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Friend of WPUMC
Itineracy, our United Methodist system of matching pastors and churches, has been compared to an arranged marriage. To be honest, that may not be too far off. Like an arranged marriage you have two parties put into a partnership, with the hope that it will be fruitful and harmonious. This can be a challenge, and it places a great and holy responsibility on the Bishop and their cabinet to get things right. Yet, somehow, it seems to work well more times than not. And I would say that my appointment to serve with all of you has indeed been fruitful.
Together, we have improved the lives of our neighbors, built community, and made our church more welcoming and inclusive for disabled people. We built new partnerships with the South High School Giving Grocery and Our Hands to Yours. We continued the work of Christmas in the Park, collecting hundreds of suitcases for our unhoused neighbors. We served meals together and spoke out for justice. We improved the accessibility of our church building by leaps and bounds, improving signage, smoothing sidewalks, designating a low sensory space, and multiple other changes large and small.
But the success of a ministry cannot be measured by metrics alone. It is measured in the strength of community, of faith, of love. I have felt the love that is so present in Washington Park UMC, and for that I am deeply grateful. Unlike an arranged marriage, each appointment is created with the understanding that it is not for a lifetime, that one day it will be time for a parting of the ways. I am excited for my new appointment, though I do wish I had more time with this wonderful community. More dinners, more worship services, and yes, even more committee meetings. That’s how much I’ve enjoyed my time with y’all! But I am thankful for the time I have had at Washington Park UMC, I am thankful for your kind words and support, and, most of all, I am thankful to know that the work will continue past my time as Washington Park UMC continues to live ever deeper into its values of love, justice, mission, and hope.
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