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I recently attended a workshop for pastors moving from one appointment to the next. It focused on the transition. One thing I appreciated about the time was the description of this in between period as “the wilderness.” As Moses and the Hebrew people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, this in between time can feel very similar. As I prepare to take leave, as we begin our good-byes, as I look toward a new appointment and as you look toward receiving a new pastor, we walk in the wilderness. What does this look like? First, there are many unknowns. What will the new pastor be like? What will the new congregation be like? How much will things change? How will we adjust? These unknowns cause us to be a bit restless and unsettled. We aren’t quite sure where to focus our energy. Do we start something new or wait until the new pastor arrives? For those of us who are task driven, this can be very uncomfortable. What do we do? Although contemplative time for processing and evaluating and discerning is important, we 21st century Americans often have difficulty with this spiritual side. Some may be wondering what their place of belonging in the new beginnings will be. The church today is very different than the church of the 1950s, when people were committed to a congregation no matter what. Today, people are not necessarily committed in the long term to a denomination or a congregation. It is not uncommon for people to simply “shop” until they find what they are looking for and when it doesn’t meet their needs any longer, they move on to something new. This isn’t a judgment, but rather an assessment of the reality in which we find ourselves. The old foundations of stability may not be as reliant for the 21st century church. This means new ways of being church, being faithful in community, will need to be discovered. In addition, there is the difficulty of saying good-bye. For some, the change may be welcome. But for others, it is very difficult. It is hard to say good-bye, to bring closure to relationships which have been meaningful. And yet this is an important piece of the process. You as a congregation will devote your time and energy in building a relationship with your new pastor. And I will commit time and energy building relationships with members of a new congregation. My last Sunday with you will be July 5th. Some good-byes have already taken place, but many of them will happen that day. I have learned much in the last two years about myself, about people, and a variety of issues. I feel we have accomplished some very good things together, in the midst of challenge. We have brought new members into the community and said good-bye to others. But most importantly, we have continued to witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ together—to the congregation itself, to the community and beyond. Many blessings to each of you and to Broadway UMC as you continue to share in ministry together. Blessings, Pastor Jenny |