On March 23, 2002, I walked into Sherwood Oaks for my first day of work. I had been hired as the Children & Youth Ministries assistant, and I was excited, having come out of a job that was mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting. I had no idea what working at a church would be like, much less working at Sherwood Oaks. I was immediately struck with the kindness and compassion of the staff, and with the honest desire to do their best every day.
This Friday, June 9, 2023, I will lock my door one last time and walk out of the building as a former employee of Sherwood Oaks. It’s hard to wrap my mind around in a lot of ways, and it’s going to be a huge change in my world. Over the last 21 years, I have learned a lot about myself, my faith, the Christ I love, and the people in my world. Here are just some of the things I’ll take with me as I move on to my next career:
- We’re all human. If you think working at a church means nothing but prayer times and worship songs, I hate to burst your bubble. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes.
- Grace is necessary. We’re figuring out how to do ministry AND life together. It takes a lot of work some days and some days it’s so easy.
- The people matter as much as (maybe more than) the work. My job for the last 15 years has been a high-stress situation many times, but at the end of the day, it’s the people that made me excited to come in to the office every day. They matter. Their lives matter. Their stories matter.
- Change is part of life. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go over the years – each person has left a part of themselves in who I am – and each change, scary and hard as it has been, has also been a way of God continuing to lead His church.
- You won’t know everything. I have degrees in English and Library Science, and have spent the majority of my career doing bookkeeping, communications, and HR. You won’t know half of what you’re asked to do, but you’ll be surrounded by people who want you to succeed.
- Be gentle with yourself. It’s easy to make the work the most important thing in your life. Be gentle with yourself as you hit walls and need to set up boundaries.
- Be generous with your heart. Working in ministry means you’ll be more open to the suffering and successes of the people in your world. Be generous with your love and generous with your heart.
- Expect the unexpected. From retirements to church launches to global pandemics, learn to expect the unexpected.
- Laugh a lot. This one goes back to the people mattering. Find joy in what you do – and who you get to do it with.
- Growth will happen. I am nowhere near the same person I was when I walked into this office, 22 years old, young, naïve, and not sure about anything. I have grown into someone that I’m awfully happy with, but that growth has hurt and stretched sometimes.
- Embrace the mess. Ministry is messy. Work is messy. Life is messy. Embrace it and find ways to clear up the mess when you can.
- Admit your mistakes. You aren’t perfect. You’ll make more than your share of mistakes. Admit them, fix them, move on.
- Hold no grudges. Time is short.
- Love without restriction. Love covers a multitude of sins and a multitude of shortcomings.
- Be kind. Change the world by choosing kindness first.
- Leave well. As your time anywhere ends, leave well, knowing you did your best and that you mattered, no matter if you were there for a day or a lifetime.
I will always look back on my time on staff at Sherwood Oaks with fondness. There were hard days, sure. There were moments where I felt completely out of my element and unsure about whether or not this was where I was supposed to be. But the good days, the fun memories, the laughter, and the impact far outweigh the rough stuff. I will miss the family I’ve found on staff – the ridiculously wonderful staff that makes up the heartbeat of Sherwood Oaks.
Thank you for letting me serve here for 21 years. It has been an honor and a privilege.
- Emily