The things that stand out in my mind from growing up in this
family:
1.
Children’s Church, moving from the little pews
in the front of the room to the big ones in the back, and being the cool big
kid that got to help poor the apple juice.
a.
This is where I learned memory verses like John
3:16 and The Lord’s Prayer.
b.
I also learned that you do not EVER run in the
church.
c.
I also learned the church calendar and what it
meant to care about other people’s joys and concerns just as much as mine.
2.
Air vents as a child were meant for Amanda Young
and I to see whose dresses was bigger.
3.
We always stuck our hands in the vacuum holes
when there weren’t adults around because it felt cool when our hands were
stuck, but our parents didn’t like it when we did that.
4.
Easter & Christmas always equaled a new
dress, annual pictures, and a height contest!
5.
I will never forget how important I felt when my
prayer partner left me a card or small gift on the table by the front door.
6.
In children’s choir, Amanda and I always made up
actions to the songs, but Janet never let us do them in public! That is also
where I learned that Peanut Butter is a cure for hiccups. I always wanted to
get hiccups in choir so Janet would take me somewhere and bring me back without
them. I had to ask Amanda when we were older what the secret was.
7.
It was special to make it to 6th
grade so I could finally acolyte; little did I know that job would still be
mine over a decade later.
8.
Vacation Bible School, the songs and games were
always a lot of fun and I secretly disagreed on Millie’s brownies being the
best, she put nuts on them, I didn’t know what I was missing when I picked them
off.
9.
My class was the odd class that stayed in the
same Sunday school classroom from Kindergarten through sixth grade. I remember going
from Theresa’s class to Dac’s and then back to Theresa’s.
10.
I remember thinking that my cousins were the
coolest people I knew and I couldn’t wait to join them in Youth Group. It never
sank in, until I got there, that they were almost all enough older than me that
they weren’t there anymore.
11.
I remember when Church Garage Sales were fun,
and I also remember when I realized they were actually a lot of work.
12.
The bats were probably the scariest thing ever,
and I will never forget the time I was organizing the shoes for the garage sale
and one came flying out of the shoes, we called the animal control lady, and
she had just wrangled a skunk.
13.
I remember when we decided to switch youth group
from Sunday to Wednesday so we would have something to talk about.
14.
Youth Sunday’s were always my favorite, when
Barbara and Bob were in charge we got to go to the Donut shop during Sunday school,
which seemed like the coolest thing ever.
15.
Amanda and I felt so special when we were asked
to be on the color committee for the renovation, but we were kind of sad when
nobody agreed with us that purple would be a good color. And yes, I do remember
the green carpet!
16.
I remember being so upset on the METour because
I was missing Jim & Sheila’s last day here, I was so upset the “moms” let
me call and say goodbye, and then I think I cried the rest of the day.
17.
Filling the Easter eggs for the hunt is still
one of my favorite things to do.
18.
The tailgate dinner always equaled sunburns for
me. Especially the time Amanda and I wore the florescent poster board signs and
walked around on Summit to get people to come.
19.
I still get a little nervous when walking down
the hallway upstairs in the dark, from all the times in youth group someone was
hiding and would jump out.
20.
I remember when I wasn’t allowed in the alley
behind the church and sitting on the table may have been ok for other people
but it was never allowed for us.
21.
I can tell you the seating arrangement for the
entire congregation when this place is empty or even when I’m not here at all.
22.
One of the perks of a small church is the one
room Sunday school we have in the back. There are times that Sunday school is
my favorite time of the week. And it will be one of the things that I miss the
most.
23.
This building has gone from being a place that I
went, to a place I had to go, to a place I brought all of my friends, to the
place that I come to when nothing makes sense.
24.
These steps have seen me in so many different
phases in my life. I was baptized here, grew up here, confirmed here, wrote my
first sermon here, questioned everything here, and someday I plan on coming
back and saying I do right here.
I could go on for hours with things that stand out in my
mind about this place and the people here. Growing up in this church has been a
blessing. I can’t imagine my life without this church being in it. This church
is more than just St. Paul UMC to me, it is my family of course almost half of
the congregation I am actually related to, but the rest of you I consider to be
my family as well. I have always thought that the worst part of my calling is
that eventually it was going to take me away from here. Sadly that day is
today. Today is my last Sunday in Ark City for quite awhile. Eventually my
schedule will calm down and I will be able to come home and visit, and yes St.
Paul is home for me. Growing up I have spent just as much time here as anywhere
else. Church was like an extracurricular activity for me. It was here in this
building that I discovered my love for youth ministry, it was here that I got
hands on experience in children’s ministry, it was here that I learned there
were politics in church, it was here that I almost gave up on my calling, and
it was here that it came back stronger than ever before, it was here that
learned what it meant to be a Christian.
I have spent a lot of time in the past couple of years
dreaming for this congregation. When we split a few years ago I remember being
so scared that we were going to have close the doors and walk away that was
something that was unfathomable to me. At that time it was hard to see past all
of our broken hearts and see a future, except that I can tell you that the
first Sunday after everything happened was the first Sunday in almost a year
that I felt the Holy Spirit moving freely in these walls. It was then that I
started dreaming again, and this time not just for me.
There is a future here. We have gained three new members in
the last three years, so what if they were all three a few weeks ago. That is
three new members, and that does not include all of the growth that is
happening. We have a Children’s time that is usually equivalent to a church
twice our size. There is a future here, because there are still children here. There
may be a significant age gap in our attendants but that doesn’t mean there
isn’t promise here.
There is a ministry that happens every week that is unlike
any I have ever been a part of anywhere else. If you haven’t made it here to
experience the SHARE meal, then you really need to make time to come on a
Wednesday evening. It may be the most exhausting afternoon and evening of your
week but it will also be the most rewarding. Sometimes those people can be
frustrating and push your buttons, but when that girl comes back for her third
or fourth plate because they have no food at home, your heart just breaks.
There is a future here. I can see, many potential ministries
that could be happening if people would just commit. Rebecca and I had our own
small group time for most a whole semester until my schedule got too crazy. We
made some really cool hair bows, and went on some fun walks; we even tried our
own Zumba class.
There are classrooms upstairs that are just itching for
someone to use them. There is a future here, this congregation is growing. I
have chosen to be quiet and not share my dreams for this congregation because,
just like everyone else my schedule is over packed, but I can’t leave without
sharing a few with you. When you are ready to try something crazy and new, reach
out to the college, open up those classroom and let them use them for small
groups or something, and just maybe after they use the building some of them
will come for church. We have a lot of young families in this church so maybe
there could be some kind of date night, where the church members offer free
babysitting for parents to go on a date. I think it is time that we held a
small VBS again, there are some young ones that I know would have a blast doing
something like that, and it wouldn’t have to be elaborate or anything.
My dreams for this place are that those little ones that are
upstairs in the nursery will be able to stand up here someday with some of the
same kind of memories that I have. VBS, Children’s Church, and Youth Group,
they are your future. I dare you to dream just take time and dream for this
place without thinking of the time commitments and money. Just dream and as you
dream start reaching for those dreams and things will fall into place.
In high school I always dreamt about what I would do if I
had my own youth group to run. What games we would play and what lessons we
would have. Somewhere those dreams took control of my life and became much more
than just dreams. They became the only thing I wanted to do with my life; they
became my calling, my education, my hobby, and my one true passion. My dreams
for my life are coming true, so now I dare you to dream for this congregation
for this church and for you.
And know that even though I’m not here, I’m still a part of
this family. I will always call this my home and I will always return. I see
you as my brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents, cousins, and aunts and
uncles. And this isn’t goodbye at all it is just, see you later. I want to say
thank you for always being there, thank you for always caring about my life,
thank you for taking the time to make me feel important, thank you for
investing in my life, and thank you for pushing me to be better. I couldn’t get
up here without sharing a song with you all, so here is my “goodbye” song.
“Follow Love” by FFH.
