June 9, 2024 | Bobby Harrison | Matthew 11:28-30

This past Sunday, I shared with our familia that I will be transitioning out of my role as Co-Lead Pastor. If you missed the message, I believe watching and hearing the story will be most helpful in holding the sacredness of the story. I also wrote a letter about this movement in my life – and the life of our church – to our congregation last week that you can read here.

I want you to know how profoundly grateful I am for the compassion and care so many of you met me and my family with in that moment. Your words, your eyes, your embrace, your presence. To see your faces was to see the face of God. Over and again, each person anew. And the texts and emails and calls this week have been a gift I will long treasure. The Church We Hope For is that rare community that can hold a community’s story of loss while still honoring a pastor’s (and person’s) reality of pain. What embodied grace. What expansive love. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Pastora Inés has begun a transition plan that she outlined below my announcement here (https://thechurchwehopefor.com/pastor-bobby-harrisons-transition) as well. And please know, familia, there is already a deeply thoughtful and intentional vision for our community being implemented in real time. More of this will continue to be communicated each step of the way. But as a people that take grief and practices of lament seriously, we also don’t want to abruptly move too quickly beyond the gravity of this moment. All of this is being taken into great consideration and care, with that deep balance of compassion and wisdom.