I FIGURED IT OUT…

June of 1982 a brand new seminary graduate and full time pastor moved into the parsonage of Dunellen United Methodist Church.  He spent a day or so setting up the books, notebooks, files, and Smith-Corona electric typewriter by his desk.

The next day I went into the office (I actually wore a jacket and tie.) sat down, looked around for a long moment, and said out loud to myself, “Now what the hell am I going to do?”

My whole life up to that point had been governed by the schedules and disciplines of a school year.  Reading lists, exam schedules, due dates for papers.  I had gotten really good at all of them.

As I sat in the office there was not semester schedule in front of me.  There was only the endless horizon of an unknown and uncertain journey in front of me.  With God’s help and calling I figured it out.

I found some of it.  The things I loved and was good at.  I learned to live with the things I wasn’t as good at and did not love as well. 

Some of it found me.  The places, people, and missions that crossed my path and changed everything. 

Here we are together again.  All of us going to a place where lots of things are going to be new and nothing will ever be the same again.  That was the way it was for Moses and his people, and it was that way for Jesus’ shaken and joyful followers.  With God’s help they went and they figured it out.

That is what I am planning on doing starting June 13th.

I hope and I pray that you will too.

Shalom,

                                Pastor Mike

P.S.,

There are no words to express my gratitude to God or to God’s people for the astonishing, humbling, and life-giving journey it has been my privilege to share with all of you.  You have blessed me beyond measure and I can only hope I reflected back to you a small portion of the life you gave to me.  mjm