Today is our last Sunday with the Patapsco–Lodge Forest
Cooperative Parish. It is bittersweet as
on one hand we look forward to the adventure ahead in discovering a new people
(Good Shepherd UMC) and new place (Waldorf, MD) but on the other, it is difficult
to say goodbye to those we have served and loved.
I’ve been part of this community since we got married in
2003—even a bit before that. I probably never will forget the reaction of
Staff–Parish when Laurie told them she was getting married. J It was fun to celebrate our wedding with
them, and the subsequent arrival of our children. They celebrated Brady and Becca’s arrival,
and surrounded us when we lost our daughter Hope. They gave Laurie a gift of extended
maternity/bereavement leave. I’m
thankful for how both churches have welcomed our children and me.
During my time among them, I’ve written newsletter articles,
preached sermons, led studies, and participated in worship and small
groups. In my writing and speaking, I’ve
tried to exhort the people to seek God’s best for their lives as individuals
and as a community. I’ve longed to see
us find the threads of glory in our
lives—places where our story connects with God’s stories. I have a passion to see us all live out our
full God-given potential and become all we are capable of being in Christ.
But for a variety of
reasons I’ve kept the people at arms length; relationships have remained
superficial. Part of that comes from
being an introvert; part of that comes from being the pastor’s spouse; there
are other reasons (excuses?) I could list.
Not so for Laurie. When she was ordained the Bishop said to
her, “Take thou authority as an elder.”
It’s interesting that it’s phrased that way.
It suggests that the authority
a person receives as a pastor is not a given.
You have to “take it.”
How does one take authority among a people? The best answer I can give (as someone who
isn’t commissioned to do this but is married to someone who is) is that you love them—with all your heart, all
your strength, and all your soul.
And that is precisely what my wife has tried to do. She has poured
herself out like a drink offering on the altar these past 12 years, giving
so much of herself to serve those she is called to shepherd and lead. I admire this woman’s dedication to her
calling. She has rejoiced with them and
shed tears with them. She has baptized them, married them, buried them, ordered
the life of their church community, leading them in worship and serving them
communion, and serving them in so many other ways along life’s journey. She worries when one of them is sick or in
danger; she wants to be with them when they need to be comforted. She loves her family but she also loves the
people she is called to serve.
By doing all of that, she has earned the people’s trust and respect—but
she has also earned something else far more important to living out her call. She earned the right to take authority among this particular group of people. In her 12 years with these people, she has
accomplished much, but it probably wouldn’t have been possible if she hadn’t
invested all the time and energy into these people’s lives. It hasn't always
been perfect or easy. In fact, the journey has been long, difficult, and at
times even painful. However, I think
that as we end our time in this particular place, we can also say in all
sincerity, that the journey has been good. God has been with us through it all; we
are thankful for our time here and for what God has done to us and through us
in this place.
And so, I begin to
understand why what will happen today is so hard for Laurie. We both know God calls us to this next place
and are excited to see where the journey is going to take us, but it does not
making the leaving any less difficult.
What is about to take place follows in a long tradition. Moses
took authority leading the people of Israel to the cusp of the Promised Land
but then passed the mantle of leadership to Joshua. Elijah passed the mantle to
Elisha. There came a point when John the
Baptist “decreased” so that Jesus could increase. Barnabas the former mentor gave way to Paul;
“Paul” in turn, entrusts authority to Timothy. And so it goes, on through history.
Methodists have continued in that proud tradition for
centuries. Tomorrow, Rev. Laurie Gates–Ward will lay down her stole on the
altar of her churches so that, in due time, her successor, Rev. Bonnie McCubbin
can take it up. Even as her spouse, her partner on this journey for almost nine
years, I’m not sure my words do justice to how difficult this is for her to do.
I pray God will be with us tomorrow and in all the days that
follow...
