I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve on a part-time, interim basis as our Minister to Senior Adults. I will be retiring on Easter Sunday, March 31. A strong Search Committee is in place and has already started the process of finding our new Minister to Senior Adults. This time of reconnecting with friends I have known for years and meeting many new friends has been deeply meaningful and fun. These thoughts and reflections are uppermost in my mind as retirement approaches:
Some people tend to feel like they “belong” in whatever setting they find themselves, but for others, experiencing a sense of “belonging” is a struggle. Over the past several months, I have observed that our seniors are welcoming and accepting of others. Whether it is a first-time visitor at one of our Lunch and More programs, someone taking a Roadrunners trip for the first time, or someone interested in volunteering to help in the yard sale, our senior adults are welcoming, kind and gracious. I have also observed that they express their faith through caring for others, doing things to improve the lives of those for whom life is a constant struggle. A good life is not about what I can get but what I can give, not about what I can accumulate but what I can contribute. Our senior adults model this every day.
It has been a gift to me to work with our senior adults. Their knowledge of and appreciation for our church’s history, along with their enduring love and deep commitment to our church is invaluable. They are, in many ways, the backbone of our church family. I love this family of faith and cannot imagine a better place in which to serve. It is a little hard for me to believe, but I began working here in May of 1989. Regardless of the circumstances, I have felt your consistent support, respect, affection and grace. I look back through the years at our many experiences together with an overwhelming and indescribable sense of gratitude. With the arrival of Pastor Carol, the joy, enthusiasm, energy, commitment and overall spirit of our church family is at a remarkably high level right now. I look forward to continuing to be a supportive and involved member of our church.
—Bax