A joyously sad Sunday is coming!

This Sunday is going to be a joyously sad day as we farewell many servants of the Lord who have ministered among us. Joyously sad because we will miss them all, but we know God will continue to use them for his glory. 

That farewells happen in ministry ought not surprise us. It is part of the fabric of ministry that the Lord will send among his saints people to preach the Word for a time before he calls them to other things, or perhaps even to glory. Those of us in ministry know that we come among you for a time as those called to serve the Lord, partnering with you in your ministry of reaching the world for Jesus; and it is a privilege to do so. We see the template for ministry including the joyously sad moments of farewell in Paul’s ministry, as he departs from treasured saints regularly. In Acts 20:18-35 we read his farewell speech to the Ephesian church, including these words:    

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.  …  I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

That’s wonderfully encouraging isn’t it - and joyously sad. He has poured himself out for them and now he must leave but he recognises it is God’s work and it is being done for God’s glory so he entrusts them to God and all who will follow. Our five precious servants of the Lord who we farewell this week will all do similarly.  

So, who are the 5 we are farewelling?

Well first, we farewell James, Michelle, Angus, Darcy and Robbie Macbeth. Their ministry among us over 9 years has been significant and I have personally benefited from James’ wisdom and insight. He is a decisive and interrogating preacher who loves to get alongside people and see them take Jesus seriously by getting deep into the Word and prayer. 

Please note that we are holding a special lunch for James and Michelle at which there will be much to celebrate and give thanks for, many speeches and a chance for James to speak so their farewell in services will be brief. 

Who else is being farewelled this week?

After three years of incredibly impactful formal ministry among our children (and many years before that) we farewell Rosie (& Sam) Wicks this Sunday. Rosie has become the second best children’s minister in Sydney under the mentorship of Lauren Dewhurst. She is creative and thoughtful, insightful and organised, excellent with children of all ages and their families. Seeing her grow and develop during her time on MTS and as a Student Minister this year has been amazing and I thank God that he placed her in our midst for so long. Her preaching and teaching is outstanding and her understanding of God’s word always draws you in. Rosie will be dearly missed by a whole generation of Christ Church Kids and many at Night Church. She and Sam will be at Mosman Village Church next year as Rosie continues on to 2nd year at Moore College.

We also farewell Jamie Woods who has been doing MTS with us for the last two years (again following many years of ministry before that), working closely with Elliot in Mission. Jamie began on staff as a young passionate man with many ministry gifts who was keen to learn and grow. And this he has done - developing skills in preaching, teaching, leading, training and more - and he has been honed by the Spirit turning Jamie into a young passionate man with great ministry gifts which he will exercise among the saints at Richmond Anglican Church next year while beginning his study at Moore College. Jamie will be particularly missed by Night Church and Tuesday Church where he has both loved and been loved.     

We also farewell Courtney Morris who has been among us for two and a half years on MTS and as a Student Minister. Courtney is gentle, humble and thoughtful and has spent much of her time among women of all ages reading the Bible, encouraging them, equipping them and enthusing them to follow Jesus. Her preaching and teaching is outstanding too and her results at Moore College are (I understand) pretty much the same! We will miss her willing can-do attitude but she will need that in spades as she and Luke welcome their first child into the world in 2024. Courtney will be among us as a mum and supporting Luke who is starting at Moore College in 2024.

Finally, we also farewell Josh, Lisa & Reuben Sawyer who have been among us as Student Ministers while completing the first 2 years of Moore College. I have known Josh for many years and he has grown enormously both in character, conviction and competency for ministry in their time at St Ives. I have delighted in seeing the way his preaching has improved and his recent sermon in our 1 Corinthians series was a cracker. He is pastorally sensitive and a great question asker and listener. I am looking forward to seeing all that God will do through Josh, Lisa and Reuben next year and beyond as they head to Strathfield Anglican Church and Josh enters 3rd year at Moore College.

Sunday will be a joyously sad day but let us delight in the goodness of God for the ministry these wonderful Gospel servants have done among us and will continue to do in other places - working for the same Lord, with the same Gospel, with the same purpose - all for the glory of Jesus.