Closure necessary in pastoral changes

A season of change

All across the annual conference, churches and pastors are beginning the process of saying goodbye to each other. Having been there and done that, I do not take lightly the dynamics of this special kind of leave-taking that happens for United Methodists over the next few weeks. It is simply not the same as the leave-taking that happens in normal work situations.
Pastors have the privilege of being with members of their congregations at the times of highest joy and deepest sorrow. Neither forgets those occasions when pastor and members stood together at the baptismal font, before the altar at a wedding, beside the hospital bed or at graveside of a loved one. The love shared between pastors and members of their congregations at these occasions of joy and sorrow deepens the connections we have with each other and usually lasts a lifetime.
Of course, at this time, pastors and members of congregations may also be remembering failures they have shared, goals not reached, souls not saved, occasions in the past that created pain and loss that could also last a lifetime. Part of the powerful work of leave-taking and the part that most pastors and members want to avoid is participating in acts of forgiveness. However, these acts can also deepen the spiritual connections we have with each other as Christians on the same journey of discipleship in Jesus Christ.
Having made several moves as a pastor, I can safely say that I have made many mistakes in the process. First of all, it is easy to get so busy with the physical aspects of the move, which is exhausting work, that there is little energy left over for saying goodbye in healthy ways. Second, it’s human nature to want to avoid tender and tense moments that come with separating from those who have loved us or hurt us, so we make a “clean” break for it rather than doing the “messy” work of bringing closure to those relationships.
How we do this work as pastors and congregations will have spiritual consequences for all of us. If we are willing to go through the difficult crucifixion experience of saying goodbye in appropriate ways, we will have new life on the other side of parting from each other. If we do not choose to do so, new pastors and new congregations will suffer as we hold on to our grief and all the emotions it contains.
In our district, we will be saying goodbye to Judy Baskin, B.J. Rogers, Susan Brown, Pam Sheffield, Gerald Harvey, Barbara Miller and Bernice Wells. Two pastors leaving their current places of service will move within the district, Cliff Krcha and Harold Onwiler. Joe Cook will retire but remain in Corpus Christi.
I am so grateful that I had this brief period in which I served alongside these brothers and sisters in ministry. I am grateful that they have new places of service that will soon discover their spiritual gifts and the grace of God that lives in them. Thank you all for loving and serving so well in the name of Jesus Christ!