To those in the Element Church Family (and others whom we love): My name is Buz Hannon and I am unbelievably humbled, honored, and thrilled to have been called to be the next Lead Pastor at Element Church! I am so excited that I almost can’t believe that it is real–why would God be so good to me? I am so grateful to the Lord’s leading, His grace, and His kindness in every aspect of my life. I can’t wait to follow Jesus along with all of you!
From the very first time I discovered Element, I have fallen in love with the way that Element is a church that lives out the mission of the gospel in a dynamic way, blessing Cheyenne and all of Wyoming as you chase after our Savior, Jesus Christ! You are a church that doesn’t just have a mission statement on paper–you live it out! Element is all about abundant life, meaningful relationships, and lasting impact. And what an impact you’re having! When I think about the worship culture, the outreach in the community, the lives changed and baptisms performed, I almost get overwhelmed with the depth and breadth of what God is doing. I can’t wait to step alongside this move of the Spirit as a Lead Pastor and keep that mission moving for the sake of the Kingdom. Every time I met a new person whose life was changed at Element, whether it was a staff person, a Leadership Council member, or a volunteer, it felt like I was discovering a family member that I didn’t yet know I had! I can’t wait to continue to build this Jesus-following family in one of the most beautiful regions of our great nation.
I won’t be coming to Wyoming alone–I’ll be bringing my wife, Tara, and my four sons: Roman (13), Levi (11), Asher (9), and Gabriel (7). For the last seven years, we’ve been serving the Lord in the San Francisco Bay Area at 3Crosses Church in Castro Valley. I most recently have served as the Pastor for Discipleship, but have experience in everything from Young Adults to Sunday Preaching to Family Ministry to even a dash of tech and production during COVID. Before that, we lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma where we worked in University life and finished our graduate degrees. Tara holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, and I hold a few advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in Old Testament literature. God has used this love for study in both the academy, where I’ve taught higher education in Seminary for the last ten years, and in ministry, where I’ve tried to teach, train, and serve the church through a passion for the Bible and for the way that truth sets us all free.
If you’d like to connect, you can find me on Twitter and Instagram (@buzhannon) or on my personal website (buzhannon.com in fact, you're already here!). You can find Tara on Instagram (@bloomsandbenedictions), on her website (bloomsandbenedictions.com), or on her YouTube channel under Tara Hannon.
You can find some of my preaching links on my website, but also on the 3Crosses Church YouTube page. Here’s a sermon I did about having Dinner with Jesus, and here’s a lesson I did through our 3C: University teaching ministry.
I look forward to meeting more and more of you in person soon! We currently plan to finish out our season of ministry in California in June, use July to move and prepare, and arrive in Cheyenne sometime in August. In the meantime, I would love to connect online and would love it even more if you would pray for my family and I as we move, pray for our hearts as we prepare for this next season at Element church, and pray for Element Church to have an amazing summer of ministry. In the meantime, I’ll be praying for you all! See you soon, Buz Hannon
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