Dear St. Bart’s Family,
About two years ago I began to sense a shift in my vocation. What had been a decade-long season focused on church planting and growing in leadership skills to facilitate that work seemed to be coming to an end. As I prayed and discerned with those close to me, I sensed a need for training and focus on working with individuals in counseling in some capacity, using tools for healing found in Holy Scripture, the Church’s Tradition, and empirical psychological methods.
Given my need for further discernment and given the effort that will be needed coming out of COVID as 2021 progresses, Bishop Philip Jones has invited me to work at All Saints in order to continue this work of discernment and serve in a pastoral role on their staff.
So it is with sadness that I am writing to tell you I will be stepping down as Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church. The Rev. Chris Myers is at the ready and steady to continue to lead here at St. Bart’s. The Vestry is working with Bishop Jones and the Anglican Mission to bring a priest from All Saints Dallas to take my place as rector at St. Bart’s on an interim basis. Stay tuned for these developing details.
St. Bart’s means the world to me. The Church - You - and the work God has undertaken in and through each of us is the fulfillment of much prayer, dreaming, and vision. The bonds you all have formed and the resulting community has been remarkable to experience. Continue steadfastly in that community, hospitality, and flourishing that you’ve come to know at St. Bart’s. For these and so many other reasons, it gives me great to sorrow to say good bye to you, God’s beloved, and the beautiful work He is doing in and through you.
St. Bart’s began as a dream and vision for a living, three-stream Anglican Church in East Dallas. I know she will continue to be that. I know the Vision and values that you all have discerned and articulated will continue to shape and guide St. Barts’ mission and ministries. I am confident that St. Bart’s will thrive in the coming weeks, months, and years, by God’s grace.
Undoubtedly you will have all sorts of feelings about this transition, many of them associated with unwanted change. I encourage you to pay attention to these feelings, and talk about them with someone you trust. I will be available to talk and process with you as well. Email Becki to set up a time to visit. In addition, I will be talking about this transition at this Sunday’s service, January 17, and Bishop Jones will be present as well.
Thank you for the ways each of you have leaned into the community at St. Bart’s. You have made it the place I love so very dearly. And thank you for the ways you’ve helped me lean into the process of becoming fully human. We are all on that journey together in Christ.
Sincerely yours,
Jay+
