Friday, August 5, 2016

I hope you like me

Garrison Keillor did a skit some years ago about how we are all reaching out for each other.  It is quite humorous.  It starts like this, "We're all reaching out for each other, so trying so hard to find, a reason to love one another, the bond that unites humankind."  And then it went on to this very awkward encounter between a couple of guys.

So some guy from Kansas City moves to Florida to a new church.  He wonders if the people there will like him.  He hopes so.  He really wants it to work.  He is pretty nervous about the change because he is following a very well liked pastor who was there for 8 years.

What he does not know, but finds out after a few weeks is that several people in the church were thinking the same thing.  "Will this new guy like us?"  "Will he be happy here?"

We're all reaching out for each other.

I have joked with the good folks at Cape Coral- you made a bad trade.  You traded a 41 year old pastor with hair for a 59 year old pastor with no hair.

Well, with no offense to my dear friends at Woods Chapel, I want to go on the record and say that I love Cape Coral and I love the church and I love the people.  You all have been so very kind.  Thank you for your welcome.

Change is never easy, but kindness makes everything better.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.


5 comments:

Unknown said...

Regardless of where you are located, "You are loved!" Your love, care, kindness and grace for others will continue to enrich the lives that come to know you!

Tracy Wrisinger said...

One of the best parts of seeing you preach on Sunday (and there were many) was seeing the impact you've made on the good people of Cape Coral First UMC in five short weeks. They are lovely towards you because they are lovely people and they appreciate that you are lovely. Makes my heart sing.

Anonymous said...

Jeff, the fact that you're falling in love with Florida, bike ride by bike ride, mixed plant by mixed plant, Cape Coral church member by church member is not offensive to your former church family at all. Quite the opposite, it is an answer to prayers for Jeff.

This adapting on your part did not come without a lot of pain and withdrawal, and pain is not what those who love you want for you.

Keep adapting and we'll keep saying "thanks" to our Heavenly Father.

Anonymous said...

Pastor Jay Said n assured us we were going to get a good new pastor and he was right Thanks for coming n being who u r

Unknown said...

As a lifelong United Methodist, I've been through many pastoral changes. It's a bittersweet experience, but ultimately, positive, I believe. I heard someone say once, who was portraying John Wesley, "Pastors come and pastors go, praise God from whom all blessings flow." :-) I think it's true in that every pastor, given the chance by the congregation, can be a blessing.