I began my sermon last Sunday acknowledging
that my retirement was close at hand. I
shared a famous anonymous quote that seems quite appropriate for this situation:
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile
because it happened.” I believe there’s
room for both tears and smiles as we anticipate closure to our shared ministry
over the past fifteen years.
We can all relate to departures and the subsequent
transitions that result from them. Life
is largely defined by the way we handle these transitions. In his book, Managing Transitions,
William Bridges writes, “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the
transitions. Change is not the same as
transition. Change is
situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new
policy. Transition is the
psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new
situation. Change is external,
transition is internal.”
Thirty-seven years ago, I was ordained into the holy
ministry of Word and Sacrament. I knew what
I was getting into: a vocation that would involve a lengthy sequence of hellos
and good-byes; a series of exciting beginnings, as well as grace-filled
departures...a lifetime of transitions.
Tears and smiles serve as salt and pepper, seasoning our lives as we
serve God and neighbor. I realize that, for
some of you, my retirement may seem like a mixture of salt and pepper.
Pastor Chad will become St. Mark’s primary pastoral leader
in June, as is the case in the vacancy of the senior pastor position. I encourage you to fully support Pastor Chad
in his new role during the call process.
It’s also important to clarify the boundaries that I intend to observe
as a newly retired pastor. Professional
etiquette requires that I find a new church to join in the coming months. Thus, I will not attend any future worship
services or church events at St. Mark unless specifically requested by the new
senior pastor. The one exception to this
will be an available Sunday down the road once we have returned to our church
nave for full worship services. I look
forward to preaching one final sermon in your presence in the weeks to come!
I will also refrain from any pastoral care in my
retirement. This includes weddings,
funerals, baptisms, counseling, and any other pastoral acts on behalf of St.
Mark. While I intend to honor the
friendships that exist, I will refrain from engaging in any discussions or
activities surrounding the many ministries of St. Mark. This vital separation of pastoral expectations
and activity is necessary and healthy for all of us, allowing St. Mark to move
forward with new leadership and bold visioning for the future. God is faithful...you are in good hands!
Finally, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity
to serve St. Mark these past fifteen years.
Together, we have served this community with faith, courage, and
innovation. We have wept together, and
we have laughed together. We have
endured many trials and hardships, and we have celebrated significant growth
and accomplishments. We have done it all
as one family of faith.
Regardless of the numerous transitions that define our
individual journeys, we will continue to serve one Lord and one Church. In that light, we will always be together in
the Spirit...sharing in the common work of serving Jesus!
With deepest gratitude,
Pastor Mark
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