Hello St. Paul’s! First off I just want to thank you for the gracious welcome you have extended to me in my new role at the Cathedral. As I said in my sermon on Sunday, I certainly was not expecting to be in this role, as I was happily retired, but that being said, I am excited about the ministry and work we are all called to do together.
Sometimes in parish life, being in an interim time is a one in which life in a parish slows down as people are waiting and wondering what will happen once the new dean arrives. However, that has not been the experience of our Cathedral. Having been at St. Paul’s during all its interim periods between deans, I can assure you the opposite has happened. Folks have taken the opportunity to assess what we have been doing well, pray and dream about what may be next, all the while continuing with the work God gives us to do. In looking at the ministries the Cathedral is currently involved in, such as Showers of Blessings, Light up the Cathedral for Pride (which is coming up soon in July), our ever growing Family Ministry, the opening of the new Music Center and our amazing music program, liturgical services, pastoral care, and community advocacy, there is so much going on here.
I see my own role in all of this as helping to maintain the momentum Dean Penny established, to work with staff as we continue to play our part in being stewards of this blessed place, and to pray, play, pay attention, and listen to God and you as we discern where we are called to be in the present and how we can prepare for whatever God is calling us to in the future. There is much good and holy work to be done.
Finally, I also mentioned in my sermon, a lovely book I recently came across called For Such a Time as This: An Emergency Devotional by Hannah Reichel, a professor of theology at Princeton Seminary. In the book Dr. Reichel poses what I believe to be important questions to ask ourselves during this time. She writes on page 6 the following:
What is needed first is discernment and orientation.
What times are these?
What are they calling for?
What tasks do they put before us?
Where should we look for wisdom?
Blessings on this time and the times ahead. God is definitely in this place.
Canon Allisyn Thomas, Priest-in-Charge
