I was born in Wheeling West Virginia, grew up in North Eastern Ohio, schooled in Central and Southern Ohio and went to seminary in Kentucky, Ordained in Southern Indiana - I thought I would be in that beautiful Ohio Valley for the rest of my life. But God had other plans.
I followed my husband to Minnesota because he was accepted into a graduate program at the U of M. Two years later we were back in Ohio where he finished his degree at OSU. We were set to move to the East Coast at last - a lifelong dream for both of us - and then nine eleven happened and all his paperwork, and all the people he had interviewed with went up in smoke and down in rubble.
Then the Feds called and next thing we knew it was off to Washington, DC. By the time we moved into our house in Bowie, ten days before Christmas, 2001, it was clear that God was preparing for us a new life in a new place and we were happy starting this new adventure.
I remember feeling so proud to be here the day Patrick called me during his lunch hour from the Library of Congress - the first place he wanted to visit in our nations capital. I wept when we walked into the Lincoln Memorial, filled to overflowing with a sense of awe and wonder reading those words from the Gettysburg Address.
I served two wonderful Presbyterian (USA) churches as their Interim before answering a call to an Associate pastor position at a United Church of Christ just outside Baltimore. There my skills grew to include an understanding of Youth and Family ministry. I had the pleasure of being present in the life of that church during a time of transition serving with three excellent and completely different senior pastors. After three years there, however, I longed to return "home" to the Presbyterians.
I received a call to serve as the Interim Pastor for Northwood Presbyterian (PCUSA) Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and began serving there at Christmas, 2009. Once again, I have found myself received into an adventure of faith, walking side by side with with my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the spring of 2010, I took the third phase of Interim Training at Ghost Ranch Retreat Center in New Mexico. With newfound energy for this calling, I am currently enjoying putting into practice much of what I have learned. My goal, everyday, is to be helpful to God's people and remain in the Light.
Being a pastor is what I love to be and what I am pretty darn good at doing. Reading the bible everyday, praying with others and alone, visiting folks at their homes and in the hospital, praying with the elders of session, rejoicing with song as often as possible, discerning God's will with God's people and making good things happen – all of this is so interesting and fun to me. Daily my heart swells with gratitude for this calling into the way of Jesus. I truly feel the deep down satisfaction of the peace that passeth understanding.
More than anything else in my life, I want to share that peace with you. Let me share with you some of what I have learned on my faith journey so far. Then maybe, just maybe, if God so wills, we can walk this journey together for a time, and you can share with me what you love, too.
Today I am a happy and satisfied woman surrounded by supportive friends, family and church. This is the best time of my life so far. Whatever will God come up with for me next? Better pray for me, I reckon, as I will also be praying for you. Together then we shall pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!"
-Rev. Heather Bobbitt
Severna Park, Maryland
September 28, 2012