revmusings

Been a bit quiet on the blog front as I have been in the last stages of settlement when everything becomes very intense and confidential. The conclusion is that I have received a call to a church in the south and have gladly accepted that call - it's exciting and scary all at the same time! I am really looking forward to the move and have  a real sense of God leading me on to pastures new and yet undiscovered. The church serves a very different community to my current one and so I face a new set of challenges.

The hard part has been telling my current community - I was shaking as the final hymn was sung and then the fateful words..I have news for you..... Some were not surprised; some saguine (ministers come and go); some very sad; some managed to be pleased for me and were very supportive; some said nothing! I still have a number of others, shut-ins and wider community to tell but already many know and seem sad. (Some have, in jest, called me a rat and a traitor! I feel like it sometimes!)

The strange thing is the many affirmations I have received as I have told people and the thought that in church we are bad at thanking people for what they do till they stop doing it! It's good to know I have made a positive difference in some lives during my time here

Thr hard part is these next 3 months (last service is Christmas day which caused much consternation as many will be away) the sense that you are both leaving and arriving all at the same time. The new church are being very generous and giving me a whole month to leave here and arrive there which helps somewhat as I don't need to make too many decisions about future stuff whilst I am here.

How to leave well for me and the church, how to prepare them for the future...these and I am sure many others are the questions that I now need to work through.