| April 18th will be my last Sunday with you as
intern minister. I will be your Worship Leader and then we
will say farewell. As you know my journey with you has always
been finite, as all journeys ultimately are. My journey had a
planned end of June 30th. I have chosen to leave early.
Do I have regrets? Yes. I am sad to leave you.
And, no. This is right for me. I am now more fully aware
of challenges I need to work on and grow from. Identifying our
challenges whether personal or congregational is the first step in
self care; is the first step in stewardship. A willingness to
face our challenges is always available to us. I also believe
I was meant to be here. I was meant to know you and learn from
you, just as you have come to know me and learn from me.
My messages to you these past seven months have revolved around a
central theme of personal spiritual growth within religious
community.
I talked of the "Grace of Half Empty." The value in seeing
emptiness as a vessel of hope open to the fullness yet to come.
Another message was "The Spark of Life" found in the tension of
our challenges, the compassion that holds us safe when we feel most
vulnerable; and the truth that arises when tension is contained in
compassion.
I spoke of "Growing-Up Peaceful." That our spiritual growth
is about taking personal responsibility in relationship to
others in community, which, includes a call to look beyond the topic
to the underlying issue. For example, if the topic is money,
what is your issue around it and how does it affect the community?
Are you really talking about feelings of security, fear, depletion,
anger, resentment, joy, relief, comfort, happiness or (I just
couldn't resist), "peace, order and good government."
Another theme in all of the above is "Consciously Choosing
Change." Through the growth fund your leadership has done just that
in calling Mike Durall here this week-end. You now have a
compass, a map and some direction for your journey. The ball
is in your court. How will you consciously choose to use these
tools?
Over the next two weeks we will say good-bye. And I
encourage you to say good-bye, to seek me out, (you can even call me
at home if that works for you), approach me and say good-bye with
intention. For good-bye is an important ritual that helps
frame our time together and brings a healing closure that
opens us to new possibilities and clears the path for our
separate journeys ahead.
My ministry with you will end on April 18, 2004 and I remind you
that the guidelines for professional ministry require a one year
grace period of no contact with a congregation after a leave.
And! I remind you, the web of ALL existence holds us
fast and I will carry you in my heart from that day forward.
Stay open. Work hard. Be well. And, have some
fun.
Namasté
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