SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, A DEAR FRIEND AND MENTOR ONCE TOLD ME that one of the keys to pastoral ministry for churches and pastors is to understand that every pastor is an interim pastor; I would add to his wise words that every congregation is an interim congregation, as people within those congregations change every day.
One thing we know whenever we arrive at a new appointment, and one thing every congregation knows when a new pastor arrives, is that this particular season of shared ministry will draw to a close at some point.
Although I will continue to be around until the conclusion of my last day as your pastor (30JUN2019), this Sunday will mark the last time we will be in worship together for our weekly Sunday services.
Preparing for a 'last Sunday' is always emotional for your pastor, as the mind goes back through all that has occurred for the time we have shared - the highs and the lows, the joys and the sorrows, baptisms, weddings, funerals, the sacredness of Holy Communion, and so much more.
Yet, the truth is a 'last Sunday' is, like EVERY Sunday, about no one other than the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While this Sunday will definitely be a unique service, it is incumbent upon us to gather to focus on God's love, embodied in the grace of Jesus Christ, and sustained by the work of the Holy Spirit.
As such, this week's text will draw from some of Paul's final words to the church in Corinth as found in the thirteenth chapter of what we know as the Second Letter to the Corinthians. In these words we see the imperatives he left with this church as a way to put things in perspective for all involved. We will dive into these truths as a way to move forward as a pastor and as a congregation.
Along with these words, we will hear from Paul's letter to the Colossians, where he focuses on the absolutely most essential characteristic that is needed for a church and it's people to be healthy - how we behave towards one another. Just as Vince Lombardi started every training camp by holding up a football and saying, "Gentlemen, this is a football," and John Wooden started every training camp by showing his players the proper way to put on their socks and shoes, so we, too, do well to revisit some of the absolute basics of the faith while preparing for our respective next seasons of life.
One thing that will be different this Sunday concerns the end of our service. After the benediction, I will not be standing at the back doors of the church to greet everyone. Instead, Erin and I, along with Anna Catherine and Joseph, will greet you at a reception Dr. Catherine White and the members of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee will be holding for us to celebrate the ministry we have shared. Erin and I look forward to greeting you all during this special time, and cannot thank Catherine and the committee enough for their hard work and support.
Come join us this week, and bring a friend!
Grace and Peace,
Lamar
