My Blog

Tag: Farewell

  • Farewell to St. Martin’s

    Votd-Philippians-1-6Dear Members and Friends of St. Martin-in-the-Fields,

    I began my ministry with you as Interim Rector at St. Martin’s almost two years ago. Three days from now, July 25, will be my last Sunday with you. Your new Rector, The Reverend Alan Bentrup, will lead you in worship on August 1. 

    I write with mixed emotions to say farewell and express gratitude for the opportunity to share Christ’s work with you during this season of transition. We have worked together to remember and celebrate the history of the parish, to clarify your present-day identity, to manage changes in leadership, to strengthen ties with the wider Church, and to prepare for commitment to a new era of mission with your new Rector. We have wrestled with a pandemic and learned many things in the process. We have explored the joys of faithful stewardship, envisioned a robust new program of Christian formation for all ages, developed and populated a new model for mission and governance, reached out in love to our neighbors in need, and expressed lavish hospitality to newcomers seeking a spiritual home. It will make my heart glad to know that these experiences have made you ready for the days ahead. For, as St. Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

    We are confident that you will welcome your new Rector, Alan, his family, Elizabeth, Ford, and, Walker, with the same strong, generous, open arms that welcomed us. We are also confident that your ministry together will result in transformed lives and much thanksgiving to God.

    Many have asked about our plans for the future. We’ll be taking a vacation in August. Upon our return, Gay will continue her artistic pursuits, including some online teaching, and I plan to undertake a few projects at our home in Arlington. I expect that my future service to The Episcopal Church will be primarily consulting and mentoring.

    You are most welcome to stay in touch with us. We want to know what is happening in your lives and in the life of this parish so we can cheer you on from the “great cloud of witnesses.” However, my role as your Priest will be concluded. Your new Rector and his family will need every opportunity to establish a relationship with you. So, I will not be coming back or performing sacramental or liturgical rites for St. Martin’s. We’ve moved before and have seen the wisdom in this practice. We continue to have wonderful friends from every place we’ve ever served and everyone understands that we now play a different role in their lives. Please make a note of the following contact information:

    Ron and Gay Pogue
    5805 Dry Creek Lane
    Arlington, Texas 76017

    Ron’s Email: ron@e-piphanies.com
    Ron’s Phone: 832-576-9019
    Ron’s Blog: http://e-piphanies.com

    Gay’s Email: gaypogue@mac.com
    Gay’s Phone: 409-939-9975
    Gay’s Blog: http://angelsnakes.com/

    May God bless St. Martin’s and may God bless each of you in your spiritual journey. I remain convinced that the greatest days of this parish lie in the future. You and those God leads to you in the future will have the joy of remaining open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discover what new things God wants to accomplish through this vibrant and welcoming community of faith. We love you and will keep you in our prayers. We ask that you also keep us in your prayers as God’s new day unfolds!

    Blessings,

    Ron Short Blue Sig Cropped

     

     

     

     

    The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
    Interim Rector
    St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
    Keller, Texas

  • Follow Him, Seek Him, Love Him

    My remaining time as Interim Dean at St. Andrew's Cathedral is getting shorter by the day. It's a big transition for me, not simply because I'm saying farewell to people I have grown to love and respect, but also because I have notified the Church Pension Fund that I am ready to retire. I've never looked forward to retirement because I love what I do and I love the people with whom I am honored to work for the building up of the Church during healthy transitions.

    This transition for me marks the end of a way of life and service that I've known all of my adult life. But it also marks the beginning of a new series of adventures, serving the Church in different ways – consulting, supplying, mentoring, coaching, and a few other possibilities. Gay and I will finally start living in the house we've occasionally stayed in for the last four-and-one-half years, get to know our neighbors, and explore a part of Texas we've barely visited, even though it is our home state.

    The chorus from W.H. Auden's Christmas Oratorio is on my mind today as I reflect upon my life and ministry and the people and places I have known. It describes the journey into a new kind of normal with all its dangers and surprises, traveling with our memories and the Lover of our souls.

    He is the Way.
    Follow Him through the Land of Unlikeness;
    You will see rare beasts, and have unique adventures.

    He is the Truth.
    Seek Him in the Kingdom of Anxiety;
    You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.

    He is the Life.
    Love Him in the World of the Flesh;
    And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

    (W.H. Auden – 1907-1973)

    This poem is set to two different tunes in The Hymnal 1982 of The Episcopal Church. Here's a beautiful choral setting: The Way, The Truth, The Life   (Royal Holloway Choir, University of London, Samuel Rathbone & Rupert Gough)

    Please hold us in your prayers and stay in touch. We are excited for you and your new Dean and will be watching with eager anticipation as you begin a new era of mission together.

    I'll see you in Church (one more time)!

    Ron Short Blue Sig Cropped

     

     

     

     

    The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue
    Interim Dean
    St. Andrew’s Cathedral
    Jackson, Mississippi

  • Ron’s Farewell Discourse

    As I draw closer to the completion of my ministry among you at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, I’m mindful of so many things I need to do and say. Was this how Jesus was feeling during the time leading up to the Ascension? He sure took the time to give some instructions, provide some reminders, and make some promises before saying goodbye. I think I will too.

    My last Sunday will be June 16. I’ll preside over the Vestry one more time on June 17. My first event at St. Andrew’s was the Dean’s List and so it will be the last on June 18. Then, on June 19, we will head for our house in Arlington, Texas. I’ll be on vacation for the rest of the month. Anne Maxwell will become your Dean on July 1 and you will soon begin to experience an entirely new transition. You’ve had time to “practice” on David Elliott and me for almost three years. I hope you’ve experienced some things that will help you step into a new era of mission with a new spiritual leader.

    Here are a few things that are on my mind as I prepare to leave you:

    •   We’ve emphasized involvement, created or revitalized groups to pursue God’s mission, and developed charters to guide their work. There's a healthy process in place to help a lot of people do a lot of good. If you are involved, thank you. If you are not, take some time to discern how God may be calling you to get involved. HERE is a pretty complete description of how things are organized at this time. Where might you connect and express the gifts God has given to you?

    •  There’s a new online pictorial directory. Have you logged in and provided a photo? Your new Dean will want to get to know you, know how to find you, and recognize your face. If you have not already signed up, please take a few minutes to do that. HERE is the information you will need.

    •  Another way you can help your new Dean (and fellow communicants as well) is to wear a nametag. We’ve placed blank ones and Sharpies at entrances and gathering places. If you have a permanent name tag that you bring to the Cathedral with you, that’s great. But if you forget it, these are always here.

    •  Invite / Welcome / Connect. Don’t be shy about inviting others to St. Andrew’s. It doesn’t have to be to a worship service. Almost any event can be an entry point for newcomers. And, don’t be shy about speaking to people. Introduce yourself, show newcomers the way to Coffee Hour, help them navigate our beautifully complex liturgy, and be the “Face” of St. Andrew’s. Also, don’t be shy about connecting people to others in our loving Cathedral community. They very well may be looking for a community like ours.

    •  Set the example as the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Mississippi. The diocese is looking to St. Andrew's for leadership, encouragement, resources, and hospitality, all of which are here in abundance. Join the Cathedral Guild. Serve in a diocesan role. Look for opportunities to be a representative of the Cathedral in the City of Jackson and beyond. St. Andrew's is not just another big church; you are the Cathedral Church, serving the diocese and the Bishop.

    •  Pray for your Bishop, Dean, Canons, Staff and the leadership of the Cathedral. Prayer has made a difference during the past three years. It will continue to be the one thing we all have in common. (Get it? Common Prayer?)

    •  Show up. Your presence matters. It matters to you, when you didn’t feel like coming and something happens that changes your life. It matters to others, when the room is full of singing, praying, loving people and when the smile on your face or the sound of your voice is exactly what someone else needs to get through another week. It matters to God, who calls you to worship and service and dwells among God’s own people.

    •   I have invited you to view Christian stewardship as a spiritual practice, which, like prayer, strengthens your faith, hope, and love. You have responded in amazing ways and I pray that you have found the practice to be everything I told you it would be and more. “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor. 9:12-13)

    •  Remember that Gay and I love you and will think of you often wherever we may be. Our time with you has enriched and changed our lives. We are grateful for your lavish hospitality and generous friendship.

    The best days, the golden years, of St. Andrew’s Cathedral lie just ahead. God’s promise to Israel is yours as well: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

    I’ll see you in Church!

    Ron Short Blue Sig Cropped

     

     

     

     

    The Very Reverend Ronald D. Pogue

    Interim Dean

    St. Andrew’s Cathedral

    Jackson, Mississippi

  • Sermon at Christ Church Cranbrook ~ August 24, 2014

    CCC Pulpit_Side

    The Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost

    Listen to the Sermon for August 24, 2014

    Read the Sermon for August 24, 2014

  • One Last Look Through the Study Window

    It has been awhile since I composed a Monday Message. This is not my last one, but it is the last one I will write from the spot I have enjoyed so much for the past twenty-two months by the big window in the study at the rectory. From this place, I have watched my friends the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer gather at the feeders in the large English Oak tree. (If Bambi can think he's a skunk, I suppose these Cranbrook deer can think they are birds.)  I have delighted in seeing the seasons change. I have marveled in the natural beauty of this place with all the trees and grass and flowers. I have observed people come and go from the parking lot to and from meetings, worship, study, service, and fellowship occasions at Christ Church Cranbrook.  I have noticed the gardeners, craftsmen, contractors, and others as they care for these impressive buildings and gardens. It is a prime location from which to behold God’s world and God’s people!

    Here, I’ve written Monday Messages, sermons, meeting agendas, lessons, letters of congratulations, appreciation, and condolence, and countless emails about our work together during this time of transition. It was here that I sat to edit and send the final draft of the announcement of the call of the person who will sit here after me.  He will see many of the same things I see.  Some things will look pretty much the same to him as they have to me.  Other things will look completely different. That's becauase God in love and wisdom made us different people with different ways of seeing things. It is such differences that are woven together into a fabric that makes the Church strong and beautiful.

    CCC Rectory Study WindowThe window of the study is very large and it faces just the right direction, providing the best vantage point from which a Rector can see what's going on. I’ve often felt gratitude for such a generous gift. And I’ve often prayed for an even greater gift; that the window of my heart will be large and facing the right direction so that what I perceive with that vision will be guided by the Holy Spirit to make my ministry here faithful and fruitful. I’ve wanted to look through that window as I see the seasons change in your lives, as you come and go, as you do the work God has given you to do, and as you grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God in Christ. I’ve seen some amazing things and I’ve watched you attempt and accomplish so much.

    Together, we’ve looked at the heritage of this community of faith, the present day challenges and opportunities, the call to leadership, your relationship with your Bishop and the wider Church, and the future God sets before you with your new spiritual leader.  Together, we’ve looked at ways to further the mission of the parish:

    The mission of Christ Church Cranbrook is to

    Learn the faith,
    Live the faith,
    Love the people in our midst, and
    Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    Through
    Expansive Ministries with Children and Youth,
    Challenging Adult Christian Formation,
    Abundant Outreach,
    Extravagant Hospitality,
    Generous Stewardship, and
    Intentional Leadership Development.

    The way I see it, both through the window in the rectory study and the window in my heart, we’ve accomplished great things for the advancement of God’s reign, the healing of hurts, the formation of lives, and for the future of the Christian faith.

    The way I see it, you are ready to welcome your new Rector and his family to join you in a remarkable adventure of faith in which your role as the leading Episcopal Church in the state will be strengthened and your influence in the wider Church at home and abroad will make a significant difference.

    The way I see it, the golden days in the life of Christ Church Cranbrook lie ahead of you and the greatest chapters in your testimony to our Savior Jesus Christ have yet to be written.

    Next Sunday will be the last one I spend with you as your Interim Rector. Ironically, my last actual public service of worship will be a wedding at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 30. After that wedding, I’ll be removing my vestments as Fr. Bill Danaher is putting his on to celebrate his first Eucharist with you at 5:00 p.m.  Talk about a “seamless transition!”  Between now and then, I still have several things to finish, so you’ll be seeing me around.

    Gay and I are still not certain where our next place of ministry will be.  This is not unusual in transition ministry. We are in conversation with several persons and are confident that the right opportunity will soon be revealed. It is a time of discernment for us. Fr. Bill and the Wardens have graciously offered us the use of the Wolgast House for the next few weeks as we determine our next steps. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for you and for the time we’ve spent with you.

    The way I see it, God is still bountiful, God’s people still seek his face, God’s world still needs the Church to be at its best, and the best is yet to be!

    I’ll see you in Church!
    Ron Short Sig Blue

  • A Message of Thanks and Farewell to Trinity, Lawrence

    August 5, 2010

    Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Church,

    One year ago today I began my ministry with you as Interim Pastor.  Ten days from now, August 15, will be my last Sunday with you.  Your new Rector, The Reverend Rob Baldwin, will lead you in worship on August 29. 

    I write with mixed emotions to say farewell and express gratitude for the opportunity to share Christ’s work with you during this year of transition.  We have worked together to remember and celebrate the history of the parish, to clarify your present-day identity, to manage changes in leadership, to strengthen ties with the wider Church, and to prepare for commitment to a new era of mission with your new Rector.  It will make my heart glad to know that these transitional developments have made you ready for the days ahead.

    Many have asked about our plans for the future.  Our Galveston home remains on the market and Gay has retired from teaching.  We will take a vacation and visit our sons during late August and early September.  We hope conversations with several bishops and deployment officers will soon result in a call to a new place of ministry, either interim or settled.  There are some very interesting possibilities!

    You are most welcome to stay in touch with us.  We want to know what is happening in your lives and in the life of this parish.  However, my role as your Priest will be concluded.  Your new Rector will arrive soon and he will need every opportunity to establish a relationship with you.  So, I will not be coming back or performing sacramental or liturgical rites for Trinity.  We’ve moved before and have seen the wisdom in this practice.  We continue to have wonderful friends from every place we’ve ever served and everyone understands that we now play a different role in their lives.  Please make a note of the following contact information:

    Ron and Gay Pogue
    3017 Avenue O
    Galveston, Texas 77550-6847
    (Mail to our Galveston address will be forwarded to us wherever we may be.)

    Ron’s Email: ron@e-piphanies.com
    Ron’s Phone: 832-576-9019
    Ron’s Blog: http://e-piphanies.com

    Gay’s Email: gaypogue@mac.com
    Gay’s Phone: 409-939-9975
    Gay’s Blog: http://angelsnakes.com/

    May God bless Trinity and may God bless each of you in your spiritual journey.  I remain convinced that the greatest days of this parish lie in the future.  You and those who come in the future will have the joy of remaining open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discover what new things God wants to accomplish through the people who are Trinity Episcopal Church.  We will keep you in our prayers and we ask that you keep us in your prayers as God’s new day unfolds!

    Faithfully yours,

    Ron