BEAUTIFUL WORDS

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11)

This is a very, very difficult time in my life. However, in the midst of this difficult time, I've been receiving very kind notes, phone calls and e-mails.

The following is the text of an e-mail I received from a female local church pastor here in MetroWest. She intended this for me and not for publication, so I'm going to leave off her name and her church's name,but I was so blessed I wanted to share it with you.

Here it is:

"Bob, I was so sorry to hear about the closure of your church. What a painful, heart-wrenching time, for you and for the folks whose lives have been changed at that church. In the midst of all the grief and complication, I hope you are able to look back on your ministry there and see how many lives you have touched, how you have created space for the Spirit to move and heal and transform lives and communities. You have certainly made a tremendous impact on the town of Framingham, and on the Interfaith Clergy.

I will always treasure your willingness to be who you are and also respect who other people are--and to honor the different ways we live out our faith. You have done so much to break down stereotypes and barriers--that is a huge gift. And your dramatic presentations of biblical characters at Good Friday are unparalleled.

You are a very gifted person, and I trust you will find a new avenue for your ministry; I know that along the way it is very difficult to trust that.

I plan to be there on Sunday afternoon.

Can a group of us take you out to lunch to celebrate your ministry sometime soon?

Peace, (....her name....)"

I wrote back that I do hope we can arrange a lunch with many of our colleagues sometime soon.