Resignation

Well, it is true. I am throwing in the towel with Holy Trinity after nearly 15 years of an extraordinary pastorate. I know some are asking, "what precipitated this?" or "what caused this?" Everybody wants to find a reason or a blame to make sense of "such shocking news." Nothing is wrong, nothing is bad, it is simply time to move on. In as much as one is called to something, I believe one can be called away from something. We share a faith of hope and resurrection. I firmly believe that God is still speaking and acting in our lives and in our worlds and in the world. Change is a constant, just as each season evolves through solstices and equinoxes. As the sunset comes on this day, we hope for the sunrise of tomorrow.

God is incarnational. Through our relationships with creation, human and otherwise. I think we get a hint of God's revelation to us in the here and now. Through the human medium of existence I see God's presence most often. At Holy Trinity, a pastorate does not solely consist of preaching, hospital visits and teaching Bible classes. A pastor at Holy Trinity is an advocate, an activist, a chaplain, a politician, a confidant, an ombudsman, an ambassador, a musician, a prophet, a tour guide, a nurse, a counselor, an administrator, a defender, a coordinator, a cheerleader, a saint and a heretic. No minister could ask for a more exhilarating, joyous, challenging, perplexing, heartbreaking, bless-ed, innovative, and grace-filled balancing act like Holy Trinity United Church of Christ of Memphis. We have been on quite a journey together. In our collusion as the Holy Trinity community, God is very present.

The divine messages these days have been "Tim, it is time to go and get out of the way. You must let go of Holy Trinity. I have something else for you to do. Trust me." Holy Trinity is a top-notch church that has a wondrous future. This is no time for Holy Trinity to rest on its laurels and grow complacent. A new day is coming for all of us and we must walk into the future God has for us, come what may.

I hate long drawn-out departures. I am like my grandmother who, when she said good-bye would say it, give a quick hug and into the house she would run. So my season at Holy Trinity is down to a few weeks. The vestry has called the St. Louis Association office for guidance and support, a plan for interim ministry will begin shortly and an exhaustive search and call process will commence to locate the next great pastor of Holy Trinity United Church of Christ.

And let me lay one last thing to rest, a response to something that I heard. "Tim is leaving because he does not love us anymore." Holy Trinity is a fantastic church, which struggles with esteem issues from time-to-time. I suppose when you are an exhilic community, you kind of get tired of justifying your existence--that is understood. Let me be very clear: I love and care about Holy Trinity deeply. I have given 15 years of my life to this community. My family has grown-up here; my children claim this as their church; my partner has stood along with me and with HTUCC; we have loved this church with every part of our lives. The most loving thing we can do now, is let go of Holy Trinity and trust God's new creation. We will always cherish these precious days at Holy Trinity.

With much love and peace,
Pastor Tim