Hello –
Your collective attempt to make the celebration of my 20 years as Rector of St. Paul’s a surprise worked!
Like Mike Struck with his 40th celebration last fall, I knew something was coming but not when or what. If I thought about it, which I tried not to, I assumed that something would happen after a Sunday service. So coming late on a Saturday afternoon to a surprise Evensong (how Anglican!) with a fun party afterwards and friends from different parts of my life was both a surprise and a delight.
It’s a little strange to be thanking people for their expression of thanks, but I do want to celebrate Judy, who succeeded in both her goals of surprising me and making me cry; Jacob who asked for and received certificates of appreciation from officials in San Rafael, Marin, Sacramento and Washington DC; and Lorrie, Janie and Chloe, who managed countless details creatively and successfully.
And, of course, the music was glorious and my colleague Chip preached a perfect homily.
We are blessed together.
Blessings, Christopher
p: (415) 456-4842