Jeanne’s Final Minister’s Message
Dear Friends
It’s hard to believe that Sunday, 1st October will be the last time I will lead worship in our sanctuary as the Minister of Greenbank Parish Church. It has been a privilege to serve as Greenbank’s sixth Minister and to be the first female to do so in the church’s 139-year history.
I have spent all of my ministry at Greenbank and saying good-bye is not easy, nor should it be. The past twenty years at Greenbank have been happy ones and very memorable. During this time, it has been a great pleasure to conduct the marriage services of all my children and to christen three of my grandchildren. With the arrival of two sons-in-law, a daughter -in -law and 5 grandchildren [with another on the way] my family has most definitely increased in size during our time together. I am thankful for the way the congregation has continually embraced and supported my family and for welcoming me all those years ago as an anxious, and naively optimistic new Minister.
As a congregation, we’ve shared many memories, joys, celebrations, losses, and challenges together. We have had the joy of welcoming new people into our midst and we have had the pain of losing people we love. We have known moments of kindness and grace, generosity, and love. We have known times of struggle, disagreement, disappointment and even hurt. Such is the way with churches because none of us is perfect.
I think we have also grown together in our understanding of the challenges facing the church of today: an understanding that led us to our Legacy Project through which we embarked on the long and arduous task of addressing the needs of all ages within our community; creating sustainable and fit for purpose facilities and securing a sustainable worshipping congregation of God’s people at Greenbank for future generations. Looking forward, my hope is that everyone will continue to build on all that has already been accomplished and see this work through to completion. I will watch your progress as a congregation from afar, as my relationship with everyone at Greenbank is about to change. I will no longer be your Minister and instead be a friend, who will miss you and who will hold you all in prayer as you move into the future without me.
In saying goodbye, I am reminded of the prophet Jeremiah’s familiar words, which we have shared many times over the past 20 years – words written on the walls of the room above the vestry, “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to give you hope and a future”. So, may we move into the future God has planned for us, and for Greenbank, with hope, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
Love and blessings, now and always,
Yours,
Recommended Posts
24th November Intimations
November 24, 2024
October 20th 2024 Intimations
October 20, 2024
13th October Intimations
October 13, 2024