This day forty years ago was my first day “on the job” at Elmbrook Church. Forty years—is that possible? I never would have imagined that I’d have the blessing of doing ministry in the same church for my entire adult life. Today my head spins with memories. I’ve been involved in so many different forms of ministry. Have celebrated so many weddings. Mourned at so many funerals. Greeted so many new pastors and staff, and said goodbye to so many. And then there are the crises. We all would like to pretend crises will never happen, but they do. The national crises unfolding on TV, the crises in the church which sometimes are like earthquakes that shake the whole thing, the personal crises that take what started to be a normal day and turn it to trauma.
I hope I can grab a little time for reflection today, but it is another day filled with the many tasks at hand.
I know this: Ingrid and I are filled with gratitude. Serving is a great privilege and honor at the same time that it costs everything. How can both be true? I don’t know.
Thank you, dear friends, for every authentic connection we have enjoyed over the years. We long for you to perceive and enjoy every single blessing that comes your way, and to persevere in those seasons which are costly.
