Coop's Corner |
October 2004 |
Sad Good-Byes
Don't you just hate good-byes? I do. You get to know someone, develop a relationship, enjoy their company … and then one day they leave. We have had to say good-bye to several people in the last month. Some were expected and some were a surprise. Some were permanent and some we hope to see again down the road. I don't like it either way.
First there were the Cherneys. Susan, Keith, Nick, and Jake. They are off to Illinois to be closer to ailing parents. STHPC will not be the same without them. Susan was such an integral part of the Sunday School program, the choir, and Presbyterian Women. Then without Keith chiming in during our Dialogue Sermons in the summer - I may have to change the format! And, of course, we will definitely miss Nick and Jake and their energy and mischievousness.
Then we lost Tony and Irene Gonzalez. They have moved to Florida. I thought they may have had second thoughts after all the hurricanes and tropical storms Florida has been inundated with. But off to Florida they went anyway. Tony was a stalwart of this church. He loved this church and those who were a part of it. He was on the Pastor Nominating Committee that brought me here. He was a champion of the Hispanic community and was a mover and a shaker. He had a heart for mission. And Irene - although she hadn't yet joined our church - given time, we would have got her! She was a breath of fresh air and a wonderful, caring, and active woman. And who could resist that lyrical English accent!
Then came the surprise … Bob and Margie Fooshee announced one Sunday then were moving to Sonoma and the next Friday they were gone. It had been in the works for some time … but we just didn't expect it so soon. Things just have a way of working out that way. Margie already has a job - with benefits. It was too good to pass up. Margie had been a caring, loving, and compassionate deacon. She filled the room with her smile. And Bob was always an intelligent, searching, and thoughtful man who made me think. I really like people like that.
Finally, death took one more from our ranks. On Friday, September 17th we lost Mary Stanley. I could go on and on about Mary. She was like a second mother to me. She faced every challenge with an amazing attitude. She looked at them as just another invitation to a new adventure. If we could all have just a bit of her gumption and humor and genuine caring - we would all be better people.
They all will be missed. Some we will see again, some not. But they all will live on in our memories and in our hearts. STHPC will not be the same without them, but we will be stronger because of the legacy they left. And as always, when we lose some, we thankfully gain some. It is exciting to see this church grow. We have recently brought in new life to STHPC figuratively and literally. The nursery is full, the Sunday School is growing, and the sanctuary is full. The future is bright.
Yes, we will miss those who have moved on. Yes, it is hard to say good-bye. Yes, there is a hole left - that is not easily filled because they touched us in such profound ways. Yet, that is a good thing. It means that we care and we let ourselves be touched. May we develop just as deep relationships with the new people coming in as those who have left. It is the way of life.
Pastor Tom |
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