Dear beloved St. Francis community,

As I announced with a mix of sadness and deep gratitude at the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, music director Richard Weidlich will be moving to the West Coast in early 2027. After 17 remarkable years of ministry at St. Francis, Richard will be leaving a community that has been deeply shaped by his music, faith, creativity and love.

Over the coming months, we will have many opportunities to celebrate Richard and Bud — and, of course, Auggie and Rico — and to give thanks for all they have meant to St. Francis.

Although I have had the privilege of serving alongside Richard for only a little more than a year, I have come to appreciate the extraordinary gifts he brings to our worship and community. Richard’s ministry has always been about far more than music. Through hymns and anthems, quiet preludes and glorious celebrations, he has helped us pray. He has accompanied this community through joy and grief, ordinary Sundays and holy days, and so many important moments in the life of this parish. In short, he has provided a soundtrack for our faith family. 

Bud, too, has brought his own wonderful spirit, generosity, and love to St. Francis. I will miss them both greatly, as I know so many of you will.

But we are not saying goodbye just yet. Richard, who started out as a bass section leader and then co-directed with Jim Fredericks, will serve as music director through Christmas. I'm also happy to announce that Jim and Julia will continue in their music roles after Richard's departure.

Transitions like this are bittersweet. They are also part of the life of every church. We move through different seasons together, giving thanks for what has been while opening ourselves to what God might be up to next. That is, after all, part of what it means to be people of the Resurrection: We trust that endings are never simply endings and that God is always bringing new life out of change.

We are beginning the important work of discerning what comes next for the music ministry of St. Francis. I have consulted with the Vestry and our plan is to hire an interim Music Director while we thoughtfully develop a job description and conduct a search for Richard’s successor. My hope is to have our new Music Director in place by Easter.

As part of that process, I hope you will join us for a "Music at St. Francis Forum" following the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, October 25, at 2810 Long Ridge Road. This will be an opportunity to bring your questions, share what you value about music at St. Francis, and, perhaps most importantly, dream out loud together about how we carry forward the extraordinary gift that Richard has given St. Francis in his time with us.

St. Francis has traveled through many seasons together over our 80 years, and through them all, people have continued to gather, worship, sing, serve, love one another, and embody God’s love in the world. I have every confidence that our music program will do the same in this new season.

Thank you for your prayers, your dedication and your love for St. Francis as we celebrate Richard and journey together into what comes next.

Faithfully,