My Goodbye

As the summer draws to a close I look forward to starting my internship and and thereby beginning the next phase in my discernment process. I am saddened to be leaving my home parish, but I am excited to see what new experiences I will have while I am away. Below is the letter my Rector recommended I write to my home parish explaining where I am going and what I will be doing while I'm gone. I have blacked out names of the churches in order to preserve privacy.

To My Wonderful Home Parish,

            First, I would like to say thank-you. Thank-you for opening your hearts and your doors to my family and to me. Your love and support have been invaluable to me during this time of growth and discovery. I am sorry to have to leave you all for the next four months, know that you will all continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

            I would like to take this opportunity to explain my absence. As a part of my ongoing discernment of my call to priesthood, I am in a program that necessitates me having an internship at a parish not of my choosing. I will spend every Sunday morning and a few hours each week at St. John’s in Hagerstown. I will preach one Sunday in October, participate fully in worship on Sunday mornings, work with the Altar Guild and Stephen Ministry, bring communion to those who are unable to come to services, and various other ministerial activities. While there I am not permitted to remain involved ministerially at St. James’, which unfortunately means that I will not be teaching Sunday School and I will be unable to lead the Youth Group. It is a necessary separation that will allow me to become fully immersed in my internship setting, and gain the most from my time there.

            It is my hope that during my time at St. John’s I can explore the areas of the church with which I am less familiar. I pray that this exploration will further reveal what it is that God is calling me to do with the gifts He’s given to me. I ask for your continued prayers and support during this time away, and look forward to sharing my experiences with you when I return.