saying goodbye

...the hardest part of ministry, I think, is saying goodbye.

In church culture, it's not uncommon for people to visit, to join community, and then for any number of reasons, move along.  Maybe it's a job transfer, a move to a new community, a decision to shop around for a new church, or a walking away from faith. And it's the goodbye that I most avoid.

As a leader, my primary role is to invest in others, try to inspire them to serve in the local church, motivate them, encourage them, invite them in, share opportunity of ministry and then trust with everything that I've done, partnered with God's mission, will produce volunteers for the ministry.

Children's ministry, particularly, has a grueling number of needed volunteers.
Children's ministry, specifically, has a pace that's relentless.
Children's ministry, naturally, has a high rate of success in communicating the gospel and seeing lives changed.
Children's ministry, dominantly, has a high investment in the family.

And when a prayed for, poured into, trained volunteer moves along, it's heartbreaking.

Over the ministry seasons, I've seen volunteers come and go, I've watched new opportunity arise and people move along.  And I've seen a pace such that there isn't time to morn, or to grieve, or to despair.  Emotions are pesky, irritating things anyway. Nonetheless, they rise up.

So, today, I pause to grieve over the loss of many amazing people who have passed by our doors, entered into our ministry, and moved along.

I miss you.  
I'm sad you've gone. 
I pray you will continue to hold high the torch of loving children and teaching them God's truth.  
I morn your absence. 
I can't wait to see you, in the global church, on the other side of life.
The role you played was invaluable and I'm sorry if I didn't say how much I valued you enough.
May you know you were loved, you mattered, you made a difference.