Saint Peter's Calls Next Senior Pastor
A Letter from Senior Pastor-Elect Jared R. Stahler
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
February 29, 2020
Dear Faithful People of Saint Peter's Church,
As the call process unfolded these past several weeks, you surrounded me and Nicholas with your prayer, your support and your love. The sense of joy throughout has been overwhelming — from Call Sunday to the celebrations that followed that evening and later that week, in various parish meetings and among conversations with staff, in notes you have sent and continue to send. For me, all of this has been nothing other than a sign of the Holy Spirit moving ever anew in our midst.
As I reflect on the time we live in and the ministry to which God calls us, I think of the Gospel of John. Faith active in love is at the heart of what the Gospel calls the Beloved Community. From the Wedding Feast at Cana in Galilee to the Tomb of Lazarus, "the light that shines in darkness" shines forth in the very ways in which the Beloved Community cares for those within the community and, most especially, for those outside it. Nothing can overcome this light, Saint John tells us. Nothing. Because, no one can take from us God's ways of generosity, kindness, meekness, openness, understanding. These are always light. These are always truth. These are always life.
There is much challenge ahead as we set out to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Much challenge ahead as we intentionally come together to develop a strategic plan for the "new Saint Peter's." From disinterest in membership to growing distrust of organizations, the dynamics of being church in the third decade of the 21st century are far different from the dynamics of being church in decades and centuries past. Yet, by God's promise and as we live in light and truth, all our striving, all our serving, all our giving is filled — and fills us — with nothing other than life.
To be sure, this way of living is a very "old thing." We know its promise by the witness of our ancestors in faith. But, by the gift of the Holy Spirit this way of living is also a very "new thing." It is alive and at work in us.
Confident in this gift, thankful for the strong foundation given us through the faithful leadership of Pastor Derr and looking forward to continued partnership with Pastor Arias, I accept your call to serve among you as senior pastor. Please pray for me in these weeks and months ahead, even as I will pray for and with you as together we continue to be formed by the power of the Holy Spirit into God’s Beloved Community in this place.
Grace and peace to you,
The Rev. Jared R. Stahler
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Sábado después del miércoles de ceniza
29 de febrero de 2020
Queridos fieles de la Iglesia de Saint Peter's,
A medida que se desarrollaba el proceso de llamada en las últimas semanas, nos rodeó a mí y a Nicholas con su oración, su apoyo y su amor. La sensación de alegría en todo momento ha sido abrumadora: desde Call Sunday hasta las celebraciones que siguieron esa tarde y más tarde esa semana, en varias reuniones parroquiales y entre conversaciones con el personal, en notas que ha enviado y continúa enviando. Para mí, todo esto no ha sido más que una señal del Espíritu Santo moviéndose siempre de nuevo entre nosotros.
Al reflexionar sobre el tiempo en que vivimos y el ministerio al que Dios nos llama, pienso en el Evangelio de Juan. La fe activa en el amor está en el corazón de lo que el Evangelio llama la Comunidad Amada. Desde la fiesta de bodas en Caná en Galilea hasta la tumba de Lázaro, "La luz que brilla en la oscuridad" brilla de la misma manera en que la Comunidad Amada se preocupa por los que están dentro de la comunidad y, más especialmente, por los que están fuera de ella. Nada puede superar esta luz, nos dice San Juan. Nada. Porque nadie puede quitarnos las formas de generosidad, amabilidad, mansedumbre, apertura y comprensión de Dios. Estos siempre son ligeros. Estas siempre son verdad. Estos son siempre la vida.
Hay muchos desafíos por delante cuando nos proponemos satisfacer las necesidades de los más vulnerables. Quedan muchos desafíos por delante cuando nos unimos intencionalmente para desarrollar un plan estratégico para el "nuevo Saint Peter's". Desde el desinterés en la membresía hasta la creciente desconfianza hacia las instituciones, la dinámica de ser iglesia en la tercera década del siglo XXI es muy diferente de la dinámica de ser iglesia en décadas y siglos pasados. Sin embargo, por la promesa de Dios y mientras vivimos en la luz y la verdad, todo nuestro esfuerzo, todo nuestro servicio, todo lo que damos se llena, y nos llena, con nada más que la vida.
Sin duda, esta forma de vida es una "cosa vieja". Conocemos su promesa por el testimonio de nuestros antepasados en la fe. Pero, por el don del Espíritu Santo, esta forma de vida es también una "cosa nueva". Está vivo y trabajando en nosotros.
Confiado en este regalo, agradecido por le fundamento sólido brindado a través del liderazgo fiel del Pastor Derr y esperando con anticipo continuar la camaradería con el Pastor Arias, acepto su llamado para servir entre ustedes como Pastor Principal. Por favor oren por mí en estas semanas y meses por venir, así como yo oraré por ustedes y con ustedes juntos, continuaremos formándonos por el poder del Espíritu Santo en la Amada Comunidad de Dios en este lugar.
Gracia y paz para ustedes,
Reverendo Jared R. Stahler
A Letter from the Parish Presidents
March 4, 2020
Dear Faithful People of Saint Peter’s Church
Blessings to you as we have begun our journey to the cross and then to the empty tomb that promises victory over death and salvation for the world. This is also a time for preparation and much gratitude in the life our parish community.
We would like to give thanks to God for you and with you, for your spirit-led discernment and vote on Call Sunday, your joyful participation at our Wednesday bilingual mass and reception, and our bittersweet farewell and godspeed to Pastor Stahler as he ends his service among us as associate pastor and goes on sabbatical. While we give thanks to God for you and with you for your participation in these recent events, we must also give thanks for all your continued participation in the past two years in preparation for this time in our community. Our preparation work continues in the coming months as we nominate and look to elect our new parish council, we look to live more deeply into our merged community by reviewing our combined cabinet and committee rosters, and finally work on our first joint budget of our new parish community.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Stahler for his service with us as our Associate Pastor, his discernment during the call process, and for the work he has done and will continue to do in preparation to serve as our Senior Pastor. At our February meeting, the Parish Council affirmed the dates and Pastor Stahler’s plan for his previously approved three month sabbatical. Pastor Stahler will be away on sabbatical starting March 1 and returning on May 29th in time for our 40th Memorial Vespers and Pentecost. Pastor Stahler’s sabbatical will give him time to reflect on and bring conclusion to 15 years of ministry at Saint Peter’s as well as time for looking to the future. He will begin to chart his leadership of our strategic planning process: he will visit a number of different churches and ministry sites to study dynamics of collegial ministry, engagement with the general public, ministry in “borderland” contexts, and religious/not-for-profit partnerships.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Arias as he continues to guide the former members of Sion, Iglesia Luterana, now members of Saint Peter’s, to full participation through the merger process and now the call process all the while continuing to teach us all how not only our building but also our parish community is called to be a welcoming sanctuary to all. Pastor Arias, with the leaders of the misa community, now work to take the final steps of holy dissolution of Sion, Iglesia Luterana and begin the transfer of assets to Saint Peter’s Church.
We would like to give thanks to God for and with Pastor Derr for his continued service and guidance during this time of transition and as he prepares to complete his call with us as our Senior Pastor. It is no secret that without Pastor Derr’s sustained and capable leadership of our community and with our community, for the past 23 years, we would not be able to discern our future from such a position of abundance. On Saturday, June 27, 2020, Pastor Derr will preside and preach at a mass celebrating the Day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and conclude our ministry together with him at Saint Peter’s Church and we shall bid each other farewell. The Parish Council will share details following our regular meeting near the end of March of ways we can participate in preparations for that mass and celebration.
As we excitedly prepare for at all that will be, let us take a moment to give thanks for all that has been.
Let us pray,
We thank you, Lord God, for brave and believing pastors who plant your message in this place.
We praise you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who worked in them to gather and give order to this community, and who still sustain it.
We glorify you, almighty God, for by the power of the Spirit you have knit us your servants into the one body of your Son, Jesus Christ. Look with favor upon us in our commitment to serve in Christ’s name in this place, at this time. Give us courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our vocation of witness to the world and of service to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Christ,
Luis Octavio Huete Altamirano, Christopher Vergara
Parish Presidents
The Announcement of the Vote
February 16, 2020
With joy and thanksgiving, it is my privilege to announce that the Congregation of Saint Peter’s Church has voted today to call the Rev. Jared R. Stahler to serve as Senior Pastor of Saint Peter’s Church.
Reporting to the members of Saint Peter’s Executive Committee, the professional, election-managing firm Honest Ballot reported the following results of members voting after each of today’s liturgies:
Members present and voting, total: 149
Minimum 2/3 needed for adoption: 99
YES: 129
NO: 18
The resolution is adopted. Let us first give thanks to God together for the wonderful work of our Call Committee members: Andrew Hartman, Jocelyn Jones, Kristian Kraai, Marisa Mercurio, Lauraliz Morales, Julia Nelson, Mary Margaret Powers, Catherine Russell, Judith Sanchez, and Carol Trower. Thanks too for the leadership of Barbara Scaturro. Everyone worked diligently, thoughtfully, and prayerfully to get us to this day.
Next we invite you to give praise to God together for our vote by joining us at a festive bilingual mass and reception this Wednesday, February 19 at 6 p.m.
Finally, please join us now in giving glory to God together for the direction of the Holy Spirit which has brought us to this day and to ask for God’s continued guidance as we work on transition timeline:
We thank you, O God, for brave and believing people who sought to discern your will at this intersection. We praise you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who worked in them and continues to work in us to guide and sustain this community. We glorify you for Jesus Christ whose love calls all people to you, gathering them into the household of faith. We ask, O God, to direct us in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and extend to us your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name. All praise and glory be to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
In Christ
Luis Octavio Huete Altamirano, Christopher Vergara
Parish Presidents