Dear Trinity,
I am seeing more clearly now why New Englanders live for summer here. Sitting on our patio, enjoying the warm breeze and shade from the trees above, creates a picturesque atmosphere for respite from life's heavy things, as well as solitude to bask in simple joys.
I recognize these past few weeks have brought about a range of emotions for us as a community. Thinking about changes in clergy leadership, losing long-time members of our parish, and the deaths of some very special celebrities who brought joy and laughter to so many homes.
And I guess that’s part of what I love so much about being a liturgical, sacramental people. Embedded in what we do, week after week, are ways for us to put boundaries around our emotions; ways for us to bring all of what makes us human (our emotions, our hopes, our fears, our gifts) to the altar where God, in the mystery of the Eucharist, can transform them into instruments of transformation and healing in our circles of influence in the world.
I also wanted to speak to a few updates I owe you regarding leadership.
Over the past few months, I have been, in consultation with the Vestry, seeking candidates for a second nursery worker. The first path didn’t lead to any candidates, so I took a different route over this last month. After posting the position and increasing the pay range to make it more competitive for this area, I am happy (and a little exhausted) to report that we received 32 applications, which led to 10-15-minute initial interviews, narrowing it down to hopefully three solid finalists. The Sr. Warden, while an Interim is here, has the final word on hiring and firing, while the clergy (or designee) is responsible for supervision. The Interim Minister for Children, Youth, and Families directly supervises this position. We’ll have more news to share soon, but that’s where things are today.
The second update is on the second clergy position.
As you all know, we are just beginning our search process for the next Rector. Because of this transition I recommended, and the Vestry supported, this 2nd cleric position be temporarily filled so as to provide the opportunity for the next Rector to select their own team. We landed on a position title of “Bridge Assistant/Associate Rector” because the word ”Interim” has a particular set of skills and goals, which didn’t seem to fit this second clergy role at this time. This diocese uses the term “Bridge” for those clergy positions which provide a pathway from one side of a transition to the next, with steady presence in liturgy, pastoral care, and other support needed.
As Interims, Brian’s work and mine have particular goals: listen, assess, recommend.
The hope is that this bridge position will mainly assist me with liturgy, pastoral care, and programming, as it makes sense, for about 6 months to a year. Enough to create some scaffolding in the care of the congregation so that the next Rector will have someone to show them where things are, introduce them to you, and then move on to whatever’s next for them.
I have sent that profile, adopted by the Vestry, to the diocese to help find us a candidate, and I will keep you posted about how that progresses.
Until then, I hope you see this time as a gentle reminder of how God wraps her loving arms around us as we navigate so many changes with care, respect, clarity, and purpose. And that if communion takes a little longer than normal, you will use that time to pray for the search committee by name, to pray for me, as your Interim, to pray for your Vestry by name, and to pray for those leaders discerning their call to join us.
And then come to the rail to commune with God, who loves you with sighs too deep for words. Let this sacrament fill you with what you need to live into your own baptisms during the week.
In Peace,
Jodi+