First Baptist Church of Herndon

Relocations considered

Linda Soller | Sep 02, 2013

Over the past two weeks we lost several members of our church due to their decisions to change locations. It’s hard when that happens because you want to be really happy for them, you do. But it hurts to say goodbye. You find yourself selfishly wishing you could talk them out of their decision and you have to remind yourself you wouldn’t want your friends pressuring you to change your mind once it was made. Then again if you don’t tell them that you want them to stay they may not know you care. It’s a predicament. To make matters worse it can be really hard to appear happy when you are so sad inside. I cry at Hallmark commercials so saying good-bye was nearly impossible.

First was my friend who decided to attend another church. I’m fine with that because I feel like you should love your church. There is no one church that is perfect for all people, but there is a church that is perfect for each person. What was hard was wondering if there was something I did or didn’t do that might have made a difference. I didn’t even realize my friend wasn’t happy. What kind of friend does that make me? I was sad that I had to hear it from someone else. I wrote a note expressing my sadness and offering my well wishes. I was sincere in both. The first Sunday after I learned of my friend’s decision I was acutely aware of the void they left behind. How sad that we can’t anticipate those voids and perhaps prevent them from occurring.

That Sunday was also the last Sunday that two dear, generous, thoughtful people would be attending at FBC. I don’t know for some reason they thought it might be a good idea to retire and move to a lovely new home in sunny Florida. Really, the nerve! For every inch of me that was happy was a matching inch that dreaded their leaving, and as I went past to wish them well I was speechless. I kid you not - I was so close to crying I couldn’t speak. I gave them very big hugs, but I knew I wasn’t doing a good job of hiding my feelings.

Later in the drop in class I mentioned all three friends and a member of class said something that I want to share. She said, “It is times like these that make you realize how much you care for your church family”. She was so right. Here were these three people who were and are important to me and it was sad to think that it took their leaving for me to really understand just how important. FBC will survive and I have no doubt all three people will be happy. That’s my prayer for them. It’s very similar to when relatives move away or pass away. It’s hard and strange at first, and they pop in to your mind at the oddest times. While we are really sad in the beginning it gets easier, not easy, but just a bit easier. Fortunately you can keep them in your heart. Maybe you don’t feel that way about the people at your church, maybe you don’t have a church family, but I bet there are people you care about and appreciate who need to hear you say it out loud.

Fall is around the corner, the air will cool, the breezes will pick up, and one day you may find yourself smiling at a memory or thought of someone and feeling a bit warmer. Wouldn’t it be even better if you knew you hadn’t missed the chance to tell them how you felt? Go on, you can do it, before they are not around to hear it.

Have a great week :o) Linda