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9-11-11

Care and Feeding of a New Pastor

Leviticus 19:17-18, Psalm 116:12-19, 1 Timothy 5:17-19, Luke 10:30-37

This is at the same time a difficult message and an easy one.

Difficult because there is so much I want to cover. Easy for exactly the same reason. I didn’t have to strain to find words for this message.  Instead I had to find a strainer to keep out the words that I don’t need to say. You will be the judge of how good the strainer I used turned out.

There are 3 points this morning – no surprise! 

1) reflecting on the events of September 11 ten years later; 2) words of advice about a congregation’s relationship with their pastor; and 3) miscellaneous stuff I just want to say.

I am going to start with number 3. 

I am going to miss you terribly.  We have spent a significant portion of our lives together over the past 2 years, and I truly love you, warts and all. Not only that, I also appreciate that you have loved me, warts and all.  We have walked the interim journey together, explored various options, embraced some, rejected others, had retreats, potlucks, numerous coffee hours – we have studied together, worked together, seen a change to our Presbyterian polity that brought more justice to our world, welcomed . . .