Dear Ones,

After two years ministering amongst you all, the time has come to say “farewell.” I know colleagues who have had the privilege of officiating the weddings of babies they dedicated, so in the grand scheme of ministry, two years is not very long at all. And yet, the two years we’ve spent together have not been ordinary. They’ve been marked by deep, painful conflicts and divisions inside and outside of these church walls. We’ve joined in protests together against the rising tide of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism in our nation, and we’ve tried to find our way forward to healing and health following protests in our own sanctuary. And there has been so much that has been very very good. We’ve served over 1200 of our neighbors in the shower project, deepened our faith through classes and community circles, sung hymns and joined in prayer, welcomed the returning light of winter solstice and shared communion on Maundy Thursday. And you all showed me such love and support as I faced roadblocks and unexpected turns on my vocational journey. 

So, as I prepare to take my leave of this beloved community and offer some parting words, I felt you deserved more than platitudes and a Mary Oliver poem (no disrespect meant to saint Mary herself). We’ve been through it together and earned one another’s trust and I felt you deserved honesty and authenticity—a message that conveyed my deep, deep love and my very high hopes.

So, I share something tender: There were days I wasn’t sure we would make it to this place together—days where I questioned my faith and my vocation. When we were in the throes of conflict and community members were petitioning to remove Rev. Alison from her role as your senior minister, I thought long and hard about the difficult decisions I would have to make if they succeeded. I struggled watching individuals attack the integrity and vocation of a mentor whose ministry I respected so much. I watched Rev. Alison somehow continue to minister through it with tenacity and grace, and wondered how much heartache I was willing to endure to follow this call. But we are still here together and that is a testament to this congregation’s love, resilience and commitment. It is a testament to the ways you all refused to give up on one another and the ways Rev. Alison refused to give up on this community, even when it hurt, and even when many other ministers would have (please do tell her “thank you” if you haven’t). It took tremendous courage and faith to get to this place today. I have such love and respect for her and for all of you.

And I share this tender thing with you, because I don’t want you to forget or underestimate the importance of that show of love, resilience, and commitment. You did a hard, brave and important thing together—a thing that was not certain or inevitable. You showed up to gather in worship and hold one another’s joys and sorrows even when worship was not a comfortable place to be. You said “yes” to shared ministry with one another and with Rev. Alison and committed to a future together. You rejected attempts at vengeance and sabotage and stood fast to the truth. You kept the good work of this church going even when it was hard and painful. It required sitting in discomfort, staying curious, keeping open hearts and minds and being willing to show up together in ways that were different but healthier. It was and is an inspiration. 

What I want for this community now is for you to keep doing hard, brave, important things together! You’ve already proven that you can.You know you can stick together through challenge and change and that you can learn to be together differently. So I hope you hold onto that knowledge and let it fuel you as you keep wondering, imagining and experimenting with ways to move towards even greater health as a congregation.

I hope that you put your whole hearts into the work you’re doing around healthy boundaries and right relations. Give it the time and attention it deserves. Be willing to take risks, get it wrong, own up to mistakes and begin again in love. Continue figuring out how to move towards a culture of “high grace” and “high accountability,” as Rev. Alison says. Keep working to find that sweet spot between conflict avoidance and over-reactivity where disagreements can be generative. And find joy and lightness in the midst of this work whenever you can. You made it through a difficult chapter together but the really good, transformative work is just beginning. 

There is so much at stake right now—in our city, in our nation, and in the world. We need communities of care, hope, and resilience.We need communities with grit and heart that have tools and structures for transforming conflict, working for justice, and imagining new ways forward. This church has demonstrated its willingness to be one of those vital spaces. Do not shy away from this work. Keep showing up with faith and courage. 

I could not be more proud to have taken up the mantle of ministry in this community—a community that has known pain and heartache, but chosen love anyway. It has been a joy and a gift to accompany you on this leg of your journey. I leave with deep gratitude, immense hope, and a very full heart. 

With love,

Rev. Danielle