Dear friends in Christ,
I want you to know how grateful I am to be called to these communities. I am surrounded by people who love their God, love their church and love their pastor, and show their love in meaningful ways. I thank God for you.
I am writing this letter to you because my time here is ending. My last day will be Sunday November 22nd. Shortly afterwards, I will begin to serve a new parish as their pastor.
This is not an easy letter to write because of my care for these communities, and the effect it will have on many. For that, I am sorry. I care deeply about you as people and Congregations.
The first question I need to answer is… ‘Why?’ I came here as a flexible person, with a willingness to try things out, and an interest in building trust and community. I came here as someone you believed could take the idea of a 3 point parish and help make it a reality. Together, by the grace of God, we have. However, I have been realizing that I lack the talents and gifts to be an ongoing 3 point pastor. I've been running into my limits for the last 14 months, getting very drained doing the kind of church work that is always behind the scenes.
Some people will speculate that this means I should not have taken on as much as I have. The truth is that I am energized and fed talking about God, praying, and worshiping with our WOW kids and Confirmation youth. Work like that feeds me.
On the other hand, while I am reasonably skilled at keeping the details of church management from slipping through the cracks, this is not a gift of mine, and this takes a lot of my energy. In a 3 point parish, the number of details that can be overlooked are numerous, and they have worn me down. More could be said, but that is enough for now.
The second question I need to answer is… 'Now what?' The Parish Council will need to work with the Synod to do what is necessary to prepare for Bridge and an Interim pastors. The Parish Council and Congregation Councils will need your help and support - and the more people who step forward, the better this transition will be - please ask your council presidents what they need.
For my family and I, what comes next will be a move to Two Harbors, where I will serve as the lead pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Lastly, I want to note some of the things I have noticed in my time here - the things that should be celebrated and should energize all of our congregations to further our participation in God's Mission in our world.
- Partnership: My first Sunday at this parish was Reformation Sunday in 2012 - and this was the first Sunday our 3 point parish existed. Together we have begun a new thing!
- Relationship: In the past, our churches have not always gotten along with one another. In the last three years, trust and camradarie have grown tremendously - be proud of that.
- Ecumenical: Working together with Pr. Barbara Hegfors, we are a model of church cooperation that will be become more and more the norm on our communities. There is One Lord, and One Church, and we are united in God's mission.
- Children and Youth - There is a hunger for God in our community. Together we have almost 60 children and youth participating in our Wednesday ministries! When we come together for our children out of love for God, great things happen.
- Mission Planning: We went through a time of dreaming, visioning, and planning as congregations and a parish. Congregations that know what their mission is are a force to be reckoned with.
There will be updates on Sundays and in bulletins about what my final four Sundays will be like. Presumably there will be a meal and gathering to celebrate our time together - dates will be forthcoming. Please know that my door is always open to those who want to talk.
Change is never easy. It is not comfortable. But as a people dedicated to Jesus, we know that our God creates new life and a future through every circumstance in life. God will do so again here. I promise.
See you on Sunday.
Peace,
Pr. Brendan
