Moving Day

Moving Day is coming up in United Methodist churches.  The structure of our denomination is set up so that all ministers who are moving do so on the same day.  Because they are moving into the same houses.  Fifty years ago being "sent" meant going where you were told to go, and mostly didn't know if you were moving or staying put until the last minute.  And, while there were outliers, being part of a "sent" ministry meant moving often.  Clergy families were pretty much expected to be seen not heard.   We once had a bishop who routinely told minister's wives that their husbands were not to "baby sit" their children.

Over the decades I was blessed, along with others, to be a part of slow change in this paradigm.

 The sent concept has become much more negotiable.  Maybe decades ago you shared that old concept of what a "minister's wife" should be and do.  That was turned on its head with the invention of minister's husbands!

And, then there were ministry couples.  There were dire predictions that this would not work.

And now, fifty years later, life has come full circle..

This year on moving day, we will say goodbye to Reverend Gary and Reverend Jayne Rideout.  They have been in clergy leadership with us for the past 20 years.  They came to us with wide and varied backgrounds, each having excelled in other
exciting careers prior to experiencing the call to ministry.  They met in seminary, married and  and their ministry together began at our church.

 Jayne and Gary are very different people with very different gifts.  They have each excelled in their own areas.  They soon had two baby girls.  We've been blessed as a congregation by watching these young women excel in their own lives.  One of them is in college and the other on her way.  Our church family is the only one they've ever experienced.

So, while vastly different from 50 years ago, the emotionally charged feelings of loss combined with the excitement of a new challenge, are still a part of it.   But Jayne and Gary have already mastered the relatively new art of being co-pastors as well as being co-parents.

And, while it's vastly different as well for our church family, we will still experience the pain of loss one Sunday in June, and the excitement in welcoming a new pastor on the following Sunday in June.

Oh and, of course, there's the Covid 19 factor that has our entire world in limbo.


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