Home again?

I was at St. John's in Waterbury today to officiate at the funeral of Al King. Al had planned his funeral with me in 2007 but I had forgotten the details. As soon as I saw the sheet he'd filled out, I remembered what a conversation that had been!

Al was a humorous, smart guy with an ironic twist to his personality. He was, as I am, a tad contrarian, so his choices for the service were quirky. He ignored all the suggested readings and picked a passage from Ecclesiastes (The 'a time to...' passage made famous by the Birds' "Turn, turn, turn" record) and an obscure piece of Revelation 21 and 22. Psalm 138. 1-13 completed his choices. He didn't pick a gospel reading so I read the passage from John where Jesus tells the disciples that they will come to him and they know the way. Thomas, a character not unlike Al, says, "We don't know where you're going, how can we know the way?" Us contrary people have to stick together....Al, Thomas and me....

I hadn't been on the altar of St. John's for 4 or more years. I expected it to be nostalgic and a 'home-coming' of sorts.

But it wasn't. I saw some folks I love and the building is still as beautiful as always, but things had been moved around--pictures in the library, things in the office--and the vesting room was much neater than it ever managed to be when I was there for 21 years.

I retired in April 2010--soon six years--and, as much as I loved it, St. John's isn't 'home' anymore. It was like being somewhere in West Virginia: it was a place that helped make me who I am, but it isn't part of whom I am now.

It was odd to be in a place that meant so much to me and not feel sentimental. But I didn't.

It all goes to prove that folks do 'move on', even from absolutely favorite places with wondrous memories attached.

I retired the month I had 30 years in the Church Pension Fund because I knew if I didn't set a time certain to leave I might just hang on and hang on until I'd worn out my over two decade welcome at St. John's.

It was good to see Jay and Steve and Donna and a couple of other familiar folk. But my church 'home' isn't there--it's at St. James and St. Andrew's and Emmanuel. That's where I'm 'at home' now--those places.

All and all, it was a good thing to learn. It's always good to know where  home truly is.