October 18, 2025

To the people of God at St. Mark’s,

Where has the time gone? It’s hard for me to believe that my time here is nearly at an end. It’s easier for me to believe, but harder to realize, how much I’ve come to love you. Thanks to the kind soul who left coffee and a cookie for me this week (and the other surprises along the way), thanks for trusting me with your experiences, thanks for your kind compliments, thanks for listening with open hearts and minds, Thanks for trusting me with your questions and sharing your concerns, thanks for hugs and kind eyes, thanks

for your tears…so much more.

Knowing who you are, your history, your amazing steps forward, your generous hearts, your open hands in welcome and your courage to stand up for our dear, precious and fragile faith, I must only hold onto the fact that we can return and fully intend, God willing, to do so as soon as our one-year exile has been completed!

I am so proud to stand as one of you and to represent you in our community. Perhaps the blessing within the painful events which surround us is the fact that we seldom grow in times of prosperity (financial or spiritual), but are pushed to declare and defend what we value when we feel it is threatened. Last week, I went to the community dinner sponsored by the Black Chamber of Commerce in Beaufort in response to the tragic deaths on St. Helena Island. There were a few others from St. Mark’s, and I thank them for being there

to support those who have joined together to mourn their losses-over centuries of injustice. We sang, not of lament, but of victory over death, but over adversity (of which these folks know too well) and most joyfully of faith in God. As we broke bread together, I couldn’t help but reflect about the strength of character these souls displayed, their unity borne of adversity, their outward demonstration of joyful praise. But under it all was

a truly beautiful spirit. The room was filled with love, freely given. I was touched by the warm reception by everyone-so never fear my friends. Do not fear.

As we approach Advent, the beginning of the church’s new year, our readings will address concurrently apocalyptic end times and transition to a time of pregnancy-waiting for Christ’s birth. Perhaps we are in some ways there too. As a ‘boomer’, it reminds me a bit of how many of my generation felt when we were just spreading our wings. We looked at our parents’ generation (which we now call the Greatest generation) and felt confident that we were the ones to reform our society into one of love and peace. Many felt that the ‘establishment’ was filled with corruption, and too many were obsessed with the hedonistic ideas of spending their lives gaining money, prestige and power. No thought whatsoever was given to the environment or really even the health of our bodies. But we got on the bandwagon too. No intentional turning away, but the forces pulled us from our dreams and we, one by one, lost the intense desire to fight. Has the pendulum swung so far that we are once again, before our deaths, ready to openly and actively demonstrate the values our faith declares? I think this is one place where the spirit is still alive and kicking. I thank God that it is!

So, here we are. You’re awaiting a new leader with great and happy anticipation. I do too. We’re pregnant here at St. M’s, getting that nursery ready and dreaming our dreams for this place. I will, of course, be watching and waiting and praying for you all. I can hardly wait to see what you accomplish in this next year! I know you can’t do it alone, but there’s a lot that can be done right here in Beaufort County. A lot of kindness to be shared. A lot of people to be fed-literally, emotionally and spiritually. A lot of fellowship with those of other faith traditions to be built. A lot of interracial relationships and partnerships to be built and strengthened. A lot of sharing our message of grace and inclusion to be expanded.

My prayers and my heart are with Rev. Jenny and you.

May God bless and keep you,

Pam+