PICking up the thread
by Paul Olsson: (PIC is Priest in Charge)
“Priests With-In Parish” - Diocesan Return Covenant Document below
Episcopalians are often described as Christians who like to do things decently and in order. It’s true in our worship practices (when we say we’re “people of the book” we don’t necessarily mean the Bible, but rather the Book of Common Prayer) and also in our governance and policy. We’re one of the few reformed Christian traditions that still has Canons governing the church’s life. And we certainly do have a way of crafting structures of authority and processes for us to live out life as the church.
One of those processes is how we Episcopalians deal with clergy transitions. St. Stephen’s has spent the last two years moving through separation from your last Rector, to discernment, to actively searching for a new priest, to my calling as your new Priest-in-Charge. During those years you were ably served by four priests, your Interim Ministry team. Carole came from outside the congregation, but the remaining three priests – Catherine, Larry and Diane – were all parishioners of long standing at St. Stephen’s. When a new priest arrives, the usual practice is for interims to depart. This leaves the field wide open for the new priest to establish solid pastoral relationships with the congregation and to settle into the new ministry. When you said goodbye to the Interim Ministry Team back in early October, their departure was intended to last for a season, and now we have more details from the diocese on what shape that will take.
The Vestry and I are sharing the full content of the “Covenant regarding the Time Away for Clergy Members of the St. Stephen’s Interim Ministry Team” that’s been put forward and approved by our bishop. We want everyone to understand the parameters for Catherine, Larry and Diane’s time away from this congregation and, in the interest of full disclosure, felt that sharing the document with everyone was the best means for communicating what lies ahead.
I’ve had the opportunity to meet personally with some of the locally resident clergy (Diane and Catherine) and have exchanged e-mails with Larry in Alabama. I’ve found all three to be delightful, passionate and faith-filled priests, and I now know why all three of them are held in such high esteem by all of you. One of the features that made St. Stephen’s so attractive to me in the calling process was the presence of retired clergy. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had that sort of back-up in parish ministry, and I am very much looking forward to their return to full and active engagement in the life and ministry of our parish. I will rejoice to see them all return to us as part of the worshiping community come Pentecost, and hope to hasten the time when they might be drawn back into roles as teachers, preachers and pastoral care givers here at St. Stephen’s.
Paul+
