Mary Lee Griffith, new Director of Children's Ministry, has arrived and is now in charge of this ministry. I am here for another week or so to help her understand how we function and where things are located.
I hope that you will all help her to feel welcome here and support her as the various opportunities arise for serving the Lord in this ministry. You all supported me very well and I do appreciate all of you for that.
Thank you to all of you for the gifts, gift certificates, cash, beautiful cards and wonderful letters that you gave to me for my retirement.
Sandy Howard
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The vote was cast last week
and the answer is that the vote was "yes" to extend the offer of my position to Mary Lee. She accepted today so we are moving forward in the transition process.
You all know that I love my position here at Faith Church and love serving the Lord in the children's area. I really care about all of you, and many of you have become very good friends of mine. I am praying that you will be able to transfer your encouragement and support to Mary Lee as she comes on board. You have pitched in to get done whatever needed to be done and I pray you will do the same for Mary Lee.
I also know that God has released me from my position here and that I can retire in peace knowing that I have served the Lord to the best of my ability while I've been here. That doesn't mean I will never see you again because I plan on staying here at Faith Church. I will also continue praying for you as you raise your families and look forward to seeing how God works in your lives to accomplish His purposes for your family.
You all know that I love my position here at Faith Church and love serving the Lord in the children's area. I really care about all of you, and many of you have become very good friends of mine. I am praying that you will be able to transfer your encouragement and support to Mary Lee as she comes on board. You have pitched in to get done whatever needed to be done and I pray you will do the same for Mary Lee.
I also know that God has released me from my position here and that I can retire in peace knowing that I have served the Lord to the best of my ability while I've been here. That doesn't mean I will never see you again because I plan on staying here at Faith Church. I will also continue praying for you as you raise your families and look forward to seeing how God works in your lives to accomplish His purposes for your family.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Time for voting is next Sunday
Mary Lee was here this past week as a candidate for my position, was introduced in all 3 services and met many people in the East Alcove. Next Sunday (9/25) all members will be able to vote before or after the services to vote yes or no to extend an offer to be the next Children's Ministry Director. You may also vote in the office this week if you won't be here Sunday. If the quorum vote is "yes" to extend an offer, then she will give her notice at work, pack up to move here and our transition process will begin.
Then will be my time to exit from this position, which I have loved for 17 years. So many of you have become good friends of mine over the years. I have laughed and/or cried with many of you and enjoyed your fellowship. I can already feel the void developing for when I retire and step down from this position.
I do plan to stay here at Faith Church, hopefully out of Mary Lee's way, and have committed to finishing out the year with my Thursday morning Bible study ladies. After that, I have no idea what God may be calling me to do. Pray for wisdom for me as I seek God's will for me for my "retirement years."
Then will be my time to exit from this position, which I have loved for 17 years. So many of you have become good friends of mine over the years. I have laughed and/or cried with many of you and enjoyed your fellowship. I can already feel the void developing for when I retire and step down from this position.
I do plan to stay here at Faith Church, hopefully out of Mary Lee's way, and have committed to finishing out the year with my Thursday morning Bible study ladies. After that, I have no idea what God may be calling me to do. Pray for wisdom for me as I seek God's will for me for my "retirement years."
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The time has come
The time has come for a candidate for my position to be here at Faith Church. She will be here the weekend of Sept. 15-18. There will be a dinner for our Sunday School staff on Saturday evening to meet her and she will be in all 3 services on Sunday. The following Sunday (9/25) we will vote on her. Absentee voting will be available in the office starting Monday, 9/19.
This year of my notice to retire has been a very long time. I have had lots of time to think about things - what has been accomplished in the last 17 years that I've been here and what I wish I could have been accomplished. This is what God called me to and I have loved my position here at Faith Church. I am very thankful to God for all of you parents and volunteers and how well you have treated me.
I know that I am going to miss all of you, miss being in the building all the time and talking with so many of you about any and everything. But, I also know that I am glad I will be home and be able to take my time doing some things, getting my house organized in a better way and having fun with my family (including all 16 grandchildren). The only commitment I have made so far is to finish out this year with my Bible study on Thursday mornings. Only the Lord knows what else He will give me to do later.
As you can see from my last few blogs, time has been an issue that's on my mind. I went to a family reunion in Buffalo a couple weeks ago because it has been a long time (8 yrs.) since all 5 of us (2 brothers, 2 sisters and myself) had been together in the same place at the same time. It was fun to see everyone and talk about lots of memories as we grew up in Buffalo, New York.
This year of my notice to retire has been a very long time. I have had lots of time to think about things - what has been accomplished in the last 17 years that I've been here and what I wish I could have been accomplished. This is what God called me to and I have loved my position here at Faith Church. I am very thankful to God for all of you parents and volunteers and how well you have treated me.
I know that I am going to miss all of you, miss being in the building all the time and talking with so many of you about any and everything. But, I also know that I am glad I will be home and be able to take my time doing some things, getting my house organized in a better way and having fun with my family (including all 16 grandchildren). The only commitment I have made so far is to finish out this year with my Bible study on Thursday mornings. Only the Lord knows what else He will give me to do later.
As you can see from my last few blogs, time has been an issue that's on my mind. I went to a family reunion in Buffalo a couple weeks ago because it has been a long time (8 yrs.) since all 5 of us (2 brothers, 2 sisters and myself) had been together in the same place at the same time. It was fun to see everyone and talk about lots of memories as we grew up in Buffalo, New York.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Another case of time just disappearing
I finally looked at my last blog today and am shocked to realize it was May 22nd when I posted the last blog. Where has the time gone? Summer is a very busy time for us in Children's Ministry and I know that's where the time went but it was still surprising to actually look at the last date and realize how much time has flown by.
Last week of May was our preschool Vacation Bible School, then our new summer Sunday School staff came on board, we moved up children to their new classes, early July was elementary Vacation Bible School (very intense), then I went to California for a family wedding, am back now and ready to go to Buffalo (where I grew up)next week. I'm looking forward to it because both my brothers and both my sisters will also be there and it's the first time all 5 of us have been together at the same time in 9 years.
In California, I stayed with my aunt and uncle. My aunt's sister-in-law sat next to me on the flight to San Francisco. I've known her since she was born (she's younger than I am) and had not seen her in many, many years. We started right in on catching each other up on our lives over the last 45 years and how God has taken care of us. Her husband died about 4 years ago.
Every morning we started eating breakfast about 8:30-9:00 a.m. We sat there and talked and laughed so hard until 12:30-1:00 p.m. every day. I thought about people, streets, events, etc. that had never entered my mind for the last 50-60 years. When I was ready to come home last week, I realized that this was like "soul food" for me and how much I needed that family contact and love that I had enjoyed as a child in Buffalo where we all grew up, went to the same church, celebrated birthdays for each child with the whole extended family.
Reminds me of the verse where Paul talks about "to stir you up by way of reminder..." in II Peter 1:13. Paul was talking about his imminent death, but the stirring up of many memories for me was a really neat experience. I learned some new things, had to rearrange some of my old memories, and enjoyed listening to some other perspectives than my own about what it was like growing up in the "old days".
Last week of May was our preschool Vacation Bible School, then our new summer Sunday School staff came on board, we moved up children to their new classes, early July was elementary Vacation Bible School (very intense), then I went to California for a family wedding, am back now and ready to go to Buffalo (where I grew up)next week. I'm looking forward to it because both my brothers and both my sisters will also be there and it's the first time all 5 of us have been together at the same time in 9 years.
In California, I stayed with my aunt and uncle. My aunt's sister-in-law sat next to me on the flight to San Francisco. I've known her since she was born (she's younger than I am) and had not seen her in many, many years. We started right in on catching each other up on our lives over the last 45 years and how God has taken care of us. Her husband died about 4 years ago.
Every morning we started eating breakfast about 8:30-9:00 a.m. We sat there and talked and laughed so hard until 12:30-1:00 p.m. every day. I thought about people, streets, events, etc. that had never entered my mind for the last 50-60 years. When I was ready to come home last week, I realized that this was like "soul food" for me and how much I needed that family contact and love that I had enjoyed as a child in Buffalo where we all grew up, went to the same church, celebrated birthdays for each child with the whole extended family.
Reminds me of the verse where Paul talks about "to stir you up by way of reminder..." in II Peter 1:13. Paul was talking about his imminent death, but the stirring up of many memories for me was a really neat experience. I learned some new things, had to rearrange some of my old memories, and enjoyed listening to some other perspectives than my own about what it was like growing up in the "old days".
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Does time just disappear?
The older I get, the faster time seems to fly by or just plain disappear. When I think I have plenty of time to get something done, I also find that it's time to hustle to get it done because my lead time disappeared.
Everything we do is in terms of time. I have often wondered why God put us in a frame work of time when He exists outside of any time constraints. Is it to help us understand that things have a beginning time and an ending time? Knowing that we are going through a tough time and knowing that it too shall pass, does that help me to bear up under whatever I am experiencing? If my tough time was never going to end, would I be able to bear up?
The Lord does tell us to use our time wisely so that we won't just waste it and wonder where all our time went when we get to the end of our life. So, it has been my particular thing to find out what God wants me to do and then to do it. I don't want to come to the end of my life and feel like I have wasted my time.
Everything we do is in terms of time. I have often wondered why God put us in a frame work of time when He exists outside of any time constraints. Is it to help us understand that things have a beginning time and an ending time? Knowing that we are going through a tough time and knowing that it too shall pass, does that help me to bear up under whatever I am experiencing? If my tough time was never going to end, would I be able to bear up?
The Lord does tell us to use our time wisely so that we won't just waste it and wonder where all our time went when we get to the end of our life. So, it has been my particular thing to find out what God wants me to do and then to do it. I don't want to come to the end of my life and feel like I have wasted my time.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter - time of new beginnings each year
I love it when Easter comes each year because it signals spring, fresh green grass, flowers starting to bloom, and things just look fresh and clean.
i have also pondered why the Lord chose spring as the time for passover, Jesus' death and resurrection. That also seems to me a time of new beginnings each year. God's infinite love for us seems to cleanse and refresh us again after a dull blah winter. Also, it's a time we can reflect on the blooms or fruit in our lives and what Christ is doing to change us into the new creation we are becoming according to II Corinthians 5:17.
i have also pondered why the Lord chose spring as the time for passover, Jesus' death and resurrection. That also seems to me a time of new beginnings each year. God's infinite love for us seems to cleanse and refresh us again after a dull blah winter. Also, it's a time we can reflect on the blooms or fruit in our lives and what Christ is doing to change us into the new creation we are becoming according to II Corinthians 5:17.
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