Image: The 1889 Land Run
Dear friends,
It’s almost time for me to load up the wagon and head west! One of the great privileges of serving as a parish priest is the chance to take a sabbatical, and it’s time for mine this year. Because I worked in a part-time church job and an academic administration job before coming to Trinity, this is the first sabbatical I’ve taken since I was ordained 13 years ago. I’m both excited and grateful for the opportunity to spend a summer doing something different.
My sabbatical plan has three parts. First, from May 12-16 I will attend the Oratory of the Good Shepherd silent retreat at the Community of St. John the Baptist’s convent in Mendham. I will be back for the weekend of the Choir Tea. Then, from May 19-26 I will take a ‘bucket list’ trip across the country on Amtrak. Finally, I will fly back to Newark and load up the car for two months serving as Theologian in Residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma.
From June 15-August 15, I will be living in Tulsa and affiliated with Christ Church, a growing suburban parish with a vibrant ministry to families. I will be present at Christ Church on Sundays and will preach on occasion, but I won’t have any day-to-day pastoral responsibilities. My goals for the summer are the following:
Enjoy a time of renewal and come back with new energy and new ideas for Trinity Church.
Learn from a successful parish and diocese in a very different context from Princeton. Christ Church Tulsa is a rapidly growing congregation that excels in ministry to young families and in integrating newcomers into active (and pledging) membership. Two of the five fastest-growing congregations in the Episcopal Church are in Oklahoma: Grace Church in Yukon and Christ Church in Tulsa.
Serve as a resource for the Diocese of Oklahoma as they witness to Christ in a challenging social, political, and cultural environment.
Begin preparation for my second book. This summer will mostly involve reading and thinking about what I want to say. ‘
I’m excited about what this summer will bring, and I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with you.
Yours in Christ,
Kara
PS I will not be available by e-mail this summer. During my sabbatical, I will be deleting all e-mails I receive, so please e-mail me again after August 15th if anything comes to mind during the summer. In case of emergency, contact Annie Bryson at the parish office and she can get in touch with me quickly.
PPS For more on Christ Church, see here:
https://www.christchurchtulsa.org/
https://livingchurch.org/news/progress-in-the-pandemic-christ-church-tulsa/