According to Coldplay, the hardest part is letting go not taking part (yes, I listen to Coldplay)... and I agree. It is with a grateful heart and I am sure with a fair amount of tears that I will be leaving the MBCC in a month. I have been called by Fruitvale Presbyterian Church in Oakland. It is an exciting move for me, a 3/4 time solo pastor gig, giving me time to continue pursuing my artwork. But, for every bit of me that is excited by this change, a bit of me is sad as well. At MBCC, I grew into a pastoral call I didn't know I had.
So spare me a minute to gush. This journey started for me at the suggestion of a stranger, who thought this was the coolest Presbyterian crew in the Bay. I met Bruce, before ever coming to MBCC, over vegetarian Chinese food to discuss the possibility of an internship. I was deeply impressed by the welcome I received as a stranger. After much hemming and hawing, to MBCC I came for my internship, never having preached, never having worked for a church, and completely unsure of what to expect.
With y'all, I learned to love preaching, to ask questions of the Bible, to ask my community for prayer. With y'all, I learned to feel at home somewhere other than Cincinnati. God showed me that I can trust that I will be given what I need--a network of relationships and a supportive community--to live into my call. With y'all, I learned how to live my Presbyterian tradition as my own, with a little flair, a little color and a whole lot of humor.
So I thank all of you for all your support through the last two years. I know that I wouldn't be a pastor without the gift of this community, and I thank God for that.
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