Heaven On Earth

This is my farewell message to Miami Lakes Congregational Church where I was interim pastor for 4 months


Time flies when you are having fun. I experienced the truth of that saying in the last four months as Interim Minister at Miami Lakes Congregational Church.

When Pastor Jeffrey asked me to consider being the interim minister during his
sabbatical, I was excited because I always had a positive feeling about MLCC and the wonderful people there. However, holding on to my full time job as a hospice chaplain and working at the church for four long months, seemed difficult at the start. But as I got to know the congregation and the wonderful crew that I closely worked with, the weeks and months just flew past. Now here I am, just two weeks away from saying good bye, and anticipatory grief is already setting in.

My heart is filled with gratitude. I thank Pastor Jeffrey Frantz, who has been a good friend from the first time I met him about five years ago. He is like a brother to me, and I hope that I have lived up to the trust he placed in me by entrusting his church to me. Thank you Jeffrey and welcome back!

I had a wonderful 'pastoral crew"- Nancy, Maggie, Mariliz, Ruby, Ed, and the
charmingly efficient Administrative Assistant, Berta Fowler, who helped me so much to make my job smooth and easy. This column is too short to name all the others who have been so loving and welcoming of me. I just want to say: I LOVE YOU ALL.

As far as I am concerned, MLCC is a slice of of heaven on earth. Contrary to popular notion of heaven as a location some where up in the sky, with pearly gates, golden streets and singing angels, I believe that heaven is a dimension of our being where peace is felt, joy is experienced and love is shared. It is interesting that the Catholic Church which used to teach that heaven was a 'place', in its New Revised Catechism, states that "heaven is a state or dimension, not necessarily a place."

As Neale Donald Walsch would say, "Heaven is not a place to go to, but realizing
that you are already there." The key word is, REALIZING. We may be treading on holy
ground without realizing it; we may be beholding saints without being aware of it; we may be in heaven without knowing it.

Heaven is a dimension within you that is calm and peaceful, serene and joyful, a
dimension that permeates your entire being, something that you experience where ever you are, and take it with you where ever you go. You will not wait for it; you will not look for it, but you will FEEL it. That is why Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is WITHIN you."

So, don't ask: "How do I go to heaven?" which implies traveling somewhere;
don't ask:"Are you in heaven?" which assumes that you have to 'enter' into a
space or location that is outside of you. The right question is: "Is heaven in
you?" If you are interested in learning more about discovering and experiencing the
heaven within you which is your birthright, I encourage you to read my book: 'God is
Plural.'

Every time I walked into Miami Lakes Congregational Church, I felt heaven because I
encountered a community that is permeated with Spirit and emanating God's love. As Bishop N.T. Wright would say, " heaven is not the longed for destination of dying people, but the realm of God that intersects our universe in such a way as to transform the way we live." So, every time our lives intersects with God, there is heaven. Truth is, there is no moment when our lives don't intersect with God. What is important is to become aware of it and be awakened.

I believe that the grounds of Miami Lakes Congregational Church and the hearts of its members are God's intersections!

Again, I THANK YOU ALL for honoring me with your presence, nourishing me with your love and encouraging me with your kind words. I am saying good bye for now, leaving with a grateful heart filled with sweet memories. It is not a final good bye as I will be back any time Pastor Jeffrey wants me back. In the meantime, if I can be of any service to you, feel free to reach me via email, Facebook or my website: www.paulveliyathil.com
NAMASTE!