Dear parishioners,

Many thanks to all who took the time to attend the meeting or to speak with Vestry members. Some of you expressed weariness with what has seemed like a long period of transition; some of you expressed distrust of the diocese. Some of you are worried that our parish has changed or has stopped growing. Some of you spoke of feeling adrift or abandoned, without an anchor (or, as one parishioner put it, like the disciples on Good Friday, looking for the resurrection). Some are longing for stability; others worry that we might rush into a decision about a rector. Many mentioned characteristics they’d like to see in our next rector. Many talked about the strength of the parish community. Many expressed trust in God.

All feel passionately about this community, its members, and its future.

With all your thoughts and feelings and worries and hopes in mind, the vestry has asked Bishop Bud and Cynthia to begin the process of calling a priest-in-charge. If that process fails to produce a candidate that the vestry enthusiastically supports, we will then ask the diocese to call an interim priest and engage in a search process for a rector.

A priest-in-charge has the full responsibilities of a rector and would have a three-year contract. Following a period of mutual ministry review, we would have the option to call him or her as rector--which often does happen in this situation. As Bishop Cederholm pointed out, with a priest-in-charge in place, we will be able to take a deep breath and discern exactly where we are as a community. The Mutual Covenant of Ministry established for a priest-in-charge refers to the priest-in-charge period as "prime time for renewal, re-energizing the parish in its life and mission."

We’re hopeful that we will have someone in place sometime this summer. Arrington’s letter in the April 17 Chimes explains plans that are in place to help us bridge the time between her departure and a rector’s arrival. In addition, a list of questions and answers about the process, and what it will mean for us at St. Andrew's, will be posted here at the Web site as well as on the bulletin board outside the Parish Hall. It will also appear in the May 1 Chimes.

In the meantime, Vestry members will continue to be available for discussion after each Sunday service. Please also feel free to speak to any one of them individually, or to e-mail them. (A message addressed to vestry@standrewsmhd.org will reach all vestry members, both wardens, and Arrington.)

We share the belief that God is with us on our path into the future. And we find inspiration in the words of Barbara Taylor Brown: "It is the job of the gathered community . . . to remind one another that the lives God is calling us to are the ones that we are living right now."