Email from parishioner

I just opened my email to a sweet little note from a parishioner. It's affirming in light of my immediate transition. What I wonder about is that if awareness of new ministry and the possibility in recent months has affected my confidence in preaching etc. as I've been getting a few comments about my preaching. While they have always seemed to like it, lately people seem to be seeing something different in it. Or... could it be as my pastoral care prof said... that after a year or so that people would make comments like "you're getting better" and it's not so much that you have changed all that much, but that they've gotten to know you and trust you. Or could it just be the timing of having a certain amount of experience now and that would be showing, even if I was going to stay in my current ministry for a while.
Here's the email:

Dear "Myname" (a.k.a. Sermonus Perfectus)
You were in your element on Sunday. You were inspired and inspiring.
See you Wed.

"Parishioner's name"

Awwww. Thank you. I got some comments that were much the same after the late service on Sunday. I prayed a lot over it on Saturday. Just goes to show that prayers are answered. People heard something they connected to or needed to hear. Thank you God. :)

Life and Ministry Changes

I know I've been absent for quite some time. I've been journaling in a written journal for much of the last year to year and a half. I think partly because I have to write slower and it makes me think/reflect/process more. Partly because things were not always going perfectly and I felt it was better to grumble about it in private (and to friends going through similar circumstances by phone) rather than on a public (although anonymous) blog.
I have been a priest for over a year and a month. It has definitely been a learning curve. Even though there have been challenges (and what ministry is without challenges?) it has for the most part been good.

So here's the news. Big change in my immediate future. I'm both excited and anxious about it.

I will be moving from the Southwest U.S. to the Midwest. I will be going from being an Assistant Rector (an assisting priest) at a parish in a relatively large city, to being the new rector (the priest in charge) of a relatively small parish in a small town.

I'm really excited about the fit I see between myself and the parish, and so are they. I've also been impressed with the bishop there and the interactions we've had.

Well I'm going to end this post for now, but may add more later.