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Thank You, Judy |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 5/6/2008 8:19 AM | Today is the end of an era at BCC. Today is Judy Mowreys last day as our office manager/financial assistant. And, for me, it is a very sad day.
When I first came to Brookhaven some 6 and ½ years ago, Judy was among the first to meet me. She was, after all, on the search committee. I wondered about that at the time: how does a staff member get on the committee that picks her boss? I shouldnt have ever wondered, because soon after I arrived, I understood why it was not only a good thing that she was on the committee, but perhaps essential to making sure that the new minister would fit. Not because it was so important that the always delicate relationship between staff members be maintained, although that is very important. Not because it was so important that administrative world view of Judy and the new minister were in sync, although that is very important. Not because Judy represented a direct working connection to more ministers than anyone else in the church, although that was also very important.
No, the essential thing that Judy brought to the committee was the fact that she had her finger on the pulse of this congregation. Maybe better than anyone else, Judy understood the whole church administrative, personal, spiritual. She was in touch with the heart and soul of this living, breathing thing we call Brookhaven Christian Church.
Soon after my arrival, this became more and more apparent. What Judy has done for these 19 years (YIKES!) is serve not only as an essential part of the administrative team, but even more importantly, has served as an integral part of the ministerial team of this church. She has been in a position to see the hurts and pains, the celebrations and triumphs, the progress and the regress of the church and its members. And not just as an observer, but as a fellow member and a trusted Elder. Her ready ear, her wise counsel, her Christian compassion, her non-anxious, calming presence are amazing assets to this congregation, and to the ministers she has served.
You talk about wearing different hats! In her time with BCC, Judy has worn the hats of: administrative goddess, financial wizard, mother/confessor to the ministers, phenomenal Elder to a flock that includes the whole congregation, much loved teacher to our young children, choir member extraordinaire (although Ive heard rumors that she is having a fling with the choir director a 50 year fling, it turns out), faithful volunteer, worship ministry chair, Outreach stalwart, and the person who takes the longest time to give a pint of blood of anyone in the history of the planet! She has been, and will continue to be, a bulwark of this congregation. But I will sorely miss seeing her in the office each Monday morning.
I will miss her beating me to the office each Monday morning, no matter how early I try to get there. I will miss her panicked look when she realizes that she just opened her last can of Diet Coke. I will miss her ability to creatively tell salespeople that I am not able to talk on the phone because
he is tied up
or he is in a conference
or he is on a safari
or I am so sorry, he is dead. I will miss her willingness to listen as I think out loud about things going on with the church. I will miss her comforting presence for the really difficult times in my life, like when my father died. Most of all, I will miss having this wonderful friend only a few steps away.
Judys not going anywhere, she just wont be working on staff anymore. Oh, she has agreed to help us out from time to time if we need reminding what it is we do around here, but she will not be the presence she has been. While that will be hard for me, it will be good for her. And that is something I celebrate with her: the chance to spend more time with Jim, to spend time with her children and grandchildren, to simply be a member of BCC without the extra load of being a staff member.
But before that role changes too much, we have a chance to say Thank You, Judy! On Saturday May 10th at 6:00 p.m. a dinner will be held in the fellowship hall in honor of Judy and her service to this church she loves so much. Please e-mail Ruth Luckett at ruth@brookhavenchristian.org by Monday if you can attend. We are suggesting a $10 donation and you need to make a reservation because we need to know how much food to order. Nursery care will be provided, but no child care. We are envisioning this as an adult event.
Make plans to come and thank Judy personally on May 10th
she deserves every bit of the attention we give her, whether she likes it or not!
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