Rev. Rosemary Lambie, Executive Minister
Dear friends,
From the wisdom of Philippians 2: 1-5, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus”
While my pastoral ministry began in Montreal in 1982, seventeen years ago, in 2005, I was given the privilege and responsibility of being covenanted as Executive Secretary for Synode Montreal & Ottawa Conference. In 2018, that opportunity then became ministry with three Regional Councils; East Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario Outaouais and Nakonha:ka. It has been a joy to preside over a great variety of ministry celebrations, recognizing the gifts and talents GOD brings to our collective life through people willing to respond to calls to serve.
We have worked hard to be faithful in developing policies that would be for the greater benefit of all, to make tough choices about buildings and ministry plans, and have wrestled with interpretations of scripture in light of a rapidly changing world. We have prayed and sung, laughed and cried as together we have experienced the various highs and lows of life in a Christian community. Some of the changes had been new staff joining the team, as others left, or new positions were created.
You have been my very cherished extended family and I am deeply grateful for the level of trust extended to me, especially since we ‘transitioned’, finding new ways of being in ministry.
After 40 years of active ministry and personal life changes during those same years, I want to thank the churches who have welcomed me in leadership, the staff with whom I have worked so closely, and the many volunteers without whom the church would be challenged to thrive. The pandemic pushed us to change how we worked and communicated. There have been many good learnings, and I hope that you will continue to use your new-found skills to encourage the future of the church.
The time has come for me to say THANK YOU from the deepest reaches of my heart, and to pass the leadership on to others willing to give the same kind of commitment.
My final day as Executive Minister will be October 31, 2022.
Respectfully,
Rev. Rosemary Lambie