Dear All Saints and St. Bart’s,
Epiphany Greetings to you!
As Lead Bishop of the AMiA (and as an AMiA clergy member for the last 15 years), I have come to know, accept and celebrate that one of the essential actions of a missionary society is sending people out – to deepen their walk with the Lord, to move further into the calling the Lord has placed on their lives and hearts, and to build the Kingdom of God. Claudia and I have “been sent out” six times in my career as a pastor, leaving places and people we love to follow the Lord’s leading. I write to you today to announce a change for St. Bart’s and All Saints, a sending out of two people we all love dearly.
Many of you have already heard about this upcoming clergy transition, but after confirmation from the All Saints Board of Stewards I want to make it official – I am excited to announce that Jay+ Wright will be joining the ASD staff next month, and Dave+ Larlee has been asked by the St. Bart’s Vestry, and accepted, the role of Interim Senior Pastor at St. Bart’s. During this transitional season I will continue to work closely with the St. Bart’s Vestry and Associate Pastor Chris+ Myers.
Over the last three weeks, the Vestry of St. Bart’s has interviewed candidates for the interim position and have communicated to me they would like to call Dave+ as Interim Senior Pastor. We - me, Jay+, Dave+, the All Saints and St Bart’s vestries - have had many discussions and prayers and meetings about this transition and there is unity, peace and excitement about this move. While we don’t know yet the exact dates these changes will take place, it appears that sometime in mid to late February we will send Dave+ and the Larlees on mission from ASD to St. Bart’s and receive Jay+ and the Wrights on mission from St. Bart’s to ASD.
I have walked along with Jay+ the last few years as he began to discern his call to a counseling ministry and encouraged him to both continue his education in this area and to consider what this would mean for his senior pastor role at St. Bart’s. I know Jay+ has written to St. Bart’s of this journey and All Saints is excited to receive the Wright family back at ASD five years after they left to plant.
Jay+ will come to ASD as an associate pastor to cover a number of areas with our pastoral staff. These duties will include programing development (Alpha, Alpha Marriage, Membership Class, Adult Education and NOVO), outreach, pastoral calls and counseling, occasionally leading worship, and connecting with newcomers. ASD will delight in having such an intelligent, winsome man to help build our church.
I have served with Dave+ Larlee the last seven years at All Saints and seen him grow as a leader, a husband and father, and as a pastor and priest. He is a marvelous minister of the Gospel, a good (good!) and immensely talented man and he will bless and be blessed by St. Bart’s.
As Jay's+ and Dave’s+ Bishop, I will attend the last services for both at St. Bart’s and All Saints for a proper sending off and commissioning for mission.
I look forward to answering any questions you may have as we all move into a new season in the life of both churches.
Thank you for your prayers and attention to these important steps for Jay+ and Dave+ in their ministry development, our churches and my role as their Bishop in the Anglican Mission.
God bless you.
On Mission,
+Philip