A final thought from Pastor Charles

From the series finale from M*A*S*H*

Note: this was published in the June Glad Tider and is here repeated as Pastor Charles leaves for Colorado.

I want to thank all of you for the many ways you allowed me to be your pastor. As the years go by, I will look back fondly on our time together; I pray the same will be true for you.

On our website, we have a list of the pastors who have served since 1880, in the Methodist churches of Stevensville. Of the forty-nine pastors who preceded me, only two stayed longer than I have (two others were here the same amount of time). I wonder about the experience of those pastors who preceded me. What did the passion of those pastors for God look like? I wonder about the generations of disciples they served. 

In six years, I’ve watched children grow up. I’ve baptized; performed marriages; conducted too many funerals. I’ve visited those in hospitals and shut-ins. I’ve welcomed dozens of new members and said goodbye to others. Together, we realized a few dreams, lived through some challenges, and by the grace of God, we thrived.

While I am leaving you, there is one who remains constant: God. God has been active among the people of this valley from the beginning, and He will be with you for the rest of time and beyond. If the making of disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world begins in the heart of each participant in the ministries of this congregation, if you allow God to guide the work of the congregation, it will always have a mission. The church in the future may not look like the church we have today. There may be challenges to come which require hard choices to be made. But a passion for God will see you through all your future challenges. This passion guided previous generations here at Stevi UMC, a passion which allowed them to navigate their own challenges. They managed and flourished; so can you.

I pray that you have a blessed future. I hope that you will welcome the Rev. Sarah Merchant and her family as you welcomed Belinda and me six years ago.

May John Wesley’s three simple rules guide you and the ministries of this congregation in the years to come: “Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.”
 
Finally, thank you for making Belinda’s and my time in the Bitterroot Valley such a blessing; we will never forget this congregation.

The LORD bless you and protect you. 
The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His face to you and grant you peace.

- Numbers 6:24-26 (Common English Bible)

Every blessing,
Pastor Charles