August news
Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
It feels like the season has turned a bit, doesn't it? Some folks are sneaking in that last little bit of vacation. Others are getting ready to send kids off to college for the first time. Some of you have started your back to school shopping (and bought some extras for Circle of Care - thank you! Many of you have dropped off shoes all summer - thank you for that, too!) For me, this has been a busy week of settling back in and preparing for the new year.
One of the great privileges of the last few weeks has been that I've had the chance to talk with a number of people who are interested in joining our team at St. Matt's. As you know, we're looking for someone to serve as our new Director of Music Ministries and for someone to sign on to the exciting work of loving and forming our kids into disciples of Jesus. I'm not ready to tell you anything specific about the faces that might join us in the fall, but I do want to share with you some of the things I've heard from these candidates so far.
It has been clear to me across these conversations that these folks see something special in St. Matt's, and they want to join the team because of it. The community they read about, heard about, and followed on social media is one that is engaged in the surrounding community. It's a place where folks are actively engaged in learning about Jesus and how to follow him better. They described to me their interest in a place where all people are welcome, and where we put our kids first. And they're, many of them, in awe of the great many gifts we have: multiple generations, multiple choirs, a vibrant music program, an inclusive and multi-faceted church school and youth program in which so many of you volunteer and serve, a partnership with WPC, a tremendous organ, and more than anything else: you.
These folks want to come worship, serve, teach, and work with us because of you, because of your gifts, and because of what we're building together. It's clear to them that we want to follow Jesus and that we're having fun while we do that. So, I wanted to share with you that it's been a tremendously hope-filled few weeks for me because of these conversations. And it's very affirming of the work we've done together over the last year and the promise that God still has more in store for us. I don't know what these new faces will bring us, or where the path will lead yet - but I do know that we have a strong foundation on which to build, more gifts than we can count, and that we stand of the shoulders of the faithful who have gone before us. The good news about that is that even as the world changes around us, even as we change, the truth of Jesus that makes us who we are never changes. And it connects us to all that what was and all that will be.
I'm looking forward to finding out who it is that will join us on this path, who God is calling to worship and serve with us, to teach our kids, to support our young families, and to teach us all to sing new songs to the Lord. I'm hoping that I'll be able to introduce you to some new faces as the fall begins, and until then, please keep all of this in your prayers over the course of the next few weeks. Pray with me that God will make the path ahead clear. And give thanks with me for the amazing community that St. Matt's is, for all that God has yet to reveal to us, and for the good gifts of this place and these people.
I hope to see you on Sunday.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Tags: Welcome from the Rector