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Dear Brothers and Sisters across our diocese:
This week marks a next step in transition for me and for our diocese. My first day in our diocesan offices will be Wednesday, September 16. This time has been emotional, as I have said goodbye to the people of Holy Nativity on Oʻahu and now prepare with joy to join you all, as we begin our new ministry together.
As we look toward the future, I want to let you know that there will be a new, but very familiar face on our diocesan staff. The Rev. Jazzy Bostock has accepted my invitation to serve as Canon for Clergy Transition Ministries and Pilina. As Canon for Clergy Transition Ministries, she will accompany our congregations that are experiencing a change in clergy and work with the Commission on Ministry and me regarding placement and on-boarding of newly ordained clergy. Her role as Canon for Pilina is multi-faceted. She will engage in intentional discussions with Kānaka ʻŌiwi and other diocesan leaders, especially those from historically marginalized communities. I am confident she will assist us in moving toward an ever-greater understanding of our shared history, our ability to work with difference, and our sense of membership together in God’s Beloved Community. Canon Jazzy will begin her work on the diocesan staff on November 1, while she continues to serve the people of St. John the Baptist in Waiʻanae on Oʻahu. Please join me in welcoming her and praying for all of our work in these important ministry areas.
In the days to come, I look forward to celebrating all that is good in our diocese, honoring especially, significant memories and traditions. I also look forward to discerning with you about–and then planning for–all that is to come before us in the years ahead.
I close with a prayer adapted from Prayers from an Island by Richard Wong:
God of the heavens and earth,
Show us the worlds of vastness that you have given into our care…
The majesty of Mauna Kea brooding in the clouds,
The great arc of Hawaiian skies bending blue from sea to sea,
The roar of surf without beginning and without end,
The universes of history in our people–in Hawai’i, Guam and Saipan.
Keep us glad for our islands—and guide us, we pray, as we embark on a new journey together in your Name. Amen.
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