Dear People of Christ Church,
Blessings on your continued celebration of Easter! We had a wonderful celebration of Holy Week and Easter at Christ Church-our attendance for our Holy Week services keep growing, and this Palm Sunday was one of the biggest yet. I was also very grateful for the time off last week to reacquaint myself with my own children after the marathon of work that goes into preparing for and leading those services!
Earlier this week, I spent time with our bishops and other priests of the diocese at our annual Clergy Conference, where we meet all together for several days on the Cape. We had a chance to tell stories and say goodbye to Bishop Shaw. As I mentioned in my Easter season, his vulnerability in his illness and upcoming departure have been an amazing example of Easter-Christ is raised even in illness and infirmity in how we are honest with each other, how we share our lives even in our suffering.
As you heard in the letter that was read in churches across the diocese on Sunday, Tom is so grateful for his time as bishop-and grateful to each of you for your part in making our diocese what it is (the text is available here). In talking with us at clergy conference Tom said that he didn’t really think he’d like being bishop; he thought he’d maybe stay for 10 years or so. Twenty years later, it’s been so much better than he’d expected. God’s vision for his life and ministry, he said, has been 100 times greater than his own, 100 times more generous and positive and daring.
We at Christ Church are also seeking to live into God’s 100 times bigger vision-this week, vestry voted to fund the creation of a quarter-time director of children’s religious education, who will be responsible for working with me and our lay leaders to develop a comprehensive program for education as well as facilitate day to day operations and special events. While money is tight-it always is-we are moving forward in faith and on the strength of our increased stewardship giving for 2014. We imagined “More,” and now we’re making it happen! We hope that this staff expansion will help our programs to serve our families better and to nurture our children in faith.
Witnessing the spiritual life of children is a great gift-at church with Adah this past Sunday it was a treat to actually be with her on a Sunday. Seeing her drive her car up and down the pew, watching her open hands receive the body of Christ-for her, there’s a given-ness to God’s nourishment and safety. She takes it for granted that church is her place-sometimes it’s boring, sometimes it’s too loud, sometimes it’s too quiet-but she doesn’t question whether the life of Jesus in the church is hers. And that is a wonder. Thanks to each one of you who are making it possible for us to better serve our kids, and to learn from the grace of their presence.
Blessings,
Sara+