February 28, 2016
Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus,

Not long ago I was reminded of one of the most prominent themes throughout the Bible:
"Nothing is too wonderful for God."

Mary, the mother of Jesus, sings this truth after her encounter with the angel Gabriel. Jeremiah is soothed by God that though impossibilities loom there is nothing - NOTHING - too difficult for God. And Sarah laughs out loud at God's ridiculous promise that she, despite her age and barrenness, will give birth.

Indeed, nothing is too wonderful for God! However, these wonderful things don't always follow our well laid plans or come without pains and sorrows.

And so it is that I share my wonderful news with all of you:
Drew and I are expecting a baby in late July!

We are very excited and we are scared. As some of you know, this has been a very hard journey, including a few miscarriages, many doctor appointments, a fair amount of grief, and buried dreams.

And yet, God's divine promise prevails.

Drew and I have prayed and worked very hard for this chance to raise another child. The difficulties we have faced have made us appreciate the fragility of life and the gift of family even more. It is important for the health of my growing family that I be more available and present than I have been. The job of pastor is a gift and a grace in my life; it also takes me away from my family evenings and weekends. Because of this reality, my role at Prince of Peace will need to change.

This is also the nature of the unplanned wonderfulness of God. We are not entirely sure what that looks like yet. I do know that what I am able to realistically give to a congregation, given the demands of a baby and three teenagers (one of whom will be transitioning to college) will change. I will be exploring options with the council, Pastor Steve, and with the Bishop. I promise to keep the congregation in the loop as decisions are made.        
It is my intention (barring complications) to work full-time as long as possible.

I ask that you hold my family in prayer and hope you are able to celebrate this gift of God with Drew and me.

With deep love and appreciation,

Pastor Christine L. Dunn