Our long time (15 years) parish priest is retiring at the end of this year. With each holy day, event, baptism, service, bible study, book club, etc., the last few months, we have all looked, with different eyes at them, knowing the time together is shortening.
For they are some of Father Bill's "lasts" in what is the beginning of some new things and "firsts" for him as he retires. It is a bitt...ersweet time in the life of our parish (and in his life too), yet a time that we know can be filled with excitement in the midst of a lot of work as we go thru the process of finding a new priest. This is Father Bill's last newsletter article, it is a love letter, of sorts, to those he has pastored, lived with, struggled with, grown in Christ with, and become good friends and an everlasting part of the Body of Christ with.... So, I am sharing his words, because I believe they are good words, not just for THIS parish family of Christ Church, Delavan, WI, but for our extended family in Christ all over...
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From Our Rector, Father Bill Myrick:
Every month I have heard Roberta say, “I need your newsletter article by Monday.” She said it like clockwork. And each month I struggled to get it done on time. We teased each other about who would be late. Well this month it’s me. I have started writing this article half a dozen times. It just didn’t come together…it just wasn’t easy.
This is my last newsletter, in my last month, of my last year of parochial priesthood. This will be the last chance I have to say whatever I have been trying to say to you for fifteen years. You would think that with all that time, I would have said it by now, wouldn’t you? And maybe I have. But some things have to be said more than once. Some things need to be said over and over again, like the mother who ushers her children off to school with the interminable words, “Have a good day…be careful crossing the streets…I love you.”
Well, not to sound too maternalistic, let me say, “Have a good day…be careful crossing streets…I love you.” Although this time it isn’t you leaving, it’s me.
This day comes for all of us at some point and I can only say that, at least for me, the time we have shared together has been wonderful. We have done lots of things together, some bigger, some fun, and others more work. But the only things that really matter are the relationships we have with each other.
Buildings crumble, books turn to dust, and ideas are replaced by yet newer ideas; only our relationships last. Our relationships are the wings that carry us off to heaven to the One who came so that He might have a relationship with those He loves.
This is the month we celebrate Jesus coming…coming like we came, to live as we live, to show us that there is more to this relationship thing than meets the eye. In fact it’s everything. How we love and care for those around us, remembering that Jesus is closest of all, is the premise that the Gospel is built on. Had Adam never met Eve there would never have been a need for a book to tell us how to love, how to build and maintain our relationships.
Thank you for all the wonderful relationships we have built.
So CELEBRATE. Put up the tree, hang some garland, sing a song and light a candle and remember, “Have a good day…be careful crossing the streets…I love you.”
I will miss you.
Merry Christ-mas,
~ Father Bill ~
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