Farewell Speech To or For Pastor or Parish Priest or Nun
Looking to Get the Right Words and Ideas for your sendoff but can’t seem to get started?
Don’t worry…At last! Here’s a quick and easy way to put down your exact thoughts and emotions into a memorable farewell pastor or priest or nun speech without trying so hard!
Is This Really True?
There is this verse of scripture I loved so much.
King Solomon made a profound statement in Ecclesiastics 3: 1 that there’s a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.
In verse 3, he goes on to say that there’s a time to be born and to die.
That verse reminds me of your pastoral work.
Once upon a time, you moved to be with your present parish or congregation. It seems like only yesterday you were overcome with emotions when you left your old place. But you arrived looking so happy and ''fell in love'' with your current designation.
All too soon you have to say goodbye once again to people who truly love, honor, and respect you.
Time really flies so fast!
Well, I thank God for your life because you’ve been a tremendous blessing to God’s children.
Do This Before You Give Your Farewell Speech and They Will Love You More!
As you know, you have to give your final sermon or speech before you say goodbye to God’s flock and it demands that you give a touching valedictory speech!
I am saying this because most preachers don’t give heartfelt goodbye speeches and you certainly agree with me. Don’t you?
Most final messages delivered sound more like newspapers articles or essays.
Others too make it sound like a sermon and there’s nothing wrong with that obviously.
But here’s the downside. A sermon wouldn’t really capture all that you’ve gone through in your God-given assignment.
If you have ever given a ''newspaper-kind'' of final remarks, I don’t blame you because writing great speeches require some skills and experience and I am happy to show you how to do that the right way.
Add This To Your Message
For your words to hit the right note, your final remarks should be spiced with gratitude, reflection, humor and hope for the future. Using one or more is more than enough to make your speech memorable.
Okay, let’s quickly see how this can be done---one step at a time.
First of all,
Please Go By the Best Book Ever
Have any idea of what I mean by the best book ever
The Bible! The Bible has a lot of rich ideas you can use to make your delivery beautiful.
- The story of Elijah and Elisha( 2 Kings 2: 1-23) can be used.
- We can use the call of Joshua to be Israel’s next leader (Joshua 1:2)
- Samuel’s final sermon to the people of Israel can be helpful as well(1 Samuel 12: 1-25)
- Let us also not forget Jesus’ message to his disciples before his ascension (Matthew 28:1-20)
I know the question on your mind is Dan, how; can i use any of those stories to write what I really want to say?
My answer is this. Go back and read those stories carefully line by line and see how those messages are worded and do same likewise
Again, you can use the theme and the lessons learned from those bible stories and apply it to your own situation
If you still don’t get it, don’t worry. The next idea will help you out.
This is by far my favorite way of coming up with ideas fast and easy.
Guess what?
Using Personal Anecdotes or Memories Can Really Help
By proving answers to these 15 questions, you will be a step away from recalling fond memories of your work in God’s vineyard.
- How did you feel when you were leaving your old church or parish for where you are now?
- How did you feel when you arrived where you are?
- How was the reception like?
- What was or were your personal vision(s) for the ministry?
- How did the congregation and church leadership help achieve your goals?
- Do you remember the good times? Put all of them down so you can later decide the best ones to go for
- Do you remember the good bad times too? Put down the major highlights.
- How did you sail through the difficult or challenging years?
- What funny memories do you really want to share?
- What couldn’t you accomplish and why?
- How has soul winning been like during your tenure? Or better still the spiritual or numerical growth of the ministry? (this is the most important question to answer)
- How has the church or ministry impacted the community, state or even your country?
- How has the faith of the congregation and others outside deepened in the Lord as a result of your initiatives and outreaches?
- Who do you want to thank? What for?
- Finally, what word of hope and assurance do you have for your flock?
I want to make things fairly easy for you. So, let’s now look at this very short farewell speech example I came up with to bring my ideas or suggestions to life.
Are you ready? Have your pen and paper to put down an idea or two?
Well, let’s use Jesus message to the disciples before his ascension and blend with a few answers to some questions above.
Please read it carefully. Now, here we go!
''Good morning my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus!
Just the goldsmith fashions a precious metal until it’s pure and shine bright, so does the Lord refines us until we become a reflection of his glorious presence. That’s one of the beautiful things I have realized in our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!
Well, He tells us in John 8: 9 that he is the light of the world and if we follow him we would not walk in darkness at all.
The beautiful thing about having that illuminating light of God is that we can’t keep that bright light in an obscured place.
That’s why I have to leave so the light of love he has filled my life with will be spread abroad to others.
You have been so good and so kind to me these few years. But I am filled with grief and sorrow because all I see outside the walls of this church are men and women groping in darkness.
And I know if Jesus were to come visit us in bodily form right now, he will chastise us all because we have not fully obeyed the master’s voice to make disciples of all nations.
I know a lot of you are troubled. I have heard people say that this is the last time you might be seeing my face because I am going to serve miles away.
Well, that’s true. When I got the letter informing me of my departure to that place, there was this cold shiver down my spine because going there is like living in an Island inhabited by wicked spirits in high places.
Well, when I regained composure, I sought consolation from The Bible and it flipped open abruptly opened to this verse: Isaiah 41:10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
That verse set my soul on fire and I could feel the Holy Spirit reminding that he will always stand by me and that I am more than a conqueror!
But please don’t stop praying for me because your prayers will make a difference.
If our God was able to rescue Daniel from the mouth of the lions, then he will rescue me from the men whose sole aim in life is to harass God’s servants. And your prayers can make it all possible.
If Christ offered to die on the world, so I am ready to be offered because for me to live is Christ and to die is gain!''
Do you think this is good? Whatever it is, this is absolutely heartfelt!
That brings me to the next point and that’s got to do with…
Watching Videos!
Just go to any one of the video sharing platforms and type in the search bar---farewell speech by a pastor, priest or nun and you will find many examples to choose from.
Next, please press the play button to watch a few of them and listen to interesting and boring ones and put down ideas and phrases speaks to your heart.
Another area to get an idea from is to…
Go Find Your Old Script
Do you still have copies of your own final address you delivered sometime back?
Please go find it and see if these new insights can help you make it sound more touching and meaningful.
Another area which can be a well spring of idea is to
Copy This Quote From The Pope.
Let’s see how Pope Benedict XVI used one particular quote by Romano Guardino, an Italian-born Germany catholic priest to write his final address.
Let’s dive right in:
''Together we may thank the Lord who has enabled us to grow in communion and, together, pray him to help us to grow even more in this profound unity, so that the College of Cardinals may be like an orchestra where differences — an expression of the universal Church — contribute to a superior and harmonious concord.
I would like to leave you a simple thought, which is deep in my heart: a thought about the Church, about her mystery, that constitutes for us all — we can say — the reason and passion for life.
I will allow a sentence of Romano Guardini to help me. It was written in the very same year that the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the Constitution Lumen Gentium, in his last book, which also a personal dedication to me — which makes the words of this book particularly dear to me.
Guardini says the Church “is not an institution conceived and built in theory... but a living reality.... She lives through the course of time, in becoming, like every living being, in undergoing change.... And yet in her nature she remains ever the same and her heart is Christ.''
Let’s pause here and use the quote written by Romano Guardini.
Guardini says that the Church '' is not an institution conceived and built in theory... but a living reality.... She lives through the course of time, in becoming, like every living being, in undergoing change.... And yet in her nature she remains ever the same and her heart is Christ.''
Well, using those lines remind me of how quotes help enrich any written piece. Do you know of any good ones?
I think every preacher should have them at his or her fingertips.
Bible verses can help and I have tried to look for quotes that will help you come up with ideas. The last quote however is by Shakespeare.
Here they are:
Acts 20:37-38: ''And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.''
2 Corinthians 13:11-12; ''Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you''
2 Thessalonians 3:16 : ''Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all''
''The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace''- (Numbers 6: 24-26 NKJV)
''Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.''-- (Philippians 4:6)
''If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. (Matthew 6: 30''
Acts 2:17 New International Version (NIV)
''In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.''
''Forever, and forever, farewell, Cassius! If we do meet again, why, we shall smile; If not, why then this parting was well made.''--- William Shakespeare
My dear brother or sister in Christ,
Crafting something compelling with any of those quotes shouldn’t be that hard. Can you give a try?
Ok, don’t you worry because…
I Have Another Example For You!
I just want to make things much easier, so here’s another example for you.
''The church today like the church of old is going through challenging times.
The cruel and unfriendly wind of the world continually blows and it makes the heart of men grow cold and faint.
But one thing is certain. Scriptures assures us in these last days he will pour out his spirit on all flesh( Acts 2:17)
With that comforting assurance, we ought to press on and hold on to the true profession of our faith which is worth more than the combined treasures of the earth.
For soon…very soon Christ will appear to give to every one of us seated here what we deserved as laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.''
So, ask yourself…what I can do to make the church a more fitting place where the hopeless and oppressed can find blissful rest and freedom from the shackles of the devil?
Want me to go on? No…else you will be a lazy student.
Make Sure You Get This Proven Resource
Getting proven farewell speech samples and modeling your speech after them is by far my favorite way of writing any speech because it makes things much easier.
Well, let me remind that the theme, tone and structure of examples might be different from what you have in mind.
I really like Pope Benedict XIV’S farewell message and it’s worthy of our study because it’s very touching and inspiring.
Here’s an extract
Section A
''Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate.
Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text that we have heard, I feel in my heart the paramount duty to thank God, who guides the Church and makes her grow: who sows His Word and thus nourishes the faith in His people.
At this moment my spirit reaches out to embrace the whole Church throughout the world, and I thank God for the “news” that in these years of Petrine ministry
I have been able to receive regarding the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity that circulates in the body of the Church – charity that makes the Church to live in love – and of the hope that opens for us the way towards the fullness of life, and directs us towards the heavenly homeland…''
Section B
''When, almost eight years ago, on April 19th, [2005]
I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry, I held steadfast in this certainty, which has always accompanied me. In that moment, as I have already stated several times, the words that resounded in my heart were: “Lord, what do you ask of me?
It's a great weight that You place on my shoulders, but, if You ask me, at your word I will throw out the nets, sure that you will guide me” – and the Lord really has guided me. He has been close to me: daily could I feel His presence. [These years] have been a stretch of the Church’s pilgrim way, which has seen moments joy and light, but also difficult moments.''
Section C
''I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us, as in the whole history of the Church it has ever been - and the Lord seemed to sleep.
Nevertheless, I always knew that the Lord is in the barque, that the barque of the Church is not mine, not ours, but His - and He shall not let her sink...''
Section D
''We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life.
I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle…''
Section E
I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, which makes present the great family of nations. Here I also think of all those who work for good communication, whom I thank for their important service.
At this point I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many people throughout the whole world, who, in recent weeks have sent me moving tokens of concern, friendship and prayer.
Yes, the Pope is never alone: now I experience this [truth] again in a way so great as to touch my very heart. The Pope belongs to everyone, and so many people feel very close to him. It’s true that I receive letters from the world's greatest figures - from the Heads of State, religious leaders, and representatives of the world of culture and so on.
I also receive many letters from ordinary people who write to me simply from their heart and let me feel their affection, which is born of our being together in Christ Jesus, in the Church… Thank you
You might be wondering how that will inspire you to write your own speech.
Not hard….not hard at all. Let’s break it down section by section and see how that can be done
Section A---He offers gratitude to God: ‘''Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate.
Like the Apostle Paul…the paramount duty to thank God''
Take home point: Your duty is to follow suit and tailor it to your personal experiences.
Section B---He recounts his early years in office: ''When, almost eight years ago, on April 19th, [2005],
I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry…''
Take home point: Just follow suit and tailor it to your personal experiences.
Section C---His experiences on his mission: ''I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee:''
Take home point: Just follow suit and tailor it to your personal experiences.
Section D: His admonition to the congregation:
''We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more…I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord''
Take home point: Just follow suit and tailor it to your personal experiences.
Section E: Expression of appreciation to everyone and he mentions particular names: I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See…’’
Take home point: Just follow suit and tailor it to your personal experiences.
Sorry, did I tell you the incredible story of how loving pastors or nuns like you are writing best farewell speeches without lifting their fingers? And how you too can do same?You've got to listen
What do you think is the best gift you can give the congregation before you leave for good?
You will agree with me when i say so because GOd's word makes it all possible for every man to live according to his standard.
As you leave, you have to leave on a favorable note and your parting words will make them remember you the most.
(This is someone we helped with her farewell speech.Please you can double click on the image if you can't see it clearly)
Granted, giving a heartfelt speech is certainly different from a sermon. While a sermon exhorts, a send off speech is more about you telling everyone how your tenure has been like.
We know how hard coming up with the right words to help you say something sweet and memorable can be.
That’s why we are giving you a rare chance to come up with something inspiring and funny without pulling your hair out!
Want to get on board? You should by first clicking here to fill out a simple and short questionnaire!
(This is another person we've helped with her speech. Please you can double click on the image if you can't see it clearly)
Ok, Is This Offer For Me?
- Yes, if you really want to say something sweet, unique,heartfelt and inspiring.
- Yes, it’s for you if you are overwhelmed by the pressures of work or other things and really don’t have the time to put a beautiful speech together.
- Yes you have to get on board; if you don’t know how to start or are not too sure if you can
- Yes, if you always give a sermon before you leave but want to make a real difference this time.
- Yes, if you honestly feel writing and giving speeches is simply not your thing!
- Yes, if you are still struggling to find the right words and ideas to say something memorable.
- Yes, if you have a day or less to go and you feel that you are under pressure and might make some horrible mistakes!
- Yes, if you are a good writer or speaker but you still want a highly skilled professional to look over or review what you've come up with!
Ok, I am Interested, What’s the Cost?
You simply pay what you want after you’ve got your beautiful speech.
Why? As you know, the current health crisis has caused severe hardships for most people.
Precious lives have been lost, jobs wiped out and families displaced, leaving everyone wondering what the future holds.
Yet, some pastors are still saying their goodbyes and church leaders have no choice but to give speeches.
Nonetheless, not everyone could afford our services even before the pandemic suddenly hit us.
So, we have dropped our normal rates so you can simply pay what you want after you have got your beautiful speech.
Please note: When life gets back to normal, this offer will be scrapped for good.
So, please take advantage of it by simply paying what you want after you get your beautiful speech.
Oh Ok, How Then Do I Get Started Since I Want To Get On Board Right Away?
All you have to do RIGHT NOW is to click on this link to receive an easy-to-fill-in questionnaire in your email to get started.
1. So, CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED NOW TO GET YOUR GREAT SPEECH NOW BY FILLING OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE
- After that, we will send you a very short questionnaire to fill out!
- Then, you have it sent back to us via email
- If something is not too clear, we will ask you to clarify.
- If not, we will send you a wonderful draft.
- Then, you look it over and tell us if you are okay with it or you want to amend it till you are happy with it--although we always get it right even with the first draft.
Please note: Don’t fill out this form if you’re a dishonest individual and you are bent on robbing us. We want also good people to work with because good people like you make the world go around!
Forget about money and let’s write something for you. We believe in the values of honesty and integrity and we think you should be happy with our work before you pay.
So, you don’t have to think twice before you get on board. Remember, you have to be happy before you pay.
So, here are the Benefits You Get When You Get On Board!
- An inspiring speech written by our speech consultants that reflects what you want to say exactly
- We coach you on how to use your voice to make your speech very exciting.
- We show you a simple but often overlook strategy to rehearse your speech even if you have a very poor memory. This method is used by great speakers like Obama and was used by Abraham Lincoln and his compatriots
- Then we show the most effective way to get your entire speech into your head without memorizing your speech. Guaranteed to help you even if you have a very poor memory or your memory is like a gold fish…most of our clients still wonder where we got this idea from. This ensures that you don't read off a sheet of paper...
Just see what someone said about that great tip that's proven to calm your nerves and help you speak with purpose, poise, and clarity!
- Ways to include humor in your speech or letter and what it takes to do so