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As Presbyterians we know the importance of being involved in the local and national church. There is a lot of joy that comes from being part of committees that help us to connect with other colleagues from different parts of the country. It is also a demanding experience because of the countless hours of meetings, conversations, decisions to be made, material to read and planning involved.

When I was a child, I remember my dad saying goodbye to me during a math class. He was going back to the US and I still was in the Dominican Republic. Even though I knew I would see him again, that feeling, that experience of saying goodbye, was difficult for me as a daughter that loved her dad a lot.

At this moment I am serving at different levels of the church. One of the organizations I am involved with is Mujeres Hispanas Latinas Presbiterianas (Hispanic/Latinx Presbyterian Women). I have been serving as a co-moderator since 2022 and I will finish my term in October 2025. I have grown and learned so much. I am grateful for all the people I have met and the experiences of nourishment with one another. This year we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary in Atlanta, Ga., where more than 150 people will be attending. And soon it will be my time to say goodbye.

It is part of the process that there’s a bittersweet taste when saying goodbye. We also know and understand that’s part of the growing process and pass the torch to other people who will continue working and serving with fresh ideas. As we prepare ourselves to close different chapters in our lives, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 13:11, “Finally, brothers and sisters, good-bye. Put things in order, respond to my encouragement, be in harmony with each other, and live in peace — and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

What starts as a beginning must come to an end. Even if it hard to say goodbye, it’s part of the process we all need to go to become better creatures of God who always need to experience constant change which could be transitional or permanent. It is hard to explain if the hardest part is related to the relationships we have built, the work we are doing or some combination of both. At the end of the day is that bittersweet feeling that only time will be able to heal.

As pastors we are in a constant cycle of saying goodbye. It is part of our duty, and it is part of our vocation. We also cannot disguise or name how hard it is to say goodbye. Superficially, it might look in one way but deep inside, our hearts, our emotions, our whole being cries out. Our emotions shift so fast and to process the changes related to the places and groups we serve… well it’s a hard thing to do. Despite how we are feeling, we must walk with our chin up, waiting to see what comes next without giving up and trusting God will give us the strength and courage to keep moving forward.

We barely talk about this side of ministry. We are not robots. We are not machines. We have feelings and emotions and, even as normal as it may be to say goodbye, it hurts. Let’s continue praying that God continues sustaining us with God’s love in expected and unexpected transitions in this life journey.