Church Bulletins

This may sound dumb, but lately our church bulletins make me cry. It happened again this Sunday. It's not that anything super wonderful, deep or amazing is specifically
mentioned in the bulletin - it's just the typical order of service, financial update, weekly events, and prayer requests...

It's the prayer requests that make me cry.

Last week there was a prayer request for guidance as the church looks for the new student life coordinator. Makes sense. Of course that's a good thing to pray for. But the church is being asked to pray for that because we won't be there any more. It's a quasi 'pray for a new Jeremy' request. And I hate it. It makes me cry. I don't want there to be a new Jeremy because I like the Jeremy the church has now.

And this week in the prayer request updates, there was a request for guidance for Jeremy and I as we finish our ministry at Faith. Another good request. And I appreciate the prayers - I really do. But that one made me cry the most. And that one made me hate the church bulletin. It's just another reminder that I don't get to be a part of Faith once June comes (at least, I don't get to be a part of Faith the way we have been till now). And I don't want to be reminded of it every week when I read the church bulletin.

I was fine. I was doing fine. I was finishing our year strong, not thinking about this stupid transition that we have to go through (and by we, I mean our Fusion students, the Berg's and the church - but mostly the students). And then I read the church bulletin at church on Sunday while surrounded by all the students I love so much, and I was reminded that I don't get to do that every Sunday. I don't get to tell them to be quiet when they're obnoxious during prayers, or laugh at the funny dances they do during worship, or stay after the service to talk about their weeks. I don't get to, and the church bulletin keeps reminding me of that, and thinking about that makes me cry.