Greetings! Grace family!
As I begin winding down toward my retirement, I am thinking about all the wonderful people I have had the privilege to worship and work with over my years at Grace. This year, I willhave been a member for 39 years! In June, I will have been on staff for 27 years and 5 months, and I will have been one of your pastors for 9 years. I have had many wonderful experiences, and you have all been unbelievably supportive of me and my journey from lay person to pastor. I could not have done all I did without your prayers, your love, and your support. And as I think back through the years, I can see where there have been many changes along the way that we navigated together. Those changes brought a lot of stress and yet they all turned out for the better. I realize that for Christians, the future does not have to be scary because we know that God is with us on the journey.
In this moment, I am looking forward to what the future will bring. I am looking forward to how I will be able to volunteer at Grace. I am looking forward to working alongside all of you in a different capacity. I am looking forward with excitement. I am also excited about being a Spiritual Director and all that entails. What I hope you can see is that my work is not over, just changing. One thing I have learned throughout my life and my career is that change is inevitable. It is the one constant in life besides death and taxes of course.
Which brings me to my passage for this Sunday: Matthew 17:1 – 9. I encourage you to take the time to read it. It is the passage in Matthew about Jesus’ Transfiguration. Which is another way to say Jesus changed in some way on that mountain top. We all struggle in different ways with the many changes that come into our lives. Very few of us are resolute in facing those changes. And yet, they come anyway.
I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves when we are faced with change is to be curious. So, we ask questions: What are the things we need in our lives to face “the change”? How can we navigate through any change that comes, with a peace that defies all human understanding? Where is God with me in the change? What does God need from me? Prayer should be our constant spiritual practice through any change and if you need some extra guidance Spiritual Direction is just the thing.
This coming week is a busy one! We kick everything off with a pancake dinner on March 4. March 5 is our Ash Wednesday service, the BRIGHT Rally is on March 6, a family fun day on March 7, the car show, on March 8 and we spring forward on March 9. Whew! I hope to see you at some of these fun events throughout the week. See you Sunday!
Peace,
Pastor Beth