It’s hard to believe I am wrapping up my internship already and yet here we are. It has been such an honor to serve among you doing God’s work in the world. Thank you for all the love and support and wisdom you have poured into me this past year. You have helped shape me as a minister and I will forever be grateful to you.
Teaching parishes are becoming harder to find and it is even more rare to find one as thriving and healthy as you have built Lord of Life to be. You have worked to create a loving and encouraging support system in this place that is there for each other through the ups and downs of life. I love that you have made it your mission to help teach me and provide me with experiences that will forever serve as the foundation of my future life as a pastor.
As a thank you gift for the congregation, I created a painting of Lord of Life with a rainbow over it titled “You are Loved.” “You are loved” was one of the first things I learned about Lord of Life’s culture. Before I even began my internship, Cara asked me what colors I wanted my “You are loved” shirt to be tie-dyed. We needed them for the Cincinnati Pride parade, Appalachia Service Project (ASP) trip, and just as a wardrobe staple here. It seems like almost every Sunday, someone is wearing their “You are loved” shirt. And really, it’s more than just a motto or a cool shirt. It’s about who we are as a church. It’s how we love our community and ourselves and it’s what I love about us.
Rainbows represent God’s promises to us, especially that we are loved by God. God promises to always care for us and be with us. Through the reminder of the rainbow, we can see that God is still with us even through the midst of the rainy days in our lives. Another promise God has for us is that through communion, we are joined together with all the saints of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. No matter where we are, no matter what we’re going through, when we eat the bread and drink the wine, we are nourished and sent into the world together. So even though this is a farewell, every time we celebrate communion, we are together.
The next Lord of Life seminary intern Nicole Kiefer will be starting her internship mid-August and will get to be with you for two years. I know over this time you will love her and support her as you have loved and supported me. May God continue to bless you as the teaching congregation God has created you to be.
Thank you, Lord of Life. You are loved.
Peace,
Pastor Laura