In 21 years, she has left her footprints on our hearts

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Thank you for your Oct. 21 article, written by Susan Craton, about the Rev. Rona Harding. Rona's retiring after serving the Church of the Ascension in Lexington Park for 21 years.

We have been blessed by her ministry in this church and to St. Mary's County at large. Rona is a woman of great compassion and faith. She is a champion of the underdog, and reaches out to help whenever and wherever it is necessary.

Rona has phenomenal pastoral skills. These skills are coupled with a great and loving heart and have been felt by many, many people over the years whom she has served, both those at Church of the Ascension, and others in our community.

She always goes above and beyond the call of duty in her service to those in need. She will see or sense and a need many times even before it is apparent to others.

Rev. Rona is not a person of all work and seriousness. She has a delightful sense of humor, and is great company. She does as the scripture admonishes us to do: She weeps with those who weep and rejoices with those who rejoice.

Every Sunday, she admonished us to "Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all. Love and serve the Lord." Then she goes forth and does just that, and we try to emulate her.

We know that wherever God takes her, she will be doing ministry, for not to be doing so would be like not breathing, because her life is ministry.

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same. Rona has left footprints on our hearts.

Marty and Betsy Barley, California