Wow.

"Wow" just about covers it. 

Sunday was a difficult day, but a great day. I cried as I remembered my 4 years, what I have experienced with the congregation, and remembered who I am in Christ...

Gray Memorial UMC has accepted me just as I am for 4 years. From my first day, when I knew hardly anything about what it meant to be a pastor, to today, when I am humbled and thankful to the point of tears for their welcoming and ministering with me. In this way, the congregation has shown me the grace and love of God. This congregation has helped me remember who I am--an imperfect person, called by God to offer the hand of Jesus to a world that is hungry, broken, and looking for hope.

Yesterday, I  opened all of the cards and gifts received yesterday at Gray Memorial United Methodist Church. They thanked me, encouraged me, and expressed prayers for my journey ahead. They made me laugh, cry, and remember the goodness of God. There is also a new cookbook, candy, and a Tervis cup for when I am on the go. But most of all, there is love in these expressions of gratitude and support.

Thank you, church. You have blessed me. You have shown me the grace and love of God. I will always remember you. 

On my way to Annual Conference in Lakeland this past week, a song came through my speakers that I hadn't heard in a while. Once I began to recognize it, I was thankful there was a rest area ahead. I began to remember the words and knew that I needed to pull over; it was going to be difficult to focus on the road during this song, but I did not want to skip it. So I sat in the parking lot of the rest area, close to tears, sort of lost in the song, and began to pray it. 

The song is called "You Have Called Me Higher" by All Sons and Daughters

here is a link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGDVlOKoOoE

And here are the lyrics:

I could just sit

I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness

Hope to feel Your presence

And I could just stay

I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You

Hope to feel something again

And I could hold on

I could hold on to who I am and never let You

Change me from the inside

And I could be safe, oh 

I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home

Never let these walls down

Chorus: 

But You have called me higher

You have called me deeper

And I'll go where You will lead me Lord

And I could hold on

I could hold on to who I am and never let You

Change me from the inside

And I could be safe, oh 

I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home

Never let these walls down

Chorus

And I will be Yours, oh

I will be Yours for all my life

So let Your mercy

Oh, and I will be Yours, Lord

And I will be Yours for all my life

So let Your mercy light the path before me

Chorus

This song, by chance, was also one of the worship songs played by the Eleven20 band at Annual Conference. I knew God was speaking to me. The words that stood out to me, in this season of my life, are : I will go where you lead me, Lord. This is my assurance that where I am going, the Lord is leading me, and that I will follow Jesus there. 

I covet your payers, I thank you for all that you have done with me and for me, and wish the congregation God's blessing with Myron Rhodes, and his wife Annette. I have gotten to know them, and you will be blessed by their presence and leadership here. 

Loving God, 

Creator of all things, 

Bless this congregation at Gray Memorial UMC

   and their surrounding community of Tallahassee

   that they may continue the good work of spreading your good news

I thank you for my time with them

  for their service, love, and dedication to love you and their neighbors.

During this time of change, 

  I ask that you may cover them with your hope and peace

Bless and prepare Myron and Annette

   as they anticipate coming into this community

   to continue and witness the good work that you have done.

May their ministry be fruitful.

May they bring people to know your love and grace,

   through their gifts and graces.

You have done marvelous things, O Lord.

We can't wait to see what you next.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.

In Christ, 

Jack

Just as I am

This time of year is always a bit stressful for UMC pastors. All over our country, some pastors are preparing to move to new churches, and also for Annual Conference meetings. Sunday is my last Sunday here at GMUMC in Tallahassee, and the transition has been a bit stressful. But I have also found life and hope in this season. Here are some passages, that will be read aloud as we worship Sunday, that have helped me during this time. I believe that they can help this congregation find God in the midst of all these changes and through this transition.

I invite you to read them with me now, and offer your own reflections. Perhaps you can pray through these passages and/or write down what God is doing in them, and how that impacts you.

Exodus 16: 1-12

This passage tells the story of how God provided manna in the wilderness for those Israelites travelling to a new land. They were transitioning, too, not from one pastor to the next, but to a new land. They would travel for many years from Egypt to the promised land. They sought hope and nourishment from their leader, and God provided. What stands out to me is that in their confusion and even their complaining, God gave them their daily bread. God equipped their leader, Moses, with the assurance of this provision, and guidance on what it meant for them. God not only provides "daily bread," but direction in the midst of confusion, hope in the midst of complaining, and a way to enter into a new place and situation.

Psalm 100

This psalm is an invitation to worship God, because God is so good. God's love endures forever! All other things are temporary, yet God's love endures forever. Of course, I can think about how my time here at this church is temporary, but not only that: my career, my relationships, my stuff, money, all of it will be gone some day. That isn't such a sad thing when I reminded that God's love endures forever. God is worthy of my praise, and worshiping God gives me the peace and the hope that God's love endures forever.

Ephesians 4: 1-16

Paul writes a new community of faith in this letter to the Ephesians, encouraging them to live faithful lives and find unity in that. He does not do this by giving them rules to follow, but by inviting them to live into their unique gifts from God, writing: "The gifts he (Christ) gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ..." Paul encourages this new community to be who God created them to be; to live into the unique way God made them. In a transition, it always helps to have unity. The receiving community can be united by the way they serve and welcome all people, even their new pastor. I just love how Paul validates these gifts from God. We are invited to come to Christ, just as we are. And this unites us, even though we are all different.

John 6: 35-51

The folks that Jesus is talking to in this passage remember what God did back in Exodus 16 with their ancestors. Jesus had just fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread. Jesus had just walked on water, taming the chaos and making it to the other side of the water. And now he is speaking to those questioning him: "will you give us bread to eat like God did for our ancestors?" He replies “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away."

Jesus loves you just as you are. You are gifted. You are accepted. You have a place with Jesus.

Prayer:

1.        Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.	2.        Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
3.        Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.	4.        Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
5.        Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.	6.        Just as I am, thy love unknown hath broken every barrier down; now, to be thine, yea thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

In Christ,

Jack