Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2014 Issue | Page 24

Endings and

New Beginnings
Ed Jones
Much of the service beneath the leafy trees of The Grove this past September
sounded more like a beginning than an end. Despite the words declaring the
congregation of Christ the King, Harrisonburg, to be closed after 11 years of
nomadic existence, much of the sharing among the several dozen who filled the
benches of the outdoor chapel had to do with the future.

The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff, bishop
suffragan, set the tone in her homily
when she noted that when the
congregation was first planted and
later thrived, “No one imagined it
would lead to this place and this time
today.” But she added that none of the
blessings of their time together were
lost or wasted. “In God’s economy, no
act of praise or service or thanksgiving
is ever wasted. No act of planning or
pruning is ever meaningless. It is all
wrapped up forever in the mantle of
God’s love.”

That theme was echoed by
speakers from the congregation who,
through anecdotes and reflections,
spoke of how Christ the King had
changed their lives. Amid tears and
laughter, the sharing was a poignant
tribute to a congregation that once
envisioned building a church on the
property that became their last home.
After years of mission trips, hayrides, a
community garden and youth events,
divisions related in part to wider Church
issues had reduced the congregation to
a precious few. At the end, it was those
remaining in the congregation who
came to the Diocese to say that their
work together was done.

Yet the transformations brought
about by Christ the King continue to
impact the lives of those who once
considered the congregation to be their
family, and who will carry the lessons
learned to other churches and ministries.

One man spoke of a “dark spot” in
his life, which had prevented him from
spiritually investing in community. That

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“ ow you come to this moment of letting go, of
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celebrating the goodness and blessing of your life
together as the Church of Christ the King, of offering
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