Missing My (former) Sheep

One of the most difficult aspects of itinerant ministry is the heart stuff.

I mean... loving people for Jesus and then, because of Jesus you are sent to a new flock. Then, while growing in love for your new flock your pastoral/shepherd heart is tugged by the weight of so many lambs for whom you deeply care.

Maybe I can express myself better.

I realized this week that I was homesick yet, at first, I could not figure out what or for whom I was longing.

Only after I heard sad health news about one of my previous sheep, did a realization hit me like the whack of a shepherd's staff to the head!  I am homesick for my previous flock.

This awareness has little to do with how loving and amazing my new flock is (and they are wonderful people/sheep!  So proud of them!).  Rather, this realization tells me something about my shepherd's heart.  I am missing my sheep...just as they knew me; I knew them.  I wonder about them.  Worry with them.  Pray for them.  Think about them.

And I just .... miss them.

Miss them because I love them.

Happy Birthday, Ridge UMC!

Our congregation celebrates this weekend (actually we've been celebrating all year long) our 60th Anniversary of ministry!

It is amazing to consider how many baptisms, wedding and funerals our congregation has had.  Or how many persons were launched in to vocational ministry or pastoral ministry as a result of the nurture they received at Ridge UMC.  Think about the amount and depth of prayers which have been prayed (and answered) by our gracious God!

Boggles the mind and heart!

As we celebrate the good stuff, give thanks for God's presence through the tough stuff, we realized one important thing.  Our ministry is not over.  We have not reached the finish line.  We're not down with our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

There are more disciples to be made... and the disciple we have are still diligently striving to transform the world... because of and through God's grace in Jesus' love by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When we think about it this way- we don't have time to pause for a long party!

So my prayer is that our celebration will strengthen us; rejuvenate us; remind us of our purpose for being; and ultimately 'set us on fire again' to be people of the Way.

Bring on the next 60 years... cannot wait to see what God will accomplish inspite of us and through us for others!