I did not want to come inside to the office from the fresh air this morning.

weather.com says it's 63F, feels like 65F. Whatever it is, it's perfect out. It could stay like this for the next six months and I would be happy.

and in this beautiful weather, I am grieving

I knew this was coming, but still...

From: RevLauraRuth Jarrett
[FirstChurch Mailing List] News from me

Dear Beloved,

In January, I wrote to you to say I was feeling a pull to look for full time work, perhaps work as a solo pastor. I promised to let you know how things were progressing in my search, so that we may accompany each other.

Today, I’m writing with great joy and sadness to say that I will be leaving First Church Somerville because I have been called to be the pastoral candidate at Hope Central Church in Jamaica Plain. My last Sunday at First Church Somerville will be May 9, 2010.

( Read more... )

All my love,
Laura Ruth

In my reply, I said, "I will miss you very much, but they are blessed to have you," and in her reply, she said, "I will miss you, also, totally miss you."

Hope Central Church has on their frontpage:

Our pastor candidate: Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett

We're excited to announce that Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett has been chosen as the final candidate for pastor of our church. Find out about her in a letter from our Search Committee and this brochure about the candidate. Then plan to attend a get-acquainted breakfast on 4/17, the 10:30 a.m. worship on 4/18 which will be led by the candidate, and a congregational meeting after that worship service to vote on the appointment as pastor.

Edit: And when I got home tonight, I had a hardcopy of the letter in my maiilbox, courtesy of the FCS church office. Well-done, church.

And from Molly's email tonight:

You've gotten Laura Ruth's news by now. I know you grieve, as I do, and wonder: what will it be like without her? Without her drumming, her preaching, her kind and searching eyes, her way with words, her love? Well, we'll find out. We're good, at First Church, about continually setting people free into their vocations, though we may not much like it when it comes time to say goodbye. One thing I know: the Holy Spirit will still bind us together in love, and more people, other people we will fall in love with, and who will love us, are on the way. We just don't know them yet.