Deacon Matthew Simpson shares his gratefulness and optimism about the transition

Deacon Matthew Simpson

Open your eyes to see the beauty and work of the Holy Spirit in the people around us every day, and give thanks. 

Thanks be to God; it is an exciting and hopeful time in our common life. Father Nathan, Erin and their family have felt a call to serve God in Kentucky, and they have both received and answered that call; Thanks be to God! And if God is surely calling them to something new, then God is doing the same for this Parish Family of Saint Mary’s! And indeed, that is exciting news! 

Of course, God is always calling us to new life, but changes, such as a Rector transition, can be a jolt that gets a community to pay more attention to that calling. Now is a time for us to open our eyes, our ears, our hearts and minds to the work of the Holy Spirit all around us. Now is the time to celebrate and give thanks for what God has done with us and through us. Now is the time to listen to the dream and call God has for us as a Parish Family. 

Former Archbishop Rowan Williams has said, “The Christian Life is a listening life. We are a people that expect to have God speak to us.” How true! Through Worship, Scripture, Sacraments, Fellowship, Song, and Laughter, I expect we will hear God speaking to us. Are we ready for it? 

Things to be particularly thankful for: God is here working through us now! 

We have a very capable vestry with Steve and Tom as Wardens: Thanks be to God! 

We have a great steward of our assets as Treasurer: Thanks be to God for Peter! 

We have exquisite music that lifts us higher to the Divine: Thanks be to God for James! 

We have a growing and vibrant Christian Education Program: Thanks be to God for Meg! 

We have a well-oiled machine for administration: Thanks be to God for Beth! 

We have a cadre of leaders that have served before to call upon. Thanks be to God! 

We have so much care for the least among us in our communities through both donations and boots-on-the-groundwork. We have very active and faithful teams in pastoral care, buildings and grounds, outreach, fellowship, altar guild, Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, and the list goes on. If I were to be so bold as to give pastoral advice to the congregation, it would be this: 

Open your eyes to see the beauty 
and work of the Holy Spirit 
in the people around us every day, 
and give thanks. 

We also have a supportive Bishop and Archdeacon. Rector transitions are what the Bishop’s Office does; they are the experts, but more importantly they care about us. I know that through this time they will be there to support us. On an administrative note, the Bishop has placed me here throughout the transition, and I will be here to be a Deacon in Christ’s Church. Priests, Bishops, Deacons: we are not the Church; we simply have roles in the Church. The work and mission of the Church is the life work of all the Baptized, and it continues. It must. 

So let us give thanks to God! Let us open our eyes, ears, hearts, and pray! And let us EXPECT to hear God’s call to us on how to grow in faithfulness to serve each other and the world in Christ’s Holy Name. 

The Reverend Matthew Simpson, Deacon