A New Beginning

Dear friends,

First of all, I thank you for this wonderful gathering of support for not only my ministry here, but for what we at St. Therese are, a loving and supportive community.

I must thank Gerry Jones and all who have worked long and hard to plan and make this gathering possible. Thank you, thank you. This is not just a celebration of me, but of us.

We can never be sure whether the news we receive is bad or good.
When I first was told I had to leave St. Therese, I was devastated – all I could think of was what I was losing:

– A community that has had it’s ups and downs and has stilled thrived.
– People with whom I’ve laughed and cried with and have grown to love.
– people who have helped me see what faith looks like in action.
– people who have challenged me to be more than I ever dreamed I could be.
– a community who have seen me at my worst and my best and have continued
to believe in me.
– who have accepted me as I am, warts and all, and have accepted the
factthat I am human – and have decided that’s ok.
– have argued and disagreed with me face-to-face and, because we are
community and in this together, have agreed to disagree and get on with
our mission.

Because of this, when I first was told by our bishop that I had to leave St. Therese, it seemed to be the worst of news.
And, because all the above is true, it is still bad news.

But you’ve heard me say , over and over again, that I believe the Spirit is always present in every situation.
I still believe this.
God’s Spirit will always prevail, no matter what any of us do to squelch it.
She works through the good and the bad.
No matter the way it happened....
No matter how we judge the situation or the manner in which it happened .
Because of this, I believe there’s a good reason I am leaving.
God has something wonderful down the road for me – and for you.

Leaving is painful.
For you and for me.
I’ve spent 11 years with you.
There’s such a big part of me that doesn’t want to go.
There’s a growing part of me that is becoming excited about what lies ahead.

I’ve always been a person who wanted to be in control.
Anyone who has ever watched me pacing back and forth while new Pastoral Council members were being discerned know this.
I would always listen to the nominees and – in my mind – pick out the ones I knew would be the best – the ones I wanted to work with.
Time and time again God’s Spirit always made different choices than I had made!
More often than not, the Spirit chose better than I did!
So, hopefully, I’ve learned to become more trusting in where the Spirit thinks I should be.

Something’s in store for me.
I don’t know how its going to play out.
But, if that’s where God wants me to be, it has to be Good News!

Now, let’s party and celebrate all we have been and all we are going to be.