8 Years and Beyond.

A week of celebrations, that is what I am calling this week. Most are calling them goodbyes, I am calling them celebrations. Today marks the biggest one yet. It is our last service at St.Giles Kingsway and The Well.



Bryn and I arrived in Etobicoke nearly 8 years ago. I was very pregnant with our soon to be daughter and we settled in quickly. The church, then just St.Giles Kingsway soon became our home. We met amazing friends we soon would call family and we fell in love with our community. Soon after the start of the The Well in September 2008, I knew that this was my place to be. To see God at work within our community. To see people of all ages becoming family, it was a special time. Just considering a transition away was impossible and honestly never crossed my mind.




All of that changed when Bryn was pursued by a church in Nassau. I would encourage you to read his story on that because it really is quite incredible, take a look at his blog entry entitled Preaching in Paradise part 2 . This forced me to consider life elsewhere, and to be honest I did put up a huge fight. I really did not want to go, to leave my career, to leave my church family and my community. No thanks I was quite content, I was sure God was just joking. Apparently not. Another day I will blog about all that God did in my heart and life to convince me of where He needed the MacPhails, but today is about celebrating.



Some would suggest that today we say Good bye, I say no way, remember I do not do goodbyes but I will celebrate our time together. Some would say we celebrate the ending of 8 years, I say we celebrate those 8 years and beyond. See being a Christian means that for me that is merely a continuation of a story (God`s story not just Allie`s story). It is not an ending, friendships will continue (even for those of you who think this is the end). The way I think of SGK and The Well as my family will continue, I might become more like that obscure Aunt you see only at Christmas but you will still be my family. God has used these 8 years to solidify who I am and who you are in my life, distance cannot change that. So I am choosing to celebrate today the 8 years I have been so blessed to have and I am celebrating the beyond. For beyond these 8 years are 8 more years to cherish what the Lord as given me here in Etobicoke. Please know you will forever be in my hearts and on my phone lines and in my guest room and in my email in box. You are forever my family.