A Message from the Rector 

Elsewhere in this issue of The Little Portion you will find the Holy Week schedule. As your rector I want to invite you to join in, to the fullest extent possible, of "walking the way of the cross" once more with us by fully participating in these liturgies, and especially the liturgies of what is called the Triduum, or "Three Days" of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. 

But I also want to take this opportunity to talk about something else that will happen in April, and to say "thank you" from the bottom of my heart to all of you in this parish. On Thursday, April 19, I will be meeting with members of the Standing Committee of our Diocese to pass along to them a slate of names that the Search Committee has discerned are all highly qualified to serve as the ninth Bishop of our Diocese. It will ultimately be up to the clergy and lay delegates of this Diocese to elect the person they feel is called to do that work, when we gather at the Cathedral on Saturday, June 2. But my work as Chair of the Search Committee will essentially come to an end on April 19. At that point the Standing Committee will share the names with the Diocese and the work of the Transition Committee will become foremost in the weeks leading up to June 2 and then culminating in the ordination of our new bishop on December 1.
 

When I was asked to consider serving on the Search Committee (and eventually to chair it) I initially spoke with four people: my wife, Hathy; my spiritual director, Curtis; and the two wardens at the time, Laura and Craig. With the support and encouragement of all four, I prayed about it, realizing that it would require not only a lot of my time and energy but also all of the organizational skills and patience and humor that St. Francis has taught me over the past fourteen years.

To be honest, even though I knew it would take a lot of time and I think I had my eyes wide open, I had no idea just how much time it would take. I did know that this work would, for a season, pull me away from my primary duties as your rector. But I also felt that it might be something I would be good at, and that it would allow us as a parish to play a role in helping to build up the Body of Christ in this part of the world. I did not know when I ultimately said "yes, Lord" that we would be losing our Associate Rector in the midst of it all and need to begin a search process much closer to home. That transition has made things even more challenging here in Holden over the past seven months.

Which brings me back to "thank you." There are seasons and rhythms in the life of any congregation, beyond the normal "markers" of the liturgical year. There have been times when there were lots of weddings, or lots of baptisms, or lots of funerals and each of those require different responses from a rector. There have been some seasons of conflict and seasons when money was tight. I thank God that the past seven months (other than the staff transitions) have been for the most part fairly "quiet" for us at St. Francis, which has allowed me to do this work without feeling that I have left too many things "undone" around St. Francis. Even so, I know that others have had to step up and that some ground has had to lay fallow.

In general, things slow down a bit at St. Francis over the summer months. As I look ahead, I am so excited to be welcoming a new Associate Rector, Pastor Karen Safstrom , into our midst in May. This will give her some time to acclimate to St. Francis and get to know all of you. In July I will be attending General Convention in Indianapolis as well as taking some vacation time. I'm hopeful, however, that by the time September rolls around we'll be able to truly hit the ground running again as we seek, with God's help, to do the work God has given us to do.  I am excited about the next chapter that lies ahead for all of us in this great journey of faith.

Peace and all good,

Rich

Presiding Bishop urges support of Good Friday offering for Jerusalem and Middle East

Marking the 90th anniversary of the annual Good Friday Offering, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has written to all congregations asking them to consider assistance for Jerusalem and the Middle East. Her letter is below.

The Good Friday Offering provides essential funding to strengthen the visibility and vitality of the Christian presence through the schools, hospitals, clinics, and churches which bear witness each day to the reconciling love of God in Christ for all people, whether Christian, Muslim, or Jew.

This annual appeal is a unique spiritual opportunity to continue Jesus' work in the land of his birth and earthly ministry. Please join me in continuing that incarnate presence of love and healing.

I remain

Your servant in Christ,

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop and Primate

The Episcopal Church