Dear Ones of St. Columba's,

We have had a unique relationship over these past nine years. When I first came as your Vicar in 2014 I was part time with you and part time with the Bishop's Office. This arrangement worked well for both parties - St. Columba's at that time could not afford full time clergy and Bishop Rickel wanted me to work for the diocese on congregational development. I wanted to be a parish priest alongside working on the diocesan level. When I arrived here to serve this community I told my first bishop's committee that before I left my hope was that 1. We would deal with our mortgage debt in a way that opened a path to becoming a parish, if desired, 2. We would have a legal place on our property to inter our beloved dead and, 3. St. Columba's would be able to employ a full time priest, to include providing health care coverage for that person's entire family. We have either accomplished or are close to accomplishing all of these goals. I want to name this, and celebrate the amazing work we have done together.

I also told that first bishop's committee that one of the responsibilities of every priest in charge of a congregation is to begin with the end in mind. One of the ways I have loved you these past nine years has been to actively and intentionally prepare you to flourish when it came time for me to leave. 

It hurts my heart to write this: that time has come. 

I did not get elected in Maryland. However, that experience has made it clear that God is calling me to the next phase of my vocational life. This call is being helped along by our new bishop provisional, who has rightly assessed that St. Columba's does not need my presence or leadership in order to thrive. Throughout my ministry here I have continued to be at least partially employed by the Bishop's office, and in March of 2020 I became full time employed there, with my role as Vicar of St. C's considered part of my assignment. This sort of assignment was possible because St. C's is a mission congregation. Bishop Melissa is reassigning me to full time diocesan service beginning in June. You can read her letter about this to the BC here. Pentecost will be my last Sunday with you, and later in June Meghan will be installed as the Vicar of St .Columba's. 

Friends, this is good news. My hope and plan, shared with many of you and the Bishop's Committee, has been for Meghan to become in name what she has been in truth for the past several months: the clergy leader and administrator of this congregation. Transitioning formally to her leadership will save St. C's months of wondering, uncertainty, and a search for a new priest. This congregation has thrived under Meghan's leadership and I firmly believe that thriving will continue and increase. I couldn't be prouder of her, or imagine St. C's under anyone else's care. 

Of course I hate to leave you. As a Vicar I have always served at the direction and pleasure of the bishop. Our diocese is worth loving and serving as a whole, and St. Columba's has always generously shared me with our larger community. Now I will be deployed to different congregations many Sundays, able to serve them and experience our broader community as a leader in a new way. Bishop Melissa will be able to increase my responsibilities in a way that she could not while I was also charged with the leadership of a congregation. 

The tough part of this for me is losing all of you. I will need to step away and not be a part of St. Columba's, in order to give Meghan space to live into her role and to allow St. Columba's to explore what it means to be who you are without me. I will likely be assigned as an assisting priest in another congregation. Andrew and the girls are free to stay in relationship with St. Columba's, but our current plan is to find a place where we can all attend church together. I am confident that God has a plan for me, and also pretty sure that I will need some time and space to grieve the loss of you in order to be ready to embrace whatever community or communities of faith God is preparing me to lead and serve. 

I will do my best to be available to process and answer questions about this, as is Meghan, between now and Pentecost Sunday. My dearest hope is that we spend the next few weeks enjoying and celebrating the amazing life we have lived together, and preparing with joy for the next phase of your life as a congregation under Meghan's leadership. There is no congregation in the world quite like St. Columba's. It has been one of the deep joys of my life to be your vicar. I am excited and hopeful for how you will continue to live, love, and be a site of hope and transformation in the months and years to come. 

with all the love and gratitude,

Alissa+