That two seemingly insignificant conversations occurred on the same day inform this writing. In the first conversation I’m walking on Marvin Street and see a woman with some age on her looking up. A dad and his two school age children on their bicycles have stopped and are also looking up. Then I hear the honking. Overhead are at least a hundred Canadian geese. They are purposeful in their flying. They know where they are going. They are returning home after the long winter. The five of us stand there for a moment mesmerized. Then the dad says something like “Isn’t it amazing how the geese have this radar inside them that tells them when and where to go.”
The second conversation was also two days before spring and the day after Dorothy Fox’s burial service here at St. James. Some of us are talking about our funerals and one of our older members asks me if she can have the well known reading from Ecclesiastes read at her burial service. Knowing it is not one of the options listed in the Prayer Book, but as her pastor, I say “sure!” For what better burial reading than “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”
By now you know that I will be leaving St. James toward the end of May to serve as the next Rector of St. Andrew’s in Arlington, Virginia. Like the geese Joe and I are returning to a place we have known before as home. Also like the geese it has been a long winter but that is not why we’re leaving! We have loved living in upstate New York and (if I say so myself) we have weathered winters well! But like the geese there is this radar inside of me. For me it is the call of God. It is the stirring of the Holy Spirit calling me to a new ministry. It is my commitment to follow Jesus wherever I’m led.
Please know this has not been an easy time of discernment because both Joe and I love the churches we serve. But again, like the geese, staying put forever goes against how we understand our call to serve God through parish ministry. For as scripture teaches us…For everything there is a season… a time to come and a time to go. There is also “a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance” and I hope we will do all of this in my remaining time with you.
You have my heart. It is hard to leave. But as a dear friend always reminds me, “God’s got this!” I have no doubt there is a hopeful bright future for St. James and I have no doubt that I am called at this time to lead St. Andrew’s to their bright and hopeful future. I love you all. I will miss you. And I am very, very grateful for having served as your Rector for these past seven years.