Morning on the Elkhorn
Frances H. Gearhart circa 1930, color woodblock
Dear Holy Comforter,
I know most of you, but for those I haven’t met yet, my name is Amy and I’m the rector of Incarnation, Holy Comforter’s planting congregation. For the next four Sundays while Katie is away, I’ll be joining you in worship along with other members of Incarnation’s clergy team. The Holy Comforter community is so dear to my heart, and I’m delighted to be with you over the coming month as we approach the season of Advent together.
By now, you have probably heard that Katie is taking a month of leave; she shared this news on Sunday and in last week’s letter. I am so grateful that Holy Comforter has a pastor who recognizes her limits and takes wise steps to yield, rest, and seek God’s restorative care. One of the enduring gifts of our congregations’ ongoing relationship is our ability to support one another and bear each other’s burdens.
But I’m also aware that this news came abruptly, and that abrupt news can feel unsettling. So I wanted to offer a bit of explanation around the timing of this leave.
Katie had already been planning for time off in late November. But over the past few weeks, Katie began to notice the extent of her own tiredness; as she shared Sunday, she has had an unusually intense year between family caregiving demands and church planting as the only full-time staff/clergy. Katie is a gifted and capable pastor, and we want to protect her longevity with Holy Comforter by ensuring she is rested and supported.
Therefore, Katie and I began to discuss how we could extend her November vacation to afford her some additional, much-needed rest. However, because of Advent, we could only extend her time before her planned vacation, rather than after. I began quickly pulling together coverage possibilities, while Katie continued to assess her own level of need, and we came to an agreement just last week: Incarnation would cover a month of Sundays starting after All Saints. All of that to say: the timing is abrupt, but not because of any crisis.
Just as Katie is resting, I hope this time will also be an opportunity for the entire community of Holy Comforter to rest. To that end, we will pause Life with God through the end of the year. The Atrium will take a break on Nov 22 and 29. Our bishop will visit on Saturday, December 5, to offer a quiet Advent morning retreat. Small groups will be wrapping up over the coming weeks and will resume after the new year. And we will continue taking steps toward hiring a full-time Pastoral Resident who can bring fresh energy, practical support, and pastoral care to this community.
Friends, you all have worked incredibly hard since launching in January to build a community that nurtures the faith of people of all ages. You are learning together the rhythms of service, prayer, worship, and rest that will sustain your life together over the long haul, and you are laying important groundwork for the future. The work of church planting is so often hidden and slow (like leaven and mustard seeds), and your faithfulness in this hidden work is a great encouragement to me. I am hopeful that Incarnation’s presence this month might be a source of encouragement to you, too, and a reminder that your labor is not in vain and your friends are here for you.
I’ll close with these words from Philippians, which capture my heart for all the saints at Holy Comforter:
“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:4-6)
Please reach out or chat with me after the service if you have any questions, or if there are ways that I can support you (amy@incarnationanglican.org). See you Sunday!
Warmly,
Amy
