Greetings, Crawford UMC!
I wanted to take a moment to share our deepest thanks for the ways you have been supporting our family through this major transition. The cards, meals, and space to settle in have each been so welcome as we get our feet under us in Winchester.
And, indeed, we have been on our feet! Our use of vehicles in the first week has gone way down. How lovely to walk to shops, the library, a playground and natural areas. A stroller that largely sat unused for the last year has been out almost daily. Our son is looking forward to walking or biking to school instead of taking the bus.
We’ve been on our feet indoors as well. I’d love to say that we’re out of boxes and down to hanging pictures, but that’s not quite our reality. Yet even with plenty of remaining to-dos, the parsonage is proving a perfect fit for our family. The cats have ventured out of hiding, finding new favorite perches and sleeping spots. The kids are comfortable and confident (perhaps too confident!) navigating house and neighborhood. Chris has started back to work with relatively few interruptions. Relatively.
As to me, I am breathing deeply. I have been so touched by your understanding of how significant a change this is for our family in general and also for me as a pastor. Colleagues have shared with me (and I am now experiencing) the particular emotions that accompany a first move. The proximity of a big goodbye and a brand new start—to say nothing of the physical labor of moving—is enough to knock you off your feet. The Crawford community seems to have grasped this intuitively, extending grace and space at every turn. I am so grateful.
I am also grateful for the more relaxed summer schedule that seems to be the rhythm here at Crawford. This will allow me to establish and settle into needed routines for work and family. I do intend to hold regular office hours as well as some introductory meet-and-greet events, but it’s a bit early to get those on the calendar. Stay tuned for more updates, and for the time being, you can reach me at rev.jen.mihok@gmail.com.
A favorite hymn of mine is “Guide My Feet,” a spiritual found in The Faith We Sing. It became something like a theme song for my cohort of young adult missionaries (now Global Mission Fellows) in 2007: “Guide my feet while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain.” The race imagery comes from Hebrews 12 and depicts well the urgency of staying God’s course, especially amidst injustice and struggle.
Yet not all races are sprints. It is my prayer, that as my family finds its footing, and as we as pastor and congregation find our rhythm together, God will guide our feet, bringing us into step for the ministry that lies ahead. I have every confidence that it will be so.
With gratitude,
Pastor Jen