Jennifer is after me to get this finished, so she can proceed with the newsletter, but obviously I am procrastinating. I am pushing it off, I suppose, because it really doesn't seem possible that this is my final official communication. In fact, I can't really believe that 12 years have passed so quickly or that they are indeed coming to an end.

Where has all the time gone?

I don't know, but the first babies I baptized here are now in middle school. The little ones who first came for children's time have now graduated from high school. Some of the couples I married have not only had a family, but completed their family. Many of the faces I see on Sunday morning have changed, and of course, some who were important parts of this congregation when I came now belong to the ages. Though I don't feel any older, and you don't look any older, the truth is we have all aged by a dozen years. And I am so thankful that you have allowed me to share these years of life with you!

I devoted a large portion of time to preparation. Classes, regular worship services, special parts of worship services, Session meetings, staff meetings, weddings, funerals, all required hours of preparation. A wedding might only take 30 minutes, but my preparation time amounts to something like 8 hours – meeting with the couple, rehearsal, writing the service and message, and managing the event. I am someone who likes to be prepared and I have never resorted to canned or repeated sermons or Sunday services that simply go over the same words repeatedly. It might have saved me some time, but I would have missed the opportunity to grow in the process or to find new interpretations and applications for the Word. I would have missed precious time exploring God's Word for this time and place. Thank you for the demands that require preparation and granting me the time for that preparation!

A large portion of the time has been used talking with people. Some make an appointment to come in and others simply call or drop by the office. I have talked with people at church, in meetings, in their homes, in my home, in the hospital, at civic events, over a meal, on our way to some appointment, in the car, at retreats, and in the middle of a store. Some have been serious conversations about Scripture or life situations, some have been about disagreements, and some have been in the presence of a mediator, but the vast majority of our conversations have been the type of conversations on which relationships are built and rest. I consider the time spent talking together as sacred time because in the process we reveal ourselves to each other and over time the image of God in each of us is also revealed and we are drawn together with God. Thank you for the hours of conversation and what of God I have come to know because of you!

A fairly large chunk of the 12 years has been spent in administration. Applying the decisions and wishes of the Session to staffing, ministries, programs, and the building; representing the church at the Presbytery, on local civic boards, the Chamber of Commerce, Baccalaureate, and participating in the local minister's alliance. At times it has worn me out, but I have always felt proud and extremely privileged to represent this church and to make decisions on your behalf. It has been the opportunity to apply the Word to our common life and take it into the community in concrete actions. Thank you for trusting me with your reputation!

But I suppose I have spent the most time worrying. Worry about doing things right. Worry about what people will say. Worry about the people I have offended. Worry about individuals as they experience the crisis of personal life. Worry about the budget. Worry about the people who leave upset or angry. Worry about the Children's Center or the Ministry of Care. Worry about the issues of the building. Worry about the decisions we make. Worry about whether we could have done things differently. Worry about a negative comment. Worry about whether we are drawing people closer to God. Worry about discerning God's will for this congregation. Worry about being faithful to my call.
Yes, I have prayed about all of these things and I trust that the Holy Spirit is alive and active here, but I continue to carry the concerns. It is part of the responsibility that comes with installation. It is the burden that I feel it is time to lay down. For 12 years the church and it's people have never been far from my conscious thought. It has been the focus of my prayers and the center of my attention. I certainly have not done everything that was expected of me, but I do believe I have given it my all. And I thank you for stretching me, embracing me, challenging me, loving me, forgiving me, and walking with me! I am not the same person who took the call 12 years ago. And that is a good thing. If Christianity is about transformation, I have been transformed by the experience of being your pastor and proclaiming the love God has for each of us. I will always love this church... but I will no longer use my time to worry about it. I leave you where I found you, in the hands of God.

Reverend Lynn Vahle

News travels fast in a small town so I would imagine that by now all of you know that I am leaving my position effective June 15th. My last Sunday in the pulpit will be on June 6th. On that day representatives of the Presbytery will be here to dissolve the relationship we have enjoyed for these 12 years.

Jerry and I will continue to live in Brighton for the foreseeable future which means that while I am no longer the pastor here I still will be a neighbor and member of the community. We will undoubtedly run into each other at the grocery store, at restaurants and at the coffee shop. And while it may seem strange to you there are a few rules that the Presbytery asks me to live by, and I want you to
know what they are so you can help me be faithful to my word to the Presbytery.

First of all, Jerry and I cannot worship here at First Pres. We will have to find a new worshipping community and for us that will be hard, but it insures that the interim and then the new pastor can establish new ministries without any interference from me. Having been an interim pastor and having come to a congregation with a long history I know how important this is.

Secondly, I cannot be involved in any way with the workings of the church or the selection of a new pastor. Even though I am a member of Presbytery's Committee
on Ministry when the Brighton church is discussed I will have to excuse myself
from the room. I cannot give advice or opinions, even if asked. After having my life and the life of the church be so intertwined for so long I think this will probably be the hardest part.

Thirdly, I cannot have conversations with any person associated with the church about the church, the selection process, or the candidate chosen. When we see each other – and we will – we can talk about the weather, about the kids, about
politics, about the city, about our health, about anything but the church. In some
ways this will give us the opportunity to expand our relationship and that's a good
thing.

And finally, I cannot perform any pastoral functions for people of the church.
I cannot baptize babies, I cannot do marriages, I cannot visit the sick, and I cannot do funerals. In fact, I cannot attend funerals here without the invitation and permission of the current pastor. Again this is to allow new relationships to form between pastor and people. I understand this but it will still be a bitter pill for both of us in many instances and for some time to come.

I know what the rules are and I have agreed to live by them. But at this moment
I don't know how I am going to do that. When I step away, I must divorce my-self from this congregation. But it is not necessary that I divorce myself from the people here whom I have come to love and whom I count as friends. We will see each other but we will have to work out a new relationship not based on our common commitment to this place of worship. But I hope we can celebrate the time we have had together and our common commitment to Jesus Christ and his church.

Reverend Lynn Vahle

As a kid I remember looking at a chart that gave me the date of Easter through the year 2015 and wondering how they knew that. I knew that Easter wasn't always on the  same day like Christmas but it was beyond me how they could know so far in the future when Easter would be. Then, of course, someone explained to me the formula that is used...the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, or something like that. You can predict when Easter will arrive. But the truth, of course, is that you can't predict when Easter will happen.

On that first Easter morning when the women went to the tomb their life had come to an abrupt and complete stop. Everything that had taken their time, energy and enthusiasm was wiped out, gone, destroyed. Everything in which they found meaning was gone. The one person around whom their lives revolved was dead. They found themselves in a strange city, far from home, with no means of support and perhaps worse, no reason for being. The men could go back to fishing, but the women had nothing to go back to.

Easter is more than a day on the calendar. It is more than the beginning of spring. It is more than a few days out of school. It is more than a family get together or a breakfast at
church. Easter comes and goes on a schedule, but it only happens when life grinds to a halt and there is nothing to look forward to. Easter can only come when we peer into the future and see nothing but a dark cloud. Because Easter is always the unexpected way in which life breaks in on us even when we are convinced that life has ended.

There is a recording that I have always loved. It is about the crucifixion and as the music rises to a crashing crescendo, the words of the song say something like, "they sealed it in a tomb and they said, 'there now we have put an end to that silly song' ". There is a moment of silence and then the first faltering notes of the melody can be heard quietly reasserting themselves.

Easter is the first silly notes of the melody of life asserting themselves again when there is no reason to sing. Easter is a new way to live when life as we have known it has come to an unfortunate and unforeseen end. Easter is the surprising and unexpected way that life goes on even in the face of death. Life is the gift and the essence of God. God cannot die and the life that God gives can never end.

Even as we celebrate the day my hope and prayer is that this year when some part of life comes to a crashing end for you in the most unexpected ways Easter will happen.

As we prepare for Christmas this year, we are concluding a year when we have celebrated in many ways the anniversary of this church.  The theme for that celebration has been “Gifts From God, Gifts For God” embodying the idea that the church could not exist without the gifts that flow from the grace and generosity of God.  One hundred and twenty five years ago, God placed in the hearts of a few people the vision of a church in the newly developing town, and in every generation since, God has given a new vision of what it means to be that church in this community.  God has given the resources that have been required and God has called the people who over that span of time have been part of the church.  God has sent us able leaders and talented artists that have enhanced our shared experience.  God has given builders, teachers and cooks that have each contributed to the manifestation of the kingdom in this place. 

 The second part of the theme, Gifts For God, indicates that our only response to the abundance of God’s blessings is to give.    And that, of course, brings us to Christmas because Christmas is all about giving… and receiving.  Sometimes in a fit of discouragement we strike out at the commercialism of Christmas and all the emphasis on gifts.  But giving is the very heart of Christmas.  “God so loved the world that God gave…”  Christmas re minds us that the truest and the best gifts are those that     flow from a heart of love.  Love that moves from an over     whelming emotion to concrete expression.  The gift can     never stand alone without the love that is behind it     shining through.  And love can convert even the simplest and least expensive gift into a treasure. So think for a moment of the immense love God has for each of us and this world, and how that love took concrete expression in the life and work of Jesus Christ.  Christ was the gift that expressed the love of God.

Children are perhaps the purest receivers among us.  They don’t  feel unworthy.  They aren’t disappointed by the size or the amount of the gift. They don’t worry about whether the ledgers about gift giving are carefully balanced.  Generally they are delighted by every gift and excited by the process of tearing it open.  Getting through the wrapping is almost as important as the gift inside.  More than the gift itself it’s the whole experience of receiving a gift for them.  Would that we could find that enthusiasm, that excitement over the gifts of God’s love that we receive daily and in abundance.

In the Advent adult church school class we have been talking about “What Do You Want For Christmas?”  And it seems that most of us want to be assured that we are loved and accepted as we are, and that we mean something to the people who mean so much to us. I hope that as you contemplate giving gifts this season you will wrap a part of yourself and your love with each gift.  That like God you will choose a gift that expresses your deep love and respect for the other.  But above all, I pray that in the gifts you receive you will be delighted by the love they represent.  That whether big or small they will put a smile on your face, maybe laughter in your voice and  cause you to dance in sheer excitement.  Christmas is the assurance that we are loved by God and that God continually finds ways to make that love real for us.

Have a great holiday!!

Love, Lynn

 

    Last week, we were on the beach. One of my favorite activities is to walk along the water’s edge letting the waves break at and over my feet.  Some waves hit with great force, others seem to creep ashore.  No two are exactly alike.  No two experiences of the ocean are the same.  I have learned that the waves don’t just form when I am first able to see them.  They are the result of the topography of the ocean’s floor, the shelves the water must flow over; the wind and weather conditions, the activity in the water, and even the phases of the moon.  The ocean is alive, it is never still, it is always in motion.

On Wall Street, in the housing industry and in the manufacturing sector there are signs that the economy is beginning to recover.  Experts warn that we aren’t there yet, but we are seeing hopeful signs of turn around.  The storm may be calming, but I’m afraid the wave is just now hitting our shore.

On page 6 of the newsletter, there is a visual picture of our financial situation as of the end of September. I urge you to read it. But here is the bad news in a nutshell.  We need about $32,000 per month to run the programs of the church and maintain the building.  Since June our attendance has been down and our giving has been even lower.  For two of those months we have received only about $23,000 from all sources of income.  Even though we have kept expenses below projected rates we are still facing a large deficit.  And if our income continues to fall below the $32,000 mark in each of the remaining months we will end this year with a lot of red ink.  We do not have reserves to cover this kind of deficit.

So in the next few weeks, the Session will be prayerfully wrestling with some very difficult decisions.  Is there a way or ways to increase our income?  What expenses could be cut?  Are there programs that could be dropped?  Can we afford to remain in this building?  Will we need to cut back on our staffing?  But these are only the surface questions and hopefully they will lead us to the deeper questions.  And for me one of those questions is, what do we believe God is calling us to do in this community at this point in time?  To simply get smaller is hardly ever God’s plan.  But maybe there are things we are to do that we are neglecting.  Maybe we are wasting resources on programs that are not part of our calling.  Maybe we have to find ways to be more efficient about the way we get the work done.  Maybe we spend too much on our own comfort.  Maybe we use money instead of investing ourselves.  An economic downturn, whether personal or nation wide, always calls us to reevaluate our priorities.  And this crisis for the church is no exception.

God will surely supply the resources we need to meet the work we are given to do. But it has not been my experience that God drops buckets of money from heaven.  God provides through the committed offerings of God’s people.  God provides by involving each one of us in the support and work of the church.   God provides by helping us take a new look at who we are and how we are called to preach the Gospel.  Sometimes God even provides through difficult decisions.

 

Giving is not easy for any of us.  It is not natural.  The natural thing is to use every last cent of what we have for ourselves and our own well-being.  We can only give when  we have had a change of heart.  When we realize that there are things in this world more important than our own appetites.  When we realize that everything we have is really a gift of God.  In the early morning class we are talking about making choices.  And the point is that making choices is perhaps the most spiritual activity we ever do.  In every choice we have to decide if we want to glorify God or not.  Giving is a choice.

I’m confident that we can withstand this wave as it hits us.  But it will require good decisions by all of us.  It will require making choices that may be difficult but that will glorify God.  God will supply through all of us working together.

As I write this, we are in that deliciously slow time between our anniversary celebration and fall kickoff.

We have had great fun this year looking back at the history of the church, enjoying guest speakers, singing hymns, eating ice cream at the first church building and topping it all off with a pig roast last Sunday.  We have welcomed back some old friends and we have thanked God for all the bounty with which this congregation has been blessed.  Although we still have two gust speakers to come, that is the past.  It is history, and we cannot dwell there.

In front of us spreads the promise of a new program year.  Church School for all ages will begin again.  The choirs will commence their schedule of rehearsals and offerings.  Committees will continue their work and meetings.  The youth group will reassemble.  The ladies will make more quilts.  There will be a new director for the Children's Center.  Stephen Ministry will get under way and a committee will begin developing plans for the prayer garden, so planting can happen next spring.  That is all in the future, and we cannot yet live there, either.

We are in the present moment. The only place we can live, and it is in the present that God meets us.  God was in the past and God will be in the future, but God can only exist in the immediate present.  I don't know what these last days of summer hold for you, but I am looking forward to a slower pace, a few less demands, time to reflect on both the past and the future and a chance to savor the warm days and cool nights that tell us fall is coming.  In the creation story we are told that God rested on the seventh day.  We need time to rest.  Time to catch our breath.  Time to savor what has been and imagine what can yet be.  Time to appreciate agendas with empty spaces for dreaming or reading or napping.  God will meet us in any of those activities, share a sigh and a smile.  God doesn't demand that every minute be "sixty seconds worth of distance run".

God rested, we too can rest.  And when the pace quickens - as we know it will - we will be the better for it.  Enjoy the last days of a wonderful summer!

Pastor Lynn Vahle