Good bye Shoal Lake

So last night was my final service as rector of St. Paul's, Shoal Lake. That congregation is now joining the parish grouping of Holy Saints as their third point, under the leadership of my friend, the Rev. Nigel Packwood. This will allow them to have Sunday services, increased pastoral attention, etc. etc. etc. It means that I now serve a 5-point parish instead of 6; I don't have to drive out as far, my Sunday services now cover 2 days instead of 4. So it's a logical decision, though one that was difficult to make.
Emotionally, it's hard. That congregation has a long history with some of the other points I serve, and we've been intentionally working to be a wider wider family here in the Wider wider of Pelly Plains. I've been with them for almost 2 years. And I love them. Deeply. So saying goodbye last night was nowhere near as easy as I had hoped - they have blessed me profoundly (as have all my parishes). But I did write a short prayer of Thanksgiving for that church; a prayer for St. Paul's.

Lord God, you are in this place. We feel you, we praise you, we thank you.
You have bestowed upon us many gifts, and we continue to be amazed at the wonders you set before us.
We respond to your calls for us, to be a family of your children acting as your hands and feet, your heart and your voice in Shoal Lake.
We are blessed with leadership, with joy, with love.
We are blessed with you.