As I have considered the pastor’s annual report for 2012, I have been thinking not just about the past year, but the past eleven. A lot has happened since 2001, when I accepted God’s Call and came to Mossy Creek. The church has dealt with opportunities and obstacles; many old friends have joined the church triumphant; new friends have joined in our mission and ministry; and some have moved on, to other congregations or to a fallow time in their faith. We have dealt with a variety of significant issues – questions about the church property,  its preservation and expansion; issues surrounding worship; uncomfortable truths about financial oversight;  a rethinking of the meaning of witness and outreach. We continue to wrestle with concerns about theology, polity, and the future of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).

At the manse, our children have grown, with ups and downs we could hardly have imagined; Ann has furthered her education, shepherded several congregations through the interim process, and found a position at Massanutten where her gifts and talents are truly valued. I am older now, and perhaps a bit wiser; I have gone through desert times, and times of refreshment; I have learned, and taught, and learned even more.

Over the years, many of you have dealt with both the best and worst of life; birth and death, marriage and divorce, illness and healing;  exciting new opportunities and difficult, painful transitions. You have celebrated; you have mourned; you have questioned; you have laughed and cried; and I have been your pastor.

Together, we have built relationships with our community. We have shouldered the responsibility of a good neighbor, organizing concrete ministries of concern for many who had fallen through the cracks of society; we have built, and repaired; we have chauffeured, and provided company; we have fed and clothed; provided warmth and understanding; we have mourned with the grieving, comforted the suffering and brought love into the lives of the lonely; and I have been your pastor.

In small but significant ways, we have begun to rebuild relationships with the Presbytery. We have reached out in service to the Central Valley Mission Community; we have welcomed Presbytery representatives, and utilized presbytery resources for education. We have opened lines of communication about financial and theological issues and sought engagement on difficult issues; and I have been your pastor.

I have been your pastor. I have preached the Gospel with integrity and organized worship in a thoughtful, theologically sound manner. I have taught every age group in the church, preparing and sharing thoughtful, accessible programs about biblical topics, church history, the essential tenets of our faith, books of interest to the thoughtful Christian, as well as numerous topics related to our faith journey and life experience. I have stood with the grieving and uncertain, reached out to the hurting, and celebrated with the joyful. I have served as a resource for both knowledge and wisdom, and have been available to all who have expressed a need. I have been accountable to the Session, for the work I have done; to the Presbytery, and to God. That is my Call, and I have sought to honor God as I live it out.

Of course, it is not just my Call; a pastoral Call is a relationship ordained by God between pastor and congregation, in which both parties have responsibilities and expectations. It is not just the pastor’s performance that is evaluated; it is not just the pastor who must meet expectations.

In thinking back over the last eleven years, I realize I have sometimes spoken thoughtlessly, or without considering the effect my words might have on those hearing. I have missed opportunities to reach out, to build relationships, to anticipate the needs of others. There have been times when personal issues and family problems have overshadowed my work.

Likewise, there have been times when conversations among yourselves have come back to hurt me; when complaints about incidental things have been given the same weight as the good work being done in our midst; when casual thoughtlessness has led me to question the importance of our relationship, and my value to the congregation; when confidentiality has been breached, affecting both Ann and me in our work with colleagues.

It is crucial for the Session and congregation to examine their own responsibilities in the pastoral relationship – responsibilities that go far beyond financial compensation. Such reflection should be an integral part of the annual review process; but beyond that, it should be an integral part of the relationship we build day by day, week by week, year by year.

As we look forward to 2013, I can say without hesitation that God has not yet called me away from Mossy Creek - although I am open to the possibility. Of course, such discernment is not for me alone; you, the congregation, must concur, along with the Presbytery, which stands ready to help us address concerns and discern where God is leading us.  In the end, we are like every church in every time and place: ministering in an imperfect world, with an imperfect pastor and imperfect members; and yet, God has brought us together for His purpose, and gifted us with Grace sufficient to our Call. It is my prayer that God would continue to guide and bless us, as we seek to do His will.