Reflections on My Years at Saint Mark

Jimmy Moor

Julie and I figured up the other day that we have moved eleven times during the course of my ministry, including three while at Saint Mark!  The move this year will be number 12.  Even though we have moved multiple times and have experience, moving is still hard.  Some of it is physical.  I am more thankful than I know how to say that we do not have to move our house, and I don’t have all that much in the office.  But it has still been a pain just getting the 18 or so boxes I do have ready to go.  And Boyd, bless his heart, is doing his best to keep me above water with moving stuff on my computer.   The harder part of moving, however,  is not physical but emotional.  Someone came into my office the other day when most of it was already packed and said, “This is just sad”. And I agreed.  As I go through papers and files, get notes from some of you, take down pictures, etc., there are a lot of memories related to our time together that come to my mind and heart.  And while I have some regrets, most of these memories are very good and rich.   I have said it before, but it is not easy to say good bye to good folks like you.

     Memories include:  skilled, dedicated leaders giving so much to make this church strong and good; laughter at Vacation Bible School; softball games and picnics; many different activities to feed and care for the suffering in our neighborhood; outstanding music and drama, including my first acting gig (and maybe my last!); making concrete in Honduras; dessert auctions on Wednesday nights; Christmas Eve candlelight services; communion on many Sundays; taking public stands for justice; neighborhood meetings on property matters;  Pentecostal fire in the Chancel;  PRIDE activities and parades; YMCA being sung my first Sunday here; many different classes and Bible studies; hymn singing that moved me to tears; worship that connected; incredible generosity; and so much more.  You have marked me in deep and powerful ways, and I will be forever grateful.

     Once again I commend Beth to you.  You are going to be pleased, and great days are in front of this great church.

     I once heard someone say, wherever you go, there you are.  That’s a true statement.  But the truer statement, and the Good News, is that wherever we go, there God is.  A comfort for me in the difficulty around moving is that neither I nor you can go anywhere and get away from God.  Tucker or Midtown, God is there.  And the future belongs to God.  I pray that knowledge will be comfort and hope for all of us in these days.

      I have written in this week's Remarks about the boundaries that will need to be observed when I am no longer your Senior Pastor, but I do hope we can stay in touch.  My new email address will be jmoor@tfumc.org.

      Thanks for all you have given me and all you mean to me.  I love you.

                                       Jimmy