Adelyn Tyler-Williams Accepts New Call
A Letter From Evan
Almost two years ago, when I interviewed Adelyn, I asked her to think of her role at St. Paul's as one she could pursue for three to five years, but I acknowledged to her that it might not take that long before an exciting opportunity came and found her. Well, it has.
Adelyn has accepted a call to serve at a fabulous parish in Washington, DC. Her last Sunday with us will be February 12, and she and Angela will move there later next month. This is an exciting transition for her, and it reflects her deep gifts for ministry, but it comes with sadness and disappointment for all of us.
Please join me in giving thanks for Adelyn's ministry among us and praying for her and Angela during this transition. The vestry and I are already thinking about what will come next for our church, and I believe that, once Sara Milford has joined us, we will be in a good position to make those plans. In the meantime, keep the staff and vestry in your prayers as we seek to be faithful during this latest transition.
Yours faithfully,
Evan
A Letter From Adelyn
To the dear people of St. Paul’s:
Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany! As wise people journey to Jesus, I want to inform you of the ways the Spirit calls me in my journey.
I have accepted a call to serve as the Associate Rector of Worship and Discipleship at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. I am excited about this new role, the church, and the opportunity to move our family to DC. At the same time, I feel real sadness in leaving St. Paul’s and St. Martin’s much sooner than I could have imagined. You have been a tremendous community in which to begin my priesthood!
Much of a curacy is learning how to be a priest and shaping one’s priestly identity. This will always be the place of so many firsts—my first baptism, my first time chanting the Eucharist and serving as a priest for Christmas and Easter, my first community for deep pastoral care, and the first place I was loved and embraced as a priest. You have helped form my ability to be fully present in worship and to work with gifted lay leaders who are vergers, acolytes, and eucharistic ministers, something that will certainly help me in my next call. You have shown me the ways God calls us to ministries of social justice through dedicated volunteering with Community Meals, Prison Ministry, Justice for All, Becoming Beloved Community, and so many others; through a commitment to the work of the community and to creating non-profits that respond to the needs you discover. The staff and vestry have helped me learn to dream about ministry and to put those dreams into a balanced budget and concrete goals. In my work at St. Martin’s, I have learned from the curiosities of college students and have gained independence and confidence in my ministry—creating plans for worship, formation, and fellowship.
This is a church with incredible staff and clergy, gifted and dedicated lay leadership, and a real passion for the work of Jesus. I have immense gratitude for this community—for each of you as individuals and for the Body of Christ as it is made present at St. Paul’s.
We still have several weeks to enjoy ministry together and I feel confident about the continued social justice efforts of St. Paul’s. My last Sunday with you will be February 12, which just so happens to be my birthday! In my time here and beyond, I will continue to pray for you, and I hope you will pray for me as well.
With love and gratitude,
Adelyn