Dear First Church,
Imagination is a fitting theme for a month of many transitions at First Church. Imagination asks us to create in our mind before creating in the world. It is the first step towards building the new.
In this season of transitions we practice our goodbye rituals as well. This month, we release Ministerial Intern Steve Sieck to his calling with a goodbye ritual on May 11; we send Rev. Kimberlee off to her well-earned three-month sabbatical that begins after Religious Education Sunday on May 18; and we celebrate Rev. Dena’s ministry with a retirement party on May 30! And of course, we have our annual celebration of the transitions among our children and youth in RE Sunday, and send our beloved Seniors off to their respective futures.
Imagination can help us in transition. We can use our imaginations to dream beautiful futures for our beloveds and ourselves. This month, you can send your imaginative hopes for Rev. Dena in a Well-Wishes book that will live at the Questions and Connections table in the Leenhouts Common Room. There’s even a chance to dream big together with a new Rev. Dena McPhetres Internship Fund, a retirement gift we can all contribute to that honors Rev. Dena and builds the financial capacity to become a teaching congregation and have more interns like Steve.
Of course, we hope you will share your hopes and dreams for our transitioning staff, children, and youth with them in person this month. Let’s keep imagining futures of greater beauty and joy.
Love,
Rev. Jennifer
Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom, Senior Minister