Announcement from the Wardens of St. Thomas’

As your congregational wardens, we write to assure you that God’s love and purpose for our congregation is the same today, as it was yesterday, and it will be the same tomorrow and into the unknown future, which also lies in the palm of His hand.

You will see from the attached letter from our Bishop Cy Pitman that our rector, the Rev. John Paul Westin, will be leaving us at the end of June to begin a new ministry in Saint John, NB on August 1st. While this news brings sadness and surprise to many we also know that it brings opportunities for change and new growth in God’s kingdom for us all. We believe that God’s purpose for us at St. Thomas’ is to be “an enduring beacon drawing all to Jesus Christ” and this will not change even when we have a change in some of our leadership.

We have already met with Bishop Pitman and had a very good conversation about our leadership succession in this parish. Our Vestry unanimously selected a Consultation Committee, which will oversee the period of transition from when John Paul leaves at the end of June until a new Rector arrives in our parish. The Committee will also be responsible for developing a parish profile and conducting a search for possible candidates for rector of our parish. This Consultation Committee is comprised of parishioners who have served at every level of leadership in our parish over the years, and in whom we have the utmost confidence that they will carry out a thorough and successful search for the leader God has in mind to take our congregation on the next stage of our life and pilgrimage together.

The Committee members are: Michele Roberts, and Jean White-Coady, as your wardens, Debbie Pantin (who will act as Committee Chair), David Read, and Jim Adams (both of whom have served several terms on Vestry in the past). We will be meeting with Bishop Pitman later this week to begin our work immediately. We are grateful for the fact that we have several more months than usual to do our work and get things set up.

Nothing at all will change in the parish until after John Paul leaves in the summer. The Rev. Peter Young will remain with us, as will our retired assistants the Revs. Bob Chafe, Bill Rice and Bob Rowlands. Dr. Bob will be returning to us from the Northern Peninsula at the beginning of June. We will do everything necessary to make the transition as smooth and continuous as possible. Let us all agree to pray for our parish, our leadership, John Paul and Carolyn, and the parish of St. Mark in Saint John, New Brunswick, that we may all be faithful to God’s calling on our lives to do the work He has prepared for us to walk in. We, your wardens, make ourselves available to you at any time, should you have questions for us over the next few months. We will keep the congregation informed as our search work progresses. Thank you and may God continue to bless and keep us all!

Michele Roberts, Rector’s Warden        Jean White-Coady, People’s Warden