Dear St. Francis Family,
In October of 2013 I was a curate at Christ Church in Temple, Texas. While attending clergy
conference I was curious about what was next and approached the Canon of the Ordinary
about my future in the Diocese of Texas. This was on a Sunday evening. I was told that I should
start looking outside of the Diocese for a position as options were tight at the time. So I was a
little bummed. But then at dinner that evening I noticed that the Canon of the Ordinary and
Bishop Fisher were talking together and looking at me. The Canon came up to me later that
evening and said we needed to have breakfast together. That next day is when I learned about
St. Francis. That was the first of many signs that led me and St. Francis to discerning a mutual
call for me to become St. Francis' next rector. The confirmation of that discernment was how
everything just fell into place. I have been fortunate to spend the last almost ten and a half
years in a place of incredible spiritual, communal, and missional growth. (There is simply not
enough space to talk about it all.)
Earlier this year I was approached about a church in Houston. This was nothing new. I have
been approached a few times about other churches with no mutual call being discerned. To be
clear, for Episcopal churches one does not go out of their way to “look” for another church
unless there is a possible call. I had no intentions of leaving St. Francis as I felt a call to remain.
Until I learned about Holy Spirit in Houston. Once I heard about Holy Spirit I asked Camille
what she thought about maybe going back to Houston. Camille’s employment is in sales. It
turns out that she just discovered there would be something available for her in the summer! It
was then that I started to take a closer look at Holy Spirit in Houston. The more I looked into
Holy Spirit the more things fell into place and I felt a call to discern. This started a mutual
discernment process between Holy Spirit and myself to determine if there is a call to mutual
ministry. After many interviews and conversations it has been discerned that there is indeed a
call for me and from Holy Spirit Episcopal Church to become their next rector. And I have
accepted the call.
I know this is a lot to take in. You may have to read this letter a few times and then think about
what you just read. I know that some of you will be sad, angry, excited for me, or whatever you
are going to be feeling. Feel it. Those are real emotions. The process of transitioning can be
painful, as well as a time for sharing joyful memories in the time we have left together.
That being said, I am planning on my last Sunday at St. Francis to be June 16. There are strict
guidelines that call for an ending to my pastoral relationship with St. Francis at that time for at
least a year. After that I would need to be invited by the priest in charge or interim priest to
participate in a pastoral sense in things such as funerals, baptisms, weddings.
Please consider this thought. Our time together is now limited. And there is still much to do to
prepare for my departure and for St. Francis’ new beginning. I don’t want you to ignore feelings
of pain, but I do want to spend the remaining time together in love, peace, and hope. In love
because we have shared many joyful times and many rough times and endured them all
together through a shared love for God and each other. In peace in such a way that the work
that needs to be done will be together. A time to share good stories and happy memories. A
time of peace like the peace Jesus brought with him to the disciples in their period of fear in
the upper room following his death. In hope in that the future is bright with the light of Jesus in
our hearts directing us to a better future than we could ask for or imagine. Still, this will be a
tough time. I have faith in St. Francis and its leadership to continue to love God and Neighbor
and change the world. You are never alone. Always remember:
We’ve got this…With God’s Help.
May God’s Peace always be with you,
Fr. Mitch+
