Dear Friends,
I have accepted a call to become Interim Rector of Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Gay and I will be moving there during the week of October 15 and our first experiences of worship with the parish will be during the weekend of October 20 and 21. Take a look at the video to get an idea of Christ Church Cranbrook.
The opening for intentional interim ministry at Christ Church Cranbrook follows the departure of The Reverend Canon Gary Hall, who has been called to be Dean of the Washington National Cathedral. Gary has had a wonderful ministry at Christ Church Cranbrook and we uphold him and Kathy in our prayers as they begin a new adventure at the “flagship” Cathedral of the Episcopal Church. Here is an article Gary recently wrote for the Washington Post.
As you can see from the website and video, Christ Church Cranbrook is a vibrant parish with a rich liturgical and musical life, a heart for outreach in the region, and a strong Christian formation ministry for all ages. Located in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, it is the largest Episcopal Church in the state. Bishop Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr. and Canon Lisa Gray have been very helpful to the vestry and to us in the process leading to this new interim relationship.
The vestry estimates that it will take approximately one year to call a new Rector. During this time of transition, Gay and I are confident we will come to love the people there as we have those in Texas, Kansas, and Kentucky. For us, meeting new people, exploring new territories, and experiencing new cultural distinctions is a fringe benefit of intentional interim ministry.
Calvary Church in Ashland, Kentucky has called a wonderful new Rector, The Reverend Antoinette “TJ” Azar. She will arrive in Ashland to begin her ministry with them in early November. I am quite proud of the devoted work of the nominating committee and vestry in calling her as the new leader of this parish. I predict that their ministry together in Ashland and the surrounding region will be fruitful in many ways - new ways, powerful ways, transforming ways! We are very grateful for our time at Calvary and for the new friends we have found there.
Prior to our time in Ashland, our experience with The Church of the Good Shepherd was filled with good things and good people. We are also grateful for the opportunity to work with Bishop Stacy Sauls and Bishop Chilton Knudsen, Dr. Kay Collier-McLaughlin, diocesan staff, clergy, and people of the Diocese of Lexington. What a wonderful two years this has been here in the Bluegrass and Eastern Kentucky.
During our time at Christ Church Cranbrook, we will be living in the rectory. Our new mailing address will be 415 Church Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304-3401. Our mobile numbers, social media, and email addressses will not change.
We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we prepare for this move. And keep an eye on e-piphanies.com, my facebook page, and Gay’s facebook page for regular reports on our life in Michigan.
Blessings,
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