Thanks for the Memories

Almost eleven years ago, you and I began meeting here in this space craftily hidden somewhere inside the Mechanicsville Local. Now, over a decade (and 502 columns) later, we come to our final visit together via this medium. A lot has happened over those years! When we started this column, the world was different place. It was January of 2000, twenty-one months before the terrible attacks of 9-11, Bill Clinton was finishing his final days as our President and I was just 39 years old! A lot has changed! Together we have looked at current events, natural disasters, Biblical prophecies, “off-the-wall” thoughts that came to my mind and various funny scenarios that I got myself into, but each time I wrote with a “view” towards allowing the Holy Spirit to bring conviction, comfort, insight and motivation from His Word through it all. In my very first column I stated my goal: “My pledge to you is to endeavor to always come back to the central truth that will set you free – the gospel of Jesus Christ!” I hope that I have been able to do just that, and if I have, then it’s been worth every minute of my time and every dime that Hanover Friends Church has spent over these years to give me this sacred privilege. Thanks for allowing me to share my view with you!

So what’s next? Well, Des and I will be moving to a new pastorate at Rose Hill Friends Church. It’s a smaller congregation, in a country church just a mile or so outside Rose Hill, Kansas. If you’re so inclined, you can see the church here: www.rhfc.org . I will try to keep up with my writing of the “View” and I’d like to say I am firmly committed to it, but without a newspaper “deadline,” I know I will find it hard to be as regular with my in-print musings! However, if you still want to read along, there are a couple of ways you can make that happen. You can follow “The View From Here” on my blog, www.davidacrisp.blogspot.com. On my blog site, you can become a “follower” and receive notification of new posts on your Google or Yahoo e-mail accounts or on Twitter, or subscribe to receive it through a “reader.” Believe me, I don’t understand all that lingo either! For the next few months at least you will be able to view and print any “View From Here” articles I have written over the past few years by going to: www.friendlychurch.org and clicking on the button titled: “The View From Here,” and then accessing the archive on the left hand side of the page. Hanover Friends Church will be suspending their contract with the Local for the time being until they get a new full-time Sr. Pastor, and the new pastor may or may not decide to continue this avenue of outreach. Please be praying for our church as they go through this transition. Make it a habit to pray for all our Mechanicsville churches! (Every time you drive by this or any church, shoot up a quick prayer for that house of worship and their pastor!)

I‘d like to thank the wonderful staff at the Mechanicsville Local who have been so cooperative, especially Sarah Oswald and Cindy Grant. It has truly been a joy to serve this community for our nearly 18 year tenure here. I love the fact that a whole generation of Mechanicsville kids grew up with me at Friendly Care Day School and I still get greeted all around town with hugs and “Hey, Pastor David!” from kids 3 to 21. This is a great place to be. It was a wonderful place to raise our family and we have loved our church, this town and its people.

I suppose the thing that God keeps speaking to my heart through this big life-change is this: “This world is not out home! We are just passing through on our way to our real home: heaven!” There, we will never say good-bye again! What wonderful reunions there! Let me leave you with a few final exhortations, one from God’s Word and one from me: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever!” (1 Peter 4:7-11) “You can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd, but you can be happy, if you've a mind to!”

David A. Crisp, Pastor, Hanover Friends Church, Dec. 22, 2010