Dear Friends,

This Sunday I will be with you to preach and preside, and I give thanks to God that we will be together in that way.  After the 10 am service and a brief coffee hour, we will gather in the nave for our annual meeting. We will elect new officers for 2019, and receive the 2019 budget that has been approved by your vestry.

We will also take a few moments to look back over the past year, giving thanks for all the ministries that have been a part of our life together.  We look back, but do so to look ahead.

I have used before the metaphor of rowing a boat for moving ahead in faith.  When rowing a boat, one has one’s back to what is ahead.  You can not see what is in front of you.  What you can see are all the landmarks on shore – all that is behind you – to guide you.

As a parish, you  do not know that the year ahead will bring. You know it will be one of change for the parish, as I leave and you engage in the search for new leadership.  But you do know where we have been. You can use all that we have learned, all that we have done, and all we have accomplished as landmarks to guide your route, taking you into the future where God is calling you as part of the Body of Christ.

I look forward to some strong rowing this Sunday.

Faithfully,

Tom