In the name of the God who is love ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
What a joy and blessing it is to be here with you all at Grace and St. Stephen’s! There I was, minding my own business and trying my best to do faithful ministry in Salisbury, North Carolina when the Holy Spirit did what the Holy Spirit so often does – stirring things up. One of the things that makes grace so amazing is how it surprises us and comes unexpectedly. About a year ago, I was celebrating my 10-year anniversary as the Rector of St. Luke’s and I distinctly remember thinking, “I can’t imagine that I’d ever encounter another parish that I’d want to serve.” Truly, I was not looking for a new call, and I wasn’t even open to the idea at first. But the Holy Spirit’s clear call, along with the fantastic parish profile that you developed and your energy and hospitality during the interviews helped to open my imagination enough to know in my heart and mind that, indeed, I was being called to Grace and St. Stephen’s. And I’m so incredibly excited to see what the Holy Spirit has in mind by bringing us together.
