My first Sunday is this Sunday and I look forward to sharing my story with them, to sharing the Good News of Christ with them and helping them to believe, as my good friend Tiffany has helped me to know, that they are enough, they are worthy and they belong.
My last week at Grace was a classic last week. I got home from annual conference on a Saturday morning, preached Saturday evening, did a funeral on Monday and packed up my desk on Tuesday and Thursday. Phew.
I have talked about my anxiety on here, I have talked about my stress and of course situations like that bring out all of those feelings in me. I have ways I handle things but there are times when you need something you do not realize and that for me came from our accompanist right before the funeral service.
Rick is the Director of Music for Grace and knew my dad really well as he was the choir director and my dad loved that choir, they even sang at his funeral.
Rick called me over and told me that he usually doesn't think much about Pastors moving and struggles with the belief that we can still be surrounded by our loved ones once they pass yet he smiled at me, got tears in his eyes and said "When I heard of your appointment change, I looked up and saw Craig just smiling. He is so proud of you".
Part of my grief in leaving Grace is leaving the church that my dad loved. Not being able to look at the choir loft each week and see my dad's face and leaving the place where we celebrated his life.
And then Rick reminded me that the veil between this world and the next is so thin. That Jesus went before us, prepared a table and my dad is sitting at that table smiling and I guarantee you he will be singing in the choir on Sunday at Indian Heights, sitting in the front row and smiling as I start this next adventure in my family's life.
God bless the things you don't expect and pay attention to them when they happen.
Know you are loved, worthy and belong
Rev. Ali
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