A Goodbye Offering and Blessing from Andrea
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Each one of you, the people of FBC Decatur, have richly blessed me and richly gifted me during my time spent serving ya’ll in ministry. The memories that I have made here with each one of you…
from the youth trip to Folly Beach
to enjoying recreation & Sunday school lessons with the kids in the activities center
to leading in worship, praying, preaching, and teaching
to spending the month of August with Pilgrims class in study of critical theory and Biblical text
and to being blessed, sealed, and ordained into the Gospel ministry with the rich blessing of this congregation…
These are the memories that will always burn brightly within my heart and my mind, shining a ray of hope forward, along my way, as I continue to discern God’s direction within my call to ministry.
This week, I read from a good book, given to me by a good friend,
Guide My Feet, by Marian Wright Edelman.
In this book, Edelman writes, “Every day, light your small candle.”
“Every day, light your small candle.”
And when I read it, I thought of you all. How every day that I served with you, and grew with you, and was gifted richly by you, in so many beautiful ways…you helped me light my small candle. And because you did, my heart, and my life will forever be brighter.
And so, with the same spirit of hope, gift, and blessing…
I want to offer these words to you:
Every day, FBC Decatur, light your small candles!
Shine brightly with the light that God herself has given to you.
Burn boldly with the light of justice that God himself has laid upon your hearts.
And glow with the steady gleam of peace & love that God themselves placed within all of you to continue to light the way forward for all who search to find a place of church community to call “home”.
Light your small candles, FBC Decatur, and fill creation with the gift of you!
Thank you, all, for everything.
Andrea Corso Johnson