Over the weekend of the 16th and 17th of May, we as a congregation said our farewells to the Arévalo family, including our associate pastor of the last two years, Kevin, his wife Beverly, and their three children Adriana, Diego and Mathias, before their move back to the United States and the next stage of their life and ministry. They have blessed LCPC with their multitude of gifts, from Kevin’s preaching and pastoral care, to Beverly’s warm and graceful presence in the church with her hospitality and service in the Sunday School, to the joy and laughter that their children brought to our congregation every Sunday alongside their bright, curious minds that made them a delight to talk to.
On Saturday the 16th of May, a balmy Spring day, the congregation gathered in Southwark Park for a farewell picnic situated under one of its many towering trees, where a patchwork of picnic blankets in every pattern and hue swathed the grass, soon heaving with food to share amongst those settled there. A corner was configured for arts, crafts and board games, while members of all ages played ball games on the open field (managing to do so without accidentally encroaching upon the picnicking group) and a little ginger dog trotted around making friends. It was a wonderful chance to spend quality time with the Arévalos as a part of our church family; the day was a tranquil one, and relaxing in the green grasslands of one of London’s many lush parks made for a delightfully quintessential way in which to share this time as a congregation.
The following day, Sunday the 17th and the Lord’s Day, was our final goodbye; after a service in which we celebrated the Lord’s Supper and heard farewell words from Rev Arévalo, we continued our last day of worship together partaking in one of our traditional church lunches, with food contributed by members of the church. Cakes were made for the occasion which the family cut together, then shared with the rest of the congregation alongside the usual smorgasbord.
Therefore, it was in God’s house that we expressed these final farewells to our brothers and sisters in Christ that are the Arévalos, who shall be greatly missed. They fly with our love and prayers as they traverse the terrain ahead in the United States, with their children clutching many a Paddington book and various Transport For London memorabilia, so despite the many miles spanning the Atlantic Ocean between us, a part of London will remain to accompany them along their journey, bright red buses and black cabs streaming over land and sea, holding all our good will as brothers and sisters in London, together with God’s uncontainable blessings, ever-kind to his people.
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