It has been a long couple of weeks, filled with emotion and sadness, anticipation and excitement. Over the last few weeks we have been going through the emotional and mental transition of leaving a wonderful congregation that we had grown to love and accepting the inevitable change and appointment to a new church (in the Methodist church, the pastor is appointed to a church by the Bishop), and preparing for the move.
Boxes, boxes everywhere. As each day passed, more and more of our house got stuffed into a box and furniture that had finally molded to our personality and body shapes found new homes to dwell (the parsonage is furnished). By our last week here, we couldn't eat at home because everything in the kitchen had been packed.
It's hard leaving a congregation that you have grown to love and that you know loved you. Good Samaritan was made up of wonderful people - young, middle and senior adults. The grew to not only accept changes but to embrace them, to be open to different ways of worship, music, outreach. They even encouraged it and participated in it. It was wonderful and freeing. So, when we knew that we were to have to move, it broke my heart. I hoped that I could make the change but I was pretty frustrated about it all.
There are a lot of doubts that take up residence in your head when you find out about where you are being moved to. Question keep popping into your head: Will they like me? Will I like them? Will we have anything in common? Will they accept my style of ministry? What is their desire for the church? How close does their understanding of the purpose of the church line up with mine (or vice-a-versa)? And so on. It really can be unsettling.
Today Heather and I went to Zion to attend the Senior Adult luncheon - "Friends and Neighbors." There were about 50 or so people. We had good conversations with many of the folks, who were warm and welcoming. There was some good laughs with a number of them, even some friendly jabs and joking.
Then we went to the office and spent a couple of hours to set up and there were several folks hanging around there. Same thing took place - good conversations, joking around, sharing. It was good and positive.
When we were done Heather and I headed to the local Wal-Mart and on the way there I said to her, "I feel good about this and I am excited about coming here." She smiled and nodded.
I don't understand how God works sometimes or why He allows things to unfold as they do. But He never ceases to amaze me, when I am able to move beyond my own limited and narrow vision. I may not be able to see the final outcome, and I may never fully understand everything that is involved in the whole process, but ultimately I come realize (again and again) that "all things work out for good to those who are called to His purpose," which means my responsibility is to look for and head toward living out His purpose - which is to glorify Him in all the areas of my life. I don't have that down yet but He keeps giving me opportunities to work on it and be more consistent - He must have faith in me because He obviously hasn't given up on me, and He's lead me to Zion so that we (the church and I) can grow in our glorifying God together.
And in case you may be wondering, He hasn't given up on you either!
Boxes, boxes everywhere. As each day passed, more and more of our house got stuffed into a box and furniture that had finally molded to our personality and body shapes found new homes to dwell (the parsonage is furnished). By our last week here, we couldn't eat at home because everything in the kitchen had been packed.
It's hard leaving a congregation that you have grown to love and that you know loved you. Good Samaritan was made up of wonderful people - young, middle and senior adults. The grew to not only accept changes but to embrace them, to be open to different ways of worship, music, outreach. They even encouraged it and participated in it. It was wonderful and freeing. So, when we knew that we were to have to move, it broke my heart. I hoped that I could make the change but I was pretty frustrated about it all.
There are a lot of doubts that take up residence in your head when you find out about where you are being moved to. Question keep popping into your head: Will they like me? Will I like them? Will we have anything in common? Will they accept my style of ministry? What is their desire for the church? How close does their understanding of the purpose of the church line up with mine (or vice-a-versa)? And so on. It really can be unsettling.
Today Heather and I went to Zion to attend the Senior Adult luncheon - "Friends and Neighbors." There were about 50 or so people. We had good conversations with many of the folks, who were warm and welcoming. There was some good laughs with a number of them, even some friendly jabs and joking.
Then we went to the office and spent a couple of hours to set up and there were several folks hanging around there. Same thing took place - good conversations, joking around, sharing. It was good and positive.
When we were done Heather and I headed to the local Wal-Mart and on the way there I said to her, "I feel good about this and I am excited about coming here." She smiled and nodded.
I don't understand how God works sometimes or why He allows things to unfold as they do. But He never ceases to amaze me, when I am able to move beyond my own limited and narrow vision. I may not be able to see the final outcome, and I may never fully understand everything that is involved in the whole process, but ultimately I come realize (again and again) that "all things work out for good to those who are called to His purpose," which means my responsibility is to look for and head toward living out His purpose - which is to glorify Him in all the areas of my life. I don't have that down yet but He keeps giving me opportunities to work on it and be more consistent - He must have faith in me because He obviously hasn't given up on me, and He's lead me to Zion so that we (the church and I) can grow in our glorifying God together.
And in case you may be wondering, He hasn't given up on you either!
