Monday, July 16, 2012

good bye lab / hello south loop


July 16, 2012

Dear Friends and Colleagues, you are beautiful people. Most of you, anyway.

As many of you know, over the last 3 ¼ years, I have been serving a call at First Lutheran Church of the Trinity in Bridgeport, Chicago. And I love it. And I feel incredibly fortunate to still deeply feel the call to serve in Bridgeport, at Trinity.

I had no idea what being ordained and serving as a pastor would look like and feel like four years ago, and I'm still learning what it means to serve faithfully in our context and in our time. But I'm finding much meaning and love on the journey.

Lab before School Program 2005
As many of you also know, I have been working part-time at the U of C Laboratory Schools, now, for NINE years. That's a really long time. And though my time at Lab has been mostly meaningful, (and, well, oftentimes just a job), and though I have gained several wonderful friendships throughout the years, my work at Lab enabling me to maintain a part-time call at First Trinity for the time being, enabling me to do what I truly love and feel called to do,
Lab Aux Services 2012, putting out the "burnt constitutions"

it is time for me to say good-bye to Lab Schools.

Last week I received a phone call from the Episcopal/Lutheran South Loop Campus Ministry here in Chicago. I am being contracted, starting in August, to serve SLCM part-time for two years, while continuing to serve in my call at First Trinity part-time.

Part of what this means is that I will be doing ordained ministry FULL TIME, for the first time in my life.


I'm pretty stoked about this.


I am also excited about the intersection of these two ministry sites—Bridgeport and South Loop, and how they might interact with one another in very positive ways.

This transition will certainly be a transition, and I appreciate your patience with me as I find a new balance.

I also ask for your prayers and agitations as I seek to serve in new and challenging ways, and as I grow as a pastor here in Chicago.

Much Love and God's Peace.

Tom  

3 comments:

  1. Glad to hear it! Let's try to toast it in toasty Hyde Park before your time there comes to an end!

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  2. This is great for you, Tom, and I think it can be a very positive thing for First Trinity too.

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