Clergy Gathering

            "To everything there is a season" certainly applies to how I felt today.  I attended a clergy session for my United Methodist conference.  (my old conference has merged with three others to form one larger one)  Today mostly, I felt like, there was a season for this---and it has passed.    I made a similar comment to one clergy colleague with whom I sat for a brief time, and she said to me:  "You worked very hard.  You really worked hard."

That brought back memories.  She was referring to all the work I did as Registrar for the Board of Ordained Ministry for eight years, which involved keeping track of many people, papers, details, policies;   it meant lugging around boxes of paperwork to various meetings and gatherings, writing very difficult letters to candidates who were not approved,  speaking before groups, scheduling, organizing ordination services, etc. etc.   I did work very very hard on behalf of my denominational structure.  I served generously.   And pausing to remember all of that, I suddenly felt very liberated!   I paid my dues.  I was committed, faithful, hard working, and took on a very high level of responsibility.

And so, I can let all that go now, without any sense of guilt.

Last year, this same gathering was held in Rochester.  Who knows where it may be next year?  Maybe I won't even feel obligated to go.  The size and time constraints have made it extremely impersonal.

I move on.  I move on.