this whole Sr. Pastor search process?
Please refer to the Announcement Video… - What about Newaygo Campus?
The NWG Campus Pastor Search will launch Monday April 14, pending a positive vote for Patrick
becoming the next Sr. Pastor on April 13.
- N.L. Moore, who we used for the Sr. Pastor search, will be hired to help us conduct a nationwide search for the next NWG Campus Pastor
- A NWG Campus Pastor Search Team will be prayerfully selected with the input and affirmation of the Elders
- It will consist mostly of NWG Campus Members, but also include BR Campus Members Patrick, along with the Elders and Pastors, will ensure that NWG Campus is covered in the Pulpit and Shepherded well, until the next NWG Campus Pastor is found - What about Mike Halbrooks (Director of Campus Ministries at NWG Campus)?
Mike will continue to serve in the specific role he was hired on to do. He will not become the next NWG Campus Pastor. However, he will play a critical role in helping the Elders and Pastors lead and shepherd NWG Campus through the transition, through the search process for the next NWG Campus Pastor, and then also through ongoing campus ministry together with him. - When will Patrick be preaching at BR Campus primarily instead of at NWG Campus?
Pending a positive affirmation vote on April 13, an installation service will take place sometime in June, when Patrick will “officially” become the Senior Pastor of Trinity Fellowship and take on primary preaching/teaching responsibilities at the BR Campus. Patrick plans to periodically visit and preach at NWG Campus and any other future campuses as the Senior Pastor in the future. - Will Patrick and his family be moving to the Big Rapids area?
Yes, but only when God provides a new home. Until then, Patrick will commute to the BR Campus from where he is now. When Patrick became the NWG Campus Pastor, it wasn’t until about 3 months after the Easter Launch that God provided a home in Fremont. We trust the Lord’s timing in this transition. - What is the Timeline for the Senior Pastor Transition?
Please refer to the attached brochure with information on the revealed timeline thus far. Since any additional plans depend on the outcome of the April 13 vote, we have “penciled” in some other key events, including an ALL-Trinity (both campuses) installation service in June. - Why are we announcing and doing a vote now for the next Sr. Pastor, before Easter?
If Patrick is affirmed, we want to launch the search for the next NWG Campus Pastor as soon as possible. - Why did we hire a search firm to help us conduct a nation-wide search and go through this whole long process and then end up selecting Patrick anyway?
We didn’t know that Patrick would be God’s next pick for Trinity’s next Sr. Pastor, and he didn’t know either. It only became unanimously clear to both Patrick and the Search Team, along with the elders, after prayerfully exploring and going through the entire process. Patrick will tell you it was so worth it, because of the clarity God gave and the confidence gained that God has indeed led, equipped, and called him to this role. - What will Patrick as Sr. Pastor of NWG, BR, and “Beyond” look like?
Patrick will continue in all the duties and responsibilities of the Sr. Pastor role that have been assigned by the elders. Those duties and responsibilities are available upon request. Additionally, Patrick has a heart and passion to clarify, strengthen and grow Trinity Fellowship in our stated multisite identity of being “One Church in Two Locations.” Patrick has many ideas on this but will work closely with the Elders and Staff to set an intentional pathway for what this could look like in the future. - What does Patrick hope to accomplish in his first year as Senior Pastor?
Patrick is working with Pastor Gary on architecting a 1-year Bridge Vision for Trinity Fellowship, with key input from the elders and staff and ministry leaders from both campuses, which he plans to share at the congregational meeting on April 27, pending a positive affirmation vote on April 13 for him to become the next Sr. Pastor. - What about Pastor Gary and Kathy?
Pastor Gary and Kathy plan on spending their first 3 months away (July-September) to rest, refresh, and wait on the Lord together for Him to provide clarity and direction as to what is next. While there are many opportunities to serve, Gary and Kathy want to gain unity and clarity on what the Lord is specifically calling them to do in this next season. Pastor Gary will no longer be the Sr. Pastor or an Elder at that time, but Pastor Gary and Kathy will both remain members of Trinity Fellowship, until the Lord calls them away. Thus, they will continue to be most welcomed and encouraged to serve at Trinity as the Lord leads after they return from their time away together. We invite all of Trinity Fellowship to continue to pray for Pastor Gary and Kathy in their next season, that they would have clarity and unity on what God has for them next.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the pastoral search, transition, or about Patrick Shea; please submit below or by emailing elders@trinityinfo.org.