Kevin and I had the joy of visiting our new community back in mid April. It was a wonderful long weekend filled with opportunities to begin relationships with the congregation I will serve. Beer and Hymns was jolt of lively music, multitudes of conversation and, of course, some flowing spirits! Our heads spun with a quick tour of the area and looking through 7 homes that were up for rent. We found some Holy ground with an invitation to experience one of the congregation's small group communities. Another day was filled with a tour of the church building, a drive and awesome tour around the area, volunteering at a food drive, a church picnic and some time getting to know the senior pastor and his family. Whew! It wasn't even Sunday yet! Sunday morning brought us to 3 worship services, a CARE team meeting, partner Sunday lunch, a council meeting, conversation with an awesome ESOL teacher, and dinner with the discernment team. Before we flew home, we also squeezed in tours of the local schools and conversation with their administrators.
Needless to say . . . a quick hello to the people that will be our community. We were so blessed to have the opportunity to begin some wonderful relationships and get to know those that we will minister alongside. Thankfully through this time we were also able to secure a rental home, establish where the girls will be going to school, and get permission to paint my office green! You may laugh about that last one. However, those that know me well will understand how important that is ;) The Burke family is so very excited about the new path in our journey.
There are two sides to this coin though. With the excitement of something new there is also the other side of grief and loss of what we're leaving behind. This is a very long goodbye.
For the past month and half we've been making plans and tying up loose ends. While we've been planning this for weeks now, the realism of the goodbyes is hitting us full on now. A couple weeks ago I resigned my position as chair of Crossways Camping Ministry board. I had the privilege of serving in leadership with that amazing ministry for the past 4 years. I will truly miss that ministry and those I grew close to through Crossways. A long goodbye. Yesterday the girls had their last dance class with their beloved dance teacher. They, along with their friends, will light up the stage on Friday night at their end of year recital. We'll miss our dance family. A long goodbye. Last night was the last full night I had with all my 60+ confirmation students. We played at after school ministry, enjoyed dinner together, fueled our faith and finally worshiped together. My fitting choice of worship theme, being gathered and sent, really brought on some watery eyes. It was a blur of tears and hugs at the end as I blessed each individual youth for the last time. However, there were also many smiles, especially when two awesome boys kept hopping back in line. I think I blessed them each like ... four times! A long goodbye.
It's going to be another four weeks of long goodbyes. This coming Sunday will be the last of Sunday school for the school year. In a few weeks, I'll meet with my high school youth for the last time. The girls will finish school. We'll move the last box out of our home. Whoa. Many long goodbyes.
In the meantime as we live out this transition I pray ...
I pray for many warm welcomes and friendly faces.
I pray for the new ministry we are blessed to join.
I pray for the teary goodbyes we will say and the people that have touched our lives
in ways unimaginable.
I pray for the ministry we have been blessed to be a part of that will undoubted
continue to grow and blossom.
I pray for all of us to live out God's call for our lives!
Amen.
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