Katrick: Sweet endings and new beginnings
Well, I finally went and did it. After much planning and praying, huffing and puffing and considerable procrastination, I’ve managed to give away, kept in or removed everything that is mine from my office, post-retirement.
This time it was a bit more complicated. Since the church I’m serving is on a part-time basis, I had to make room at home for most of my books, papers, paintings, pictures, and incidentals. And make of this whatever you want, but those boxes of old sermons were the heaviest.
Fortunately, for the church members, friends and guests I was preaching at, I’ve learned to lessen that weight through considerable rereading and editing of my manuscripts. Let’s put it this way, sometimes things bear repeating and more times, they do not!
My favorite photos of family and friends have found a new place in my living room and bedroom. I’ve brought in a second set of shelves from the garage for my books. Others, which haven’t been cracked open for years, remain for the next pastor, or have been placed in the church library for general usage.
There are still lots of open spaces on the walls to hang things, like my “Laughing Jesus,” courtesy of the Fellowship of Merry Christians, and an artist’s rendition of all the churches in downtown Zanesville, one of which I was blessed to serve. I made several trips to the store, to get the hardware needed for these projects. And I’m proud to claim that I didn’t hit my thumb once. My daddy taught me well!
The places in my heart have already been filled by my family, the church family I’ve served these past 13 years, and the new congregation I’m now serving. God has blessed me with more friends and colleagues than one person could ever deserve, including the dear ones I share the ministry of spiritual direction with.
And thank you, my faithful readers, for the places you continue to make for my columns. I will continue to do my best to channel the hope, peace, love and joy of the Holy One in your direction. There will always be empty spaces in our hearts, that cause us pain. But what we have and will always have in common is the love of Christ, our Savior, who is always and forever, near and dear to us. If I had room for one more portrait, it would be the picture of Jesus knocking on the door to our hearts as a daily reminder of this. And underneath this, I would post these two verses for all to see.
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. - Psalm 145:18
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. - 2 Corinthians 13:14.
Mark Katrick is a pastor and spiritual director.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Katrick: sweet endings and new beginnings
