Only the beginning?

By Nate Crary
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When I was 12 years old, my family moved from Blue Earth to Hutchinson. I vividly remember how overwhelming it was to say goodbye to so many things I had only known up to that point in order to make a way for new replacements. I had to say goodbye to our green house on main street, and to my fifth grade teachers, Mrs. Zabel and Mr. Bly, and to my best friend, Adam, and to Pastor Clark and Pastor Steve at Trinity Lutheran.
 
And that was just the beginning! Once we got settled in Hutchinson, I had to find a new violin teacher, and a new place to get my haircut. I had to figure out where the school bus was going to pick me up in the mornings. Should I still go by “Nathan” or make a permanent shift to be known as a less-formal, “Nate”?
 
This Sunday at church, we continue to be surprised by what God is up to in the midst of transitions. We will take time to bless members of Christ the King / Cristo Rey who are committing themselves to shepherding us in their service on the Transition Task Force. We will walk alongside our young ones who are stepping out in their faith in a new way by taking communion for the first time, while lifting up the incredible gifts for music ministry in this place.
 
And this is just the beginning! In the coming weeks we will give thanks for the abundant blessings we’ve received from KC and Amity while they served so faithfully by our side as they now prepare to leave us and lean into a new calling in their vocational lives.
 
There’s no question that transitions can bring setbacks and hiccups and be filled with new discoveries and a sense of deep relief. Transitions can be jarring and life-giving all at once. And, in the thick of it, please remember that you are allowed to feel exactly how you feel. It’s okay to feel sad and impatient and confused. It’s okay to feel excited and hopeful and confident. Through it all, God is making good on a promise to be with us always, leading the way to where exactly God is asking us to go.
 
Is this just the beginning? Maybe.
 
Thanks be to God.