I have decided to use my blog to chronicle my upcoming move as a pastor in the United Methodist Church. I will used this to talk about the things that we face, the difficulties, the sadnesses, the joys, and the activities. It is a bittersweet time as we face goodbyes with a congregation we love and look forward to hellos with a new congregation.
I grew up as a military brat. My dad was a career Naval officer. This means that we were moving every two or three years. I am not a stranger to the lifestyle of moving when someone higher up says it is time to move. I grew up in it and am comfortable with it. I also understand, then, the issues that my 16 year old daughter faces. There is a mixture of contradictory emotions that have to be acknowledged. You know you are moving away from a place that has truly become home. At the same time, you are excited about the possibilities that a new place brings. The emotions become somewhat of a rollercoaster and neither emotion can win out over another.
We have just begun sharing with my current congregation that I will be moving to a new ministry location. I love my congregation in Bay, Arkansas. I have shared joys and sadnesses with them. Bay has truly become my home. When I return to my "home" where I grew up, I look forward to returning to Bay because it is my home. As I look at the next 2 1/2 months to come, I can't help but begin to mourn the loss before I even move. I am leaving a great church and community. I really feel that I am a part of the family here in Bay. How can I walk into worship every Sunday without my organist, without my choir, without the faces of those I love, without the children that I have had the priviledge of baptizing, without my church family? How can I even begin to imagine what this next stage will be when I am already mourning this loss?
At the same time, I find that I am excited at a new stage in my ministry. New possibilities, new faces, new worship styles, new everything. I am excited that I will be an associate pastor working with a wonderful senior pastor who will not only be my senior pastor, but a mentor and friend. I am excited about a new community in which to begin outreach and mission. I am excited about the newness of it all. But in the midst of this excitement is that ever looming grief.
We began packing. We had just unpacked our new dishes. But instead of using them, we have packed them back up. We looked around and discovered we have way too much stuff. So we are downsizing. We are getting rid of things that we really don't need. Why do we have so much stuff? Look out Good Will, Salvation Army and Abilities Unlimited, we have a lot of stuff to donate to you because I really don't think I am going to have a yard sale again. Too much of a hassle, although we may change our minds since the thought of having a little extra cash for the move is a little enticing.
My daughter has already checked out the schools that she could be attending. We have to pick between two high schools. Time for me to look at remediation rates and other statistics, the educational offerings, and, of course, the softball and volleyball programs. Which school? Don't know yet. More on that when we decide.
So, today is the beginning. Be looking for more to come.
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