New Associate Called to Grace!
I am so pleased-and truly excited-to announce that the Rev.
Arienne Sui Ling Davison has accepted the call to be our new Associate for
Pastoral Care, Outreach and Faith Formation.
Our Human Resources Group, under the graceful leadership of Dallas
Young, recommended Arienne to me with glad enthusiasm, and in my conversations
with her I too came to see the gifts and qualities that she will bring to
Grace. She is a graduate of the
University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Psychology, 2002), and has her
Master of Divinity (2007) from Virginia Theological Seminary. Since her ordination she has served as the
Associate for Family Ministry at Emmanuel Church, Mercer Island, and I'm
delighted that she and her husband, Doug, will now be calling Bainbridge Island
their home. They are already looking for
an apartment on the Island and are eager to discover all the people, places and
things that make Bainbridge and North Kitsap a place we love. (Ah, is there anything like a "first summer"
on Bainbridge? Farmer's Market, 4th
of July!)
Arienne will begin work at Grace by the middle of June, and
we will formally bless her ministry with us when Bishop Rickel visits on June
27th. Over the course of the
SummerArienne will have the chance to
experience the regular rhythms of life at Grace-hopefully at a pace that will
allow her to get to know many of us personally and warmly. I think that she is a faithful listener and
gentle pastor. I hope you will have the
chance to experience those gifts.
Our Summer Newsletter will provide more details about her
particular ministry focus at Grace, along with her own letter of
introduction. What's important to note
now is that she will be a priest and pastor among us-bringing grace to
Grace. I know that we will find many
ways to welcome Arienne to our community and to Bainbridge Island, and I'll
enjoy witnessing all the ways that this new relationship will touch our
lives.
Lastly, I am very, very grateful to Dallas, and the Search
Committee she formed. They interviewed
four wonderful applicants and did the careful and prayerful work of
discernment. Thanks to their efforts,
and thanks to Arienne's glad acceptance, Grace will be able to take this long
imagined step. As I said, I am so
pleased-and just plain happy!
BTW: if you know of
good, affordable housing opportunities,let me know right away!
