"Considering that we have to deal with endings all our lives, most of us handle them very badly. This is in part because we misunderstand them and take them either too seriously or not seriously enough. We take them too seriously by confusing them with finality - that's it, all over, never more, finished! We see them as something without sequel, forgetting that in fact they are the first phase of the transition process and a precondition of self-renewal. At the same time we fail to take them seriously enough. Just because they scare us, we try to avoid them."

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

I write to share some important news with you: I will be resigning as rector of St. Francis in order to accept a position to serve on Bishop Douglas Fisher's executive staff in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. My last Sunday at St. Francis will be on the Feast of Pentecost, May 19, 2013. My first day in Springfield will be June 1, 2013. I want to tell you how this came to pass.

Since his election to serve as our ninth diocesan bishop, I have been impressed by Bishop Fisher's vision for our diocese, particularly his commitment to social justice and his vision for congregational development and campus ministries. Hopeful about our future under his leadership, I was fully prepared as rector of one of the most vibrant parishes in our diocese to do all that I could to support him from St. Francis. As he begins to build a team to help him implement that hopeful vision, however, he has asked me to assist him in doing this work. After much prayer, thought and conversation, I have humbly said yes. I hear a sense of call in this invitation.

Saying yes to this new job means the heartbreak of leaving a place that my family has called home for more than fifteen years now. When Hathy and I arrived in Holden in February 1998, I was not yet thirty-five years old. We had two little boys, who were seven and three at the time. They are now two young men finding their way in the world at Harvard College and Northeastern University-and I will soon turn fifty. When we came to Holden, we hoped and prayed that St. Francis would not only be a place where I would work but where our entire family could experience the living God and continue to grow into the full stature of Christ. This has been the case beyond our wildest expectations. We have been richly blessed and sustained-all of us-by a supporting and prayerful faith community over these past fifteen years. For that we will always be profoundly grateful.

By the time I depart, my tenure as your rector will be the longest of the five rectors who have had the privilege to serve this wonderful parish. Through the whole gamut of life's journey-from baptism to burial, at confirmations and graduation parties and weddings-you have given me the great privilege of becoming a part of your lives. Ending this relationship as your rector and pastor does not come easily for me, and can never negate the affection that I will always feel for all of you. As St. Paul wrote to the first-century Christians in Thessalonica, "...you have become very dear to us." (First Thessalonians 2:8b) As our time together comes to an end, my prayer is that we will navigate this transition in healthy ways, and that we will take it seriously enough, but not too seriously.

While I am excited (and a little nervous) about the challenges that lie ahead in my new position, you need to know that I am truly sad about leaving. I am sure there will be a few tears shed as we all work our way through this, and it will be emotional for the entire Simpson family. Even so, I trust that it is the right time both for me and for the parish. I also sincerely hope that there will be many happy stories and lots of laughter as well in these remaining four months. We have accomplished so much together! Always you will have my abiding appreciation for all that has been, for all that is, and for all that will be.

You need to know that I have never deluded myself into thinking that any of the work we have done together, in service to Christ, have been "my" achievements. In fact, the great joy of serving St. Francis Church has been to teach me over and over again what it means to serve among a people who truly are living into the claim that the ministers of this congregation are "all the people." I hope to be able to carry what I have learned from all of you to this new level of ministry at the diocesan level. It is interesting to note that I am the third rector in a row who has left St. Francis for diocesan work: Earl Whepley headed to Springfield to become dean of the cathedral, Gordon Scruton left to become our eighth bishop. And now I, too, will be leaving in order to serve in a diocesan leadership role. There seems to be something about the DNA of St. Francis that helps to shape and form leaders for this challenging work!

I feel confident that I am leaving a healthy, vibrant parish with an incredible team of leaders in place: wardens, vestry, associate rector, and staff. You will be hearing more from me and our wardens, Craig Stanovich and Bev Giarusso, at our Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 19. Worship begins at 5 p.m. followed by supper and then our meeting. In the days and weeks ahead there will be ample time and opportunities for us to explore in detail what lies ahead as St. Francis navigates this season of transition. This year's annual working retreat for the new vestry on February 2 will be devoted primarily to working on a transition plan. I know that part of that work will be in trying to imagine where God is leading St. Francis in the next chapter of its extraordinary life in Christ.

I'm sure that in the weeks ahead there will be more to say. For now, however, this is more than enough. Let's walk this last leg of our journey together by taking this transition seriously, but not too seriously. I ask for your prayers as my family navigates our way through the days ahead; be assured that all of you, as always, will remain in mine.

Your servant in Christ,

Rich