Dear Friends,
Since my last post in early May, much has happened. Let me give an account of all that took place in the last three months.
On Sunday, May 5, children and youth of St. Peter's, gave us a farewell party, appropriately themed for the day, Cinco de Mayo. Managing to keep the sombreros on our heads, Susan and I tried our best to hit the piñata split open. After a few more tries, we gave the task to the children and youth, who in no time broke the piñata and shared the candies among themselves. The members of the farewell committee ordered pizza for everyone and made an assortment of cookies and other delectables. It was a fun event. We both enjoyed, and momentarily put away the sadness of leaving the congregation in a few short weeks.
I preached and celebrated the following two Sundays. Preaching became harder and harder; I noticed
that during sermons I occasionally became emotionally overwhelmed. I believe it had to do with the thought of not only leaving St. Peter's but also retiring from active parish ministry. St. Peter's was the only church where I ever served as a rector. The previous churches I served were as interims and as an associate. Each previous partings was difficult but not as difficult as leaving St. Peter's. Reluctant though in the beginning to accept the call, once came it didn't take long for us to become adjusted, and the church and community became integral to our life.
When we first arrived at St. Peter's, it just had successfully completed a well-managed healing process under the interim ministry of Fr. Miller. The church was open and ready for a new beginning and new ways of being a church. To begin with, it discerned me as their priest who could not be any more different from them. Culturally, ethnically, racially, and linguistically I was "the other", starkly different from the demography of the church. In my mind, there was no question that this was the work of the Holy Spirit. When I was ordained in the Massachusetts diocese, I was doubtful about my prospects of finding a church to serve as its rector. While Massachusetts Episcopal Diocese has the distinction of ordaining the first-ever Asian Indian for holy orders, it is St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Phoenixville, of Pennsylvania Diocese who made history for the church and for the diocese by calling me, the first-ever Asian Indian, as its rector. For Susan and me, the next thirteen years has been a joy-filled time. I thank God for the church, its vestry, lay leadership, and the discernment committee for their vision and their willingness to step out of their comfort zone and let God do the new thing in our midst.
I will write shortly my reflections on the farewell party which took place June 2, and the leave-taking service on June 9.
Koshy
Since my last post in early May, much has happened. Let me give an account of all that took place in the last three months.
On Sunday, May 5, children and youth of St. Peter's, gave us a farewell party, appropriately themed for the day, Cinco de Mayo. Managing to keep the sombreros on our heads, Susan and I tried our best to hit the piñata split open. After a few more tries, we gave the task to the children and youth, who in no time broke the piñata and shared the candies among themselves. The members of the farewell committee ordered pizza for everyone and made an assortment of cookies and other delectables. It was a fun event. We both enjoyed, and momentarily put away the sadness of leaving the congregation in a few short weeks.
I preached and celebrated the following two Sundays. Preaching became harder and harder; I noticed
that during sermons I occasionally became emotionally overwhelmed. I believe it had to do with the thought of not only leaving St. Peter's but also retiring from active parish ministry. St. Peter's was the only church where I ever served as a rector. The previous churches I served were as interims and as an associate. Each previous partings was difficult but not as difficult as leaving St. Peter's. Reluctant though in the beginning to accept the call, once came it didn't take long for us to become adjusted, and the church and community became integral to our life.
When we first arrived at St. Peter's, it just had successfully completed a well-managed healing process under the interim ministry of Fr. Miller. The church was open and ready for a new beginning and new ways of being a church. To begin with, it discerned me as their priest who could not be any more different from them. Culturally, ethnically, racially, and linguistically I was "the other", starkly different from the demography of the church. In my mind, there was no question that this was the work of the Holy Spirit. When I was ordained in the Massachusetts diocese, I was doubtful about my prospects of finding a church to serve as its rector. While Massachusetts Episcopal Diocese has the distinction of ordaining the first-ever Asian Indian for holy orders, it is St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Phoenixville, of Pennsylvania Diocese who made history for the church and for the diocese by calling me, the first-ever Asian Indian, as its rector. For Susan and me, the next thirteen years has been a joy-filled time. I thank God for the church, its vestry, lay leadership, and the discernment committee for their vision and their willingness to step out of their comfort zone and let God do the new thing in our midst.
I will write shortly my reflections on the farewell party which took place June 2, and the leave-taking service on June 9.
Koshy
