As I’m winding up my time at Advent, more and more I’m pausing to ponder what I will take with me as I think back on these 5 years. Here’s my list so far:
- conversations with my pastor as we drive to synod events (I’m REALLY going to miss these!)
- countless times of pure joy and laughter while hanging out with youth
- Looking around a leadership team meeting table and realizing I do indeed have a team…we’re doing this together
- affirmation and encouragement that I choose to believe is genuine and heartfelt
- holy moments in worship when serving Communion
- holy moments while assisting in funerals, memorials and baptisms
- pushing children on the swings and helping them balance on the balance beam
- inter-generational prayer walks and prayer stations
- conversations with adults during Bible studies
- preaching and seeing faces of people whose stories I hold close to my heart
- the time as a family event winds down and everybody’s working together to clean up
- KidsTown (enough said)
- that chaos immediately after the service as everybody is greeting each other and going for the coffee and cookies
- watching a couple pass the peace to each other before turning to greet those around them
- And so much more…