Goodbye Graphical sermon notes by, Rev. Ed Whitman Sunday, June
21, 2015 Evangelical Congregational Church in Dunstable
Massachusetts Copyright 2015 by the author, Rev. Ed Whitman, with
permission to freely redistribute.
Slide 2
Thanks for Everything
Slide 3
Titus 3: 12-15 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do
your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to
winter there.
Slide 4
Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on
their way and see that they have everything they need.
Slide 5
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is
good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live
unproductive lives.
Slide 6
Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us
in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Slide 7
Philippians 1: 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may
abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
Slide 8
Good-byes are not easy
Slide 9
Good-byes are not easy
Slide 10
Good-byes are not easy Emily Dickinson: Parting is all we need
of hell Arthur Schopenhauer: Every parting gives a foretaste of
death
Slide 11
Titus - A.D. 64 Assistant pastor with the Apostle Paul Part of
Pauls missionary team for 20 years Ministering in Crete when letter
arrives
Slide 12
Titus - A.D. 64 Purposes of letter: 1.Further instructions to
equip church leaders Living God-honoring lives in church life, at
home and in the world around you
Slide 13
Titus - A.D. 64 Purposes of letter: 1.Further instructions to
equip church leaders Living God-honoring lives in church life, at
home and in the world around you 2. Personal future plans for Titus
himself - a new assignment
Slide 14
Lets Pray
Slide 15
Future Plans (1) As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you,
do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to
winter there.verse 12 Sending someone to take your place
Slide 16
Future Plans (1) As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you,
do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to
winter there.verse 12 -Tychicus goes to Ephesus, not Crete -Artemas
comes to Crete GOD MOVES HIS PEOPLE AROUND
Slide 17
Sending You a New Pastor
Slide 18
Future Plans (2) As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you,
do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to
winter there. verse 12 Paul: Winter in Nicopolis with Titus
Slide 19
Pastor Ed and Sandy A little Rest and Raymond, NH Summer House
and yard projects Relaxing with family, good books and Red Sox
Slide 20
July 20 -23 Fall-Winter Rochester, NY Volunteer Work -CCCC
-JRHS -Meeting with Pastors -Further Travel Adventures? -More house
and yard projects
Slide 21
Final Reminder Our people must learn to devote themselves to
doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily
necessities and not live unproductive lives. verse 14 Support Gods
WORK and WORKERS
Slide 22
Final Reminder Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer
and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they
need. verse 13 - Zenas, probably an expert in Roman culture teamed
up with - Apollos, an eloquent Greek preacher, as traveling
missionary evangelists Assistance with Housing, Supplies and
Finances
Slide 23
Final Reminder Do everything you can to help see that they have
everything they need provide for daily necessities and not live
unproductive lives. Titus 3: 13-14 Do everything you can to help
See that they have everything they need Provide for their daily
necessities so that they may live productive lives.
Slide 24
Personal Matters: 1 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet
those who love you in the faith. verse 15a
Slide 25
Personal Matters: 2 My Personal Prayer - Wish for DECC: And
this is my prayer: That your love may abound more and more in
knowledge and depth of insight. Philippians 1:9 New Living
Translation: I pray that your love for each other will overflow
more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge
and understanding.
Slide 26
THE SERVANT SONG Brother, sister, let me be your servant Let me
be as Christ to you Pray that I might have the grace To let you be
my servant too
Slide 27
We are pilgrims on a journey We're together on this road We are
here to help each other Walk the mile and bear the load
Slide 28
I will hold the Christ-light for you In the night time of your
fear I will hold my hand out to you Speak the peace you long to
hear
Slide 29
I will weep when you are weeping When you laugh I'll laugh with
you I will share your joy and sorrow Till we've seen this journey
through
Slide 30
When we sing to God in heaven We shall find such harmony Born
of all we've known together Of Christ's love and agony
Slide 31
Brother sister let me serve you Let me be as Christ to you Pray
that I may have the grace To let you be my servant too Richard
Gillard 1977 Scripture In Song; Maranatha! Music
Slide 32
Personal Matters: 3 Grace be with you all. verse 15b Comes from
the Father (1:4) Evidenced in Jesus (2:11) Means of our salvation
(3:7) Blessing upon all members of the Dunstable Church
Slide 33
Good-byes are not easy Arthur Schopenhauer: Every parting gives
a foretaste of death and every coming together again a foretaste of
the resurrection Emily Dickinson: Parting is all we know of heaven
and all we need of hell.
Slide 34
Good-byes are not easy Saying good-byes can be a joyful
matter
Slide 35
Good-byes are not easy Saying good-byes can be a joyful matter
Good-bye = God-Be-With-You
Slide 36
1772 Pastor John Fawcett
Slide 37
1772 Pastor John Fawcett Wainsgate, England
Slide 38
Gifted scholar, devoted pastor and inspired preacher
Slide 39
Brotherly Love
Slide 40
CLOSURE LITURGY Deacon: A church family is constantly changing:
loved ones come to the end of their lives; individuals come and go
in the life of our church together. It is important and right that
we recognize these times of passage, of endings and beginnings.
Today we share in saying fond farewells with Rev. Edward A.
Whitman, whose time as our Intentional Interim Pastor is
concluding.
Slide 41
Pastor Ed: I thank DECC, its members and friends, for the love,
kindness, and support shown me these last 18 months. I ask your
understanding and forgiveness for mistakes I have made and for
expectations unmet. I am grateful that my leadership has been
accepted. With joy I recall the things we have been able to
accomplish together, and with some sadness some which were not
accomplished. As I leave, I carry with me many happy memories of
experiences we have shared together.
Slide 42
PEOPLE: We receive your thankfulness, and we offer our
forgiveness for any failures, and our thanks for all that has been
accomplished. We accept that you now leave us to minister
elsewhere. We express our gratitude for your time among us and ask
your forgiveness for our shortcomings and mistakes. Your influence
on our lives will not leave us at your departure.
Slide 43
Pastor Ed: I forgive you and accept your gratitude, trusting
that our time together and our parting are pleasing to God and our
Lord Jesus Christ, whom we are called to serve. Deacon: Do you, the
members and friends of DECC now release Pastor Ed from the
responsibilities of Intentional Interim Pastor? PEOPLE: We do, with
the help of God.
Slide 44
Deacon: Do you, Edward Whitman release this church from turning
to you and depending on you? Pastor Ed: I do, with the help of God.
Deacon: Do you offer your encouragement for, and your blessing on
the continued ministry of this church? Pastor Ed: I do, with the
help of God.
Slide 45
Deacon: Let us pray the following prayer together in unison.
ALL: Heavenly Father, whose everlasting love for your children is
trustworthy, we give you thanks for remembered times with Pastor Ed
and Sandy, as together we have shared our life of faith in
Jesus.
Slide 46
ALL (cont): We thank you for the times we have shared in
worship, in times of fellowship, in leadership and committee
meetings, and in service together. We thank you for all that was
accomplished for the glory of God. The time we were together in
your name saw some tears, but also our laughter; some
disappointments, but also our hopes and joy. Help each of us trust
the future, which rests in your watch-care.
Slide 47
ALL (cont): Guide us, Lord God, as we hold these memories, but
now move in new directions -- until that time to come when we are
completely one with you, and with one another. In the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. PEOPLE: Pastor Ed and Sandy, go now,
surrounded by our love, and led by the presence of our Lord Jesus
and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Slide 48
BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS Blest be the tie that binds Our
hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like
that to that above. Before our Father's throne We pour our ardent
prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one Our comforts and
our cares.
Slide 49
We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear; And often
for each other flows The sympathizing tear. When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain; But we shall still be joined in heart, And
hope to meet again. John Fawcett, 1782Johann G. Nageli,
1773-1836