Greetings from your (soon-to-be) Deacon

It is my pleasure to join The Rev. Jay Hanson as part of your interim ministry team. We look forward to sharing this period of transition with you at St. John's, and to continue the work that Henry and Lydia have been doing. I am especially glad to have a period of overlap working with my seminary classmate, Lydia Brown, before she moves to Christ Church.

There are some unique opportunities for reflection and discernment during this "in-between" time. This is an opportunity for St. John's to take time to remember the contributions of those who have helped to create this community, and also a time to set new priorities for future goals, while continuing to strengthen existing programs. This interim time can also be a time for healing, and for improving communication, as you join together in the search process. It is above all, a time to listen more closely to God's call - a time to be open to the work of the Spirit in discerning the future needs of this community.

During the first few weeks, Jay and I will be getting to know as many of you as possible, and we will try to listen a lot. We will soon have regular office hours, but in the meantime, please feel free to call me here at St. John's, or at my home, or office at 612-929-2495, or send me an e-mail at sbcmlander@aol.com

Stephen Lander,

Assistant to the Interim Priest (soon-to-be Deacon!)