A door closing and another opening

Today is my last day in the office at Evangelical Covenant Church in Helena, where I've been the Associate Pastor for the past five-and-a-half years. Saturday and Sunday will be my last worship services there.

I've spent this week tying up some loose ends, getting musicians scheduled for ECC's services in September, moving boxes of books back to my home office (still lots of books left though!), getting ready for a wedding this weekend, and following up with people from our last open house.

Transitions are always bittersweet. The future is exciting, but I also realize some of the great things that have been easy to take for granted. There are many people that I am certainly going to miss seeing on a weekly basis.

God has often stretched me in times of leaving the safe and known behind to venture into an unknown future. It's exhilarating--and unnerving! Our core team has been having great conversations about what our new church could be like. It's great to dream, to explore the possibilities of what might be.

September will be a time for hammering out what ideas and ideals will look like in actual fact. It will be a season to pray and discern. And for all of our hopes and plans, we're opening a door but don't really know what's on the other side. But what else should we expect? God rarely details what the future will be...