Dear Ones of St. Columba's,

I hope you will take the time to read this beautiful letter from Elaine Ogden, our Minister for Families and Youth. Elaine has been the support and heartbeat of our kids and youth programs for the past six years, joining us in that role just two years after I came as your vicar. It has been a joy to work with her and I am so deeply glad that she is able to name what she needs and to meet the needs of her wonderful kids by stepping back right now. I am also grateful that Elaine, Robert and their family plans to continue worshipping among us, and being part of this community. 

Also, I am really going to miss her in that role. 

Over the past year Elaine and I have had several conversations about the constantly changing nature of ministry with children and youth. Because kids grow and change so quickly, kids programs and our ministry to and with families is also a moving target as kids grow, new families join us, and families that are here become parents or add children. This is true of any pastoral ministry job, don't get me wrong. I am deeply aware that I don't get to keep any one of you forever, as much as I'd like to. But the natural ebbs and flows of life happen so quickly with kids. Elaine "raised" a little generation of St. C's kids from childhood into youth group, and a bunch of our babies became big kids while she has been in this role, including a couple of her own kids.

I want you to know that I see this change as both a loss and an opportunity. It is a loss because our kids and youth programs wouldn't be what they are, and this church wouldn't be what it is, without Elaine's attention, energy and labor these past six years. And, it is an opportunity for St. Columba's as a community to continue the work we talked about in our Baptism and Beyond class, once again re-imagining what we want to provide for our children and youth in this community and how we want to do it. Elaine will be a part of this when she returns after a little time away, this time as a mama instead of a staff person. And we will spend some of our Easter season doing this work of imagining and re-imagining together - talking with our kids, with our parents of children, with our youth and their parents and with those among us who do not parent children but are invested in their nurturing as people of faith. 

I am going to soak up every minute of Elaine being on our staff between here and Easter. And then, friends I hope you will join me and Meghan in dreaming big for what is ahead as we continue to prioritize the nurture, love, and care of children at the center of our life in community. During that time our clergy will step in even more to make sure Godly Play runs smoothly and our youth get the attention and relationship building they need. And all of us will continue to do what this place does so well - talking to, loving on, and recognizing the full membership of every human who walks through our doors, no matter their age or stage of development. 

I hope you will join me for the dreaming and planning ahead.

with care and gratitude,

Alissa