Dear People of St. Paul’s Cathedral,
I first wanted to thank you for the love, support, and prayers I have received from you all since arriving at Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP). I must admit there were and are times when I ask myself, “What in the world am I doing here?” But then I receive a letter, or a card, or an invitation to tea, and I know that I am loved and am living inside a definite purpose.
I will say that CDSP is everything that I imagined it would be, and more. In these hard times it is difficult to connect through a screen and sometimes it feels so false and detached, but then I will go to a school worship service, where everyone at CDSP has gathered in the zoom space, and I will feel that God really is here through this technology. The other day I got to sit-in on a town meeting led by the Vacaville Chief of the Sheriff’s Department on the issue of homelessness. The Church of the Epiphany in Vacaville, California is where I am doing two semesters of field education and already I feel welcomed as if God had really gone ahead and prepared a place…The lead pastor and deacon of the church are wonderful and have included me in many of the various ministries they have. This, along with my other classes keep me extremely busy, but there is joy in the work which is something I always aspired and asked God to give me while I became involved in my process.
I want to say that I hold the Cathedral in my heart and prayers and definitely have felt homesick in not being able to see everyone. I pray that everyone stays safe and hopeful even when there seems like so much spiritual gravity around with the pandemic and all.
Big hugs, “abrazos!” to everyone,
Daniel
So great to hear from you, Daniel, and to hear that CDSP and the parish in Vacaville have welcomed you! Please do take good care of yourself and know that you are missed. We will do our best to hold down the fort while you are away. All my best, Don