As I say farewell to you, dear Gethsemane, I hold you in my heart, give thanks for the ministry we have done together, and pray for your continued ministry to one another and this community.

I pray that your joys and your struggles, your worship and your prayers, your meetings and discussions and decisions, will all be accompanied and guided by the leading of the Holy Spirit and that you will be mindful of her presence with you every step of the way. 

I pray that you will be gracious and kind to one another, as you have always been. And that the vibrant energy and love of God will flow through you as you seek to follow and serve.

The path ahead may seem dim, but God’s word and Spirit will guide you and send you who and what you need to fulfill God’s purposes for this church. As a parting word, may you accept this blessing:

Moving into the Unknown

You can see only dimly,

squinting and straining,

seeking beyond the foreground

you built to feel more certain

about how this works.

You have been tempted

to hold onto the stuff right here

because you have developed

an allergy to the unknown

and unknowable, things off track.

But God never asked for certainty,

and you may never find it.

So instead this blessing offers

clarity about a few things

and holy curiosity for the rest.

You do not need to know

in order to move forward.

the pillar of cloud and fire

will find you out there,

stumbling around and discovering.

~Meta Herrick Carlson

May the Lord bless you and keep you, this day and always,

Pastor Amy Janssen