Farewell
It’s never easy to say goodbye. To part ways after establishing a bond is difficult.
I’m fascinated with the wording of farewells in Western languages. Many reference God or
seeing each other again. For example:
- English: Goodbye (originally: God be with ye) or See ya
- Spanish: Adios (commend to God) or Hasta la vista (until I see you)
- German: Auf wiedersehen (until we see/meet again)
- Dutch: Tot ziens (until we see/meet)
- French: Bid you adieu (I commend you to God) or Au revoir (until we see/meet again)
As we say our farewells, I’d like to mention what I noticed and appreciated about Connections:
- A genuine kindness. Not just formal politeness. You took an interest in our lives and
expressed concern if we were sick or injured. - Prayer is imbedded in the life of the church. Not just in worship, but in gatherings and
meetings. The prayer updates by email were helpful in calling us to regular prayer for
each other. - The bond of friendship within the congregation. After having gone through a tumultuous
time, the strong loyalty you have is not just to the Lord and to the church, but also to each
other. - Professionalism: In all that is done, I sensed from you: We will do this the best way
possible. Even though you thoughtfully considered any advise I gave, you did not depend
on me to take care of matters. Most everyone was willing to step up to a role they were
called to; and you wanted to do the best you could. - A deep trust in God: Regularly I heard from you that God is in charge, he has a plan. This
was a good reminder to each other. And it was meant sincerely. Thus we are able to go
forward with confidence, knowing that God is leading.
We’re glad that God arranged for us to be with you almost eight months. We enjoyed getting to
know you all. It was a privilege to hear your stories. And as we told many of you, Barb and I
would pray for a different household every evening. We will continue this practice for a while.
We plan to take ten days to get home. We will visit family and relatives in Wyoming, South
Dakota, and Iowa. After getting settled back home in Cedar Lake, IN, we look forward to being
near our son and wife and the grandchildren. If you are ever in Northwest Indiana, we’d love to
have you stop by.
Paul said in his farewell talk to the Ephesian elders, “Now I commit you to God and to the word
of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified.” (Acts 20:32) We too commend you to God’s care. And we look forward to seeing
you all again, either in this life or in the world to come. God be with you till we meet again.
Here are some words from Barb:
We have enjoyed getting to know you all immensely! As visiting people is one of my favorite
things, and looking at the mountains is also a favorite – this has been a very blessed time!
Thank you all for sharing yourselves and your time with us. We will miss you, and continue to
pray for you! We won’t dump our prayer list just because we’re going back home. May God
bless each of you with good health, joy, and peace. May He grow Connections Church in number
and in faith.
John Gorter
Interim Pastor
