On Wednesday, December 5th, our congregation found out that our Pastor would be leaving Light of the World. God was calling her to Minneapolis to help other "start up" churches. It is a great job for her and she will be wonderful at it. In turn we, as a church, will be dealing with this change. I decided to get up and speak to the congregation on Sunday. This is what I said. However, imagine me blubbering throughout the whole thing.
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Good
morning. I am not going to pretend I know how all of you are feeling since you
got the two letters about Pastor Deb’s new job. Since I started to process it,
thoughts and words about this church repeated over and over again in my head so
I decided to write them down. I then asked both Pastor Deb and my husband Brian
if it would be ok to come up here and talk to you for a minute…or three about
what all of you mean to me.
We
have not been here from the very beginning. We didn’t get to experience the
golf course days. We started in March of 2008. After we attended our first
service, it was because of Pastor Deb that we came back. My guess is that you
have felt it too…the feeling that what she is preaching about that week is
meant for you, and only you. It’s like she knew what you were going through
that week and wants to tell you about how she knows things are going to be ok
because we have God on our side. Not only in her words but when she greets you
on Sunday mornings with her big smile and open arms, it’s like she got up that
day specifically to see YOU. Knowing her these 4 years, I see why she was
called to be a pastor. God’s love flows from her heart. Her mind. Her soul.
It
is because of these qualities that I have felt that Light of the World was not
going to be the last stop on her journey. God has other plans for her. Great
plans. I am thankful He has put her in my life. I wouldn't be the same person
without her.
Now
I would like to talk about all of you. I would like to tell you that, as the
weeks and years have passed, Pastor Deb was not the only one we were coming to
see on Sundays. Because of you, I have learned what a church really is. I have
learned that it is more than just one person, and I want to remind you of that.
Pastor Deb’s vision of what she wanted Light of the World to be has brought it
together, but it is YOU who makes it stick.
It
is you that brings me back every week. You who fills my cup and helps me get
through the next six days until I can see you again. Look at the person to your
right. I love that person. Look to your left. I love that person too. Whether
you are one of the babies I grab for my baby fix, a young child for me to chat and
laugh with, a confirmation student who is teaching me something new about life
seen through your eyes or an adult that my extroverted self needs a hug from.
You are my church. Wherever this journey takes us, I want to be with you. That
is what matters to me. The person who leads and preaches is a piece of the
puzzle, but that person can’t do a whole lot without us.
I
wanted to come up here today to tell you that it’s all of you who have taught
me about God’s love. And I thank Him every day for you. You are an amazing
group of people.
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