Gone again

Today is a day for rebirth, refreshment, retrying. Last night we told the SPRC (a committee that is in charge primarily of the pastor at United Methodist Churches) that I was being reassigned to churches in the Eunice, La. area. I will leave in late June for a July 1 first Sunday.

"My"  churches were told they were splitting their two-point charge and that part-time local pastors were being given to each of the two churches.

We begin, yet again. All of us.

I'm not sure what the reaction, inside reaction, was for each of the 10 or so who were gathered there. I'm not sure what my reaction is, really. There is some excitement. There is some regret. There is some fear. I fear for my pets and new surroundings. I fear for the churches I will come in contact with: will they hear what I preach; will they try new things; will we grow those churches as we have all the ones we've come to?

I don't know these answers, and won't for months.

Will the churches here be helped by a lesser financial burden? I can't help but think they will be. My wife Mary and I were in agreement that one major reason to do this was to help the smaller church, Lacombe, which we felt couldn't continue to meet its financial burden of insurance and pension.

So, we go on, into the mystery of the itinerant system. Into the mystery, period. Today I will craft a letter to be sent to the entire two churches. I will say goodbye, without saying goodbye. We will see what the reaction is there, as well.

Through it all Mary and I have said we are doing what we believe to be God's will. I think that is all you really can do.

But there is that little bitty part of me that says, "Man, I hope we read this situation right." Only time will tell. I know I can trust God; it's me I worry about.