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Dear Beloved People of St. Andrew’s,
There is “a time for every purpose under heaven,” as Ecclesiastes reminds us, and today we write to share news that is both joyful and bittersweet for our parish family.
After nearly fifteen years of faithful ministry at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, our Music Director, Sean Glennon, has announced that he will conclude his service here in September as he accepts a new position as the inaugural Music Director at United First Parish Church in Quincy.
Sean shared this news first with the choir this weekend, after what was a particularly beautiful final Sunday of the choir season. In many ways, it reflected exactly what Sean has offered St. Andrew’s for nearly a decade and a half: excellence, collaboration, humor, reverence, generosity, and music that deepens our worship and binds us together as a community of faith.
In Sean’s own words:
“While I have thoroughly enjoyed — and will always treasure — my time at St. Andrew’s over the past 14 years, 11 months, and 4 days, the demands of my full-time career and family obligations have increased exponentially during this period, and simply put, something has got to give. I am not ready to put away my organ shoes, but at the same time, I need a position that is closer to home and provides more time off ‘baked’ into the job.”
Sean’s new role at United First Parish Church — the historic “Church of the Presidents” in Quincy Center — brings him closer to both his home and workplace and offers an exciting new chapter in a place deeply connected to his own roots and passions.
“As a life-long resident of Quincy, and Adams Family fanatic,” Sean wrote, “I am incredibly honored and deeply humbled to have been offered the first-ever Music Director position. It’s a big responsibility and I am understandably anxious, but also excited about a new chapter and a new challenge that fits better into my work/life balancing act.”
As your Priest-in-Charge, I join all of you in the bittersweet celebration of Sean’s “graduation” from St. Andrew’s. While we are sad to see this chapter conclude, I cannot imagine a more wonderful next position for him. Sean has served this parish with extraordinary dedication, and he leaves an incredibly high bar for whomever God calls to serve as our next music director.
I am deeply grateful not only for Sean’s musicianship and leadership, but also for his partnership in ministry over these past two years. He has approached this transition with tremendous care and professionalism, helping to ensure continuity in our worship life and supporting the parish every step of the way.
Together with the Vestry and choir leadership, we will soon embark on a wide-ranging search for Sean’s successor. We will review and update the position description, share it broadly throughout the Diocese and wider musical community, and engage in an inclusive discernment and interview process that invites participation from choir members, parish leadership, and the wider congregation.
In the meantime, substitute musicians are scheduled for the summer months, and we are grateful for the strong foundation Sean leaves behind.
We also look forward to celebrating Sean’s ministry and legacy in the months ahead. Information about opportunities for gratitude and farewell gatherings will be shared soon in The Call and during announcements.
Sean wrote to the choir this weekend:
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you, and I hope it goes without saying that I am going to miss my dearly beloved St. Andrew’s community… You are all part of my family, and that will never change.”
And so, while this announcement naturally brings sadness and transition, it also offers us an opportunity for gratitude — gratitude for years of faithful ministry, for music that has lifted our hearts toward God, and for the relationships that endure long after roles and titles change.
Please hold Sean and Erin and their family Genevieve, Andrew in your prayers as they begin this next chapter, and please continue to pray for St. Andrew’s as we discern the future of our music ministry together.
God’s peace,
Amy+
The Rev. Amy Whitcomb Slemmer, Esq.
Priest-in-Charge
Sean Glennon
Music Director
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