My Dear Trinity Friends,
In the part of Pennsylvania where I grew up, there were no art galleries, and the only art available were prints sold by furniture stores. When I was quite young I bought one of these prints (with my father’s help, and I thought it was a painting) as a birthday present for my grandfather (the one who I once mentioned as praying on his knees every night before bed). It depicted an older gentleman with white hair and a white beard praying, saying grace before dinner, in a green plaid shirt (based as it turns out, on a 1918 photograph by Eric Enstrom that is now the state photograph of Minnesota, and copies of this print are in fact available at Target today! My grandfather hung it beside his dining room table, where it stayed until he died.
It is startling for me, in moments of reflection, to realize that I am now myself an older gentleman and a grandfather, with white hair and beard, wearing a green plaid shirt, praying at my table. And thus the point of this letter to you, the congregation of Trinity Church.
The Episcopal Church requires that clergy retire at the age of seventy-two, which is soon upon me. For a number of reasons, I have decided to retire now. I will stay at my post until August 16, which will be my last service at Trinity Church.
I am deeply grateful to you all for the honor of serving you. Thank you all.
The Wardens and Vestry shall commence a search for my successor and provision support for Rev. Jodi through and after this transition.
I wish you all blessings and healing, and again, I thank you for our ministry together.
Yours in Christ,
CJ+