Grace and peace...

How do you sign off at the end of a note or an email? I’ve long used, “Grace and peace, Charla.” I love that way to close correspondence because it acknowledges my firm conviction that God covers all of us with grace and brings peace into every corner of the world and our lives. Some other phrases I like are: every blessing, always, in God’s mercy, and simply…love, Charla. I believe how you say good bye matters.

I began my good bye to you, Faith, in an email that went out on Wednesday. I told you how grateful I am for the seven and half years we’ve been able to share together. I also shared about my leading from God that my time as your senior pastor has come to a close. This is my sixth time to leave an appointment. It is always filled with so many feelings. Most of you have feelings in response to this announcement. I have feelings too.

I am sad — deeply sad. I will really, truly miss you. We’ve been through so much together and we’ve loved each other well. I’ve never left an appointment that I wasn’t overcome by sadness. It comes and goes. I never quite know when it will overflow through my tear ducts. It is hard to leave a place and people that I love.

I am also hopeful. I feel like we’ve gone through the hardest season I’ve ever faced in a church — living through a world-wide pandemic. I feel like our strength is rebounding right now. I feel like our staff is amazingly gifted and serves so well amidst the changing reality. I sense that our mission statement, “Inviting people to Christ-centered service,” is as deeply held as it has ever been. I feel like we are positioned to welcome many more folks into our life together. Leaving in this moment, instead of at that the end of last year, feels so much more hopeful to me. I can see you shining as we move into what is next after the pandemic.

I am excited, too. I wonder what God has next for me. I hope the Cabinet will have another appointment for me to serve, beginning July 2022. Until then, I’m excited about some time off. I won't have to pack our home in a hurry. I can spend more time with my family as we prepare for Elizabeth’s wedding in May. I can read. I can enjoy the new kayak Kurt and I bought earlier this fall. It will be a blessing to have some time to rest before taking another appointment. I hope that my next congregation will be as amazing as you have been in receiving my gifts for ministry.

Faith, if you have many feelings in this season, it is OK. It is. We don’t have to play nice on the surface and keep everything else hidden away. We also don’t have to choose one feeling at the expense of the others. We can be disappointed and hopeful in the same breath. I think how we say good bye matters and my hope is that we can be real with each other over the next few weeks. If you want to share holy conversation with me, please contact me. Outside of leading worship and preaching, spending time with those who want to do so will be my priority. I’m okay to share whatever feelings you might have as we visit and I hope that you can allow me the same freedom. This is actually a beautiful time of letting go and I don’t want us to miss any chance to bless one another.

Grace and peace,