Letters to the parish -- May 31, 2024
From Dean Julia
To the parishioners of Trinity Cathedral–
Beloveds in Christ, it is with a heavy but honest heart that I share the news of my impending retirement from Trinity. My husband John will retire from his long public finance career at the end of July, and—in consultation with our bishop and vestry—I have decided to join him. We have been a team for almost 40 years now (37 of them married, this very weekend) and we want to embark on the adventure of this next phase of life together. So my last Sunday at Trinity will be September 29.
Be assured that your bishop, your vestry—and God, above all—are with Trinity, and cheering on the good and gracious ministries that you have undertaken. Trinity is blessed with multiple clergy who will continue to serve with you, and a strong vestry and lay staff. They join me in working prayerfully and steadily towards a smooth transition. I'm sure that you (and me too, for that matter) would love to know exactly what will happen next, but—as Bishop Lucinda advised us on Tuesday night—our job now is to "stay in the moment." I look forward to four more fruitful months of ministry with you, as our vestry and Canon Martha prepare the next steps. Together with my namesake Julian of Norwich, I am confident of this: all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
Dean Julia
From Senior Warden Natalie Lias
I have such mixed emotions about the retirement of Dean Julia, as I’m sure many of you do as well. Julia has led us through the deepest extremes of pandemic isolation, welcomed the St. Mark’s community into Trinity, opened our campus to community partnerships, and worked so hard to bring together the diverse communities within Trinity into one Trinity parish. I will miss Julia deeply, but I am thrilled for her and her family and wish her deep joy, blessing, and fulfillment in retirement.
The Trinity Vestry, supported by Bishop Lucinda and by our Trinity clergy and staff, will continue to provide leadership through the transition period. For now, and during the next four months until Julia’s retirement, we are focused on staying present in the current moment: Dean Julia will continue to lead our parish through September as we move forward in ministry and in the Vital+Thriving discernment process.
Our vestry welcomes your support and prayer as we move forward into God’s preferred future for Trinity.
“Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27)
Blessings,
Natalie