THE REV. EDIE+ HOLTON ACCEPTS CALL AS PRIEST IN CHARGE
We are delighted to announce that The Rev. Edie+ Holton has accepted our call to be the next Priest In Charge of Grace Church and St. Luke's, Brownsville! Rev. Edie's first Sunday with us will be Sunday, November 29, the First Sunday of Advent. At that time, as outlined in our agreement with St. Luke's to make it easier for Rev. Edie to serve both churches, our Sunday service time will officially move to 11:00am.
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DISCERNMENT COMMITTEE The Discernment Committee has unanimously recommended that Reverend Edie Holton be called to serve as half-time priest-in-charge at Grace.
Edie+ comes with a wealth of experience, as well as outstanding recommendations. She has served in many different capacities as a priest in the past -- chaplain, assistant and associate priest, and most recently director of spiritual care and well-being to residents of Acts Retirement Communities. That experience, and her background as a social worker prior to becoming a priest, have many practical applications that mean she will be a wonderful resource and leader for our community. It is obvious from each interaction that we have had with her (and as echoed by her references) that she is extremely well-grounded in the Gospels and is a deeply spiritual person. She prepared a masterful sample sermon in which she wove together and intertwined and addressed all three lessons simultaneously (which all members of the Committee commented on!), and she is clearly a liturgy-based preacher. In terms of her personality, Edie+ is warm, approachable, engaged, and full of energy and enthusiasm. Indeed, each member of the committee used similar terms in their descriptions of her -- as a "people person," an "empathetic listener," as "caring and full of compassion," and a person who is "invested and interested in people." As one of the references perhaps said it best, "she sees every person as an individual" and "appreciates the gifts of others." Indeed, we see her as so likable and friendly and comfortable, that we suspect that she will become an integrated part of our Grace family in very short order. In addition, Reverend Holton seems anxious and excited to be with us and to serve in our community. She comes across as having great respect for the work and service that we are already engaged with at Grace, and we believe that she will be a truly collaborative leader. There is a feeling among Committee members that she is not a person who will be trying to impose her own agenda but that she is someone who will be respectful and supportive of how we do things and what we want. In sum, every member of the Committee believes that she is perfectly- suited for leading and supporting us and our community. Indeed, we are convinced that she is an excellent fit for both the difficult times that we find ourselves in and for the kind of community that we are and that we aspire to be. |