How to Say Goodbye

When he had gone out, Jesus said,
"Now the Son of Man has been glorified,
and God has been glorified in him.
If God has been glorified in him,
God will also glorify him in himself
and will glorify him at once.
Little children, I am with you only a little longer.
You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews
so now I say to you, 'Where I am going,
you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another. Just as I have loved you,
you also should love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, 
if you have love for one another."
John 13:31-35

The scripture we'll focus on this week in worship is part of Jesus's farewell discourse. Jesus has gathered his disciples together for a meal and in his own way, lets them know that he will soon leave them. This conversation is a "goodbye" of sorts to his beloved friends and students.

My best friend has just graduated from seminary and in less than a month will make her way home to Kansas for her first appointment as a pastor. Next week, many of our seniors will graduate high school. While graduation is a time of joy, it can also carry some grief, both for graduates and those who love them. For many, graduation is a time of goodbyes. I don't know about you, but I've never liked goodbyes! Join us in worship this Sunday as we honor our graduates and explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of goodbyes. Do we have to say goodbye? Can goodbye also be hello? What does Jesus have to teach us about these threshold moments?