Dear Talmadge Hill Family,
This Sunday marks the beginning of our interim journey together, and I am deeply grateful to be serving as your Interim Pastor.
When I first encountered the Talmadge Hill Community Church’s profile a year ago, I wasn't in a position to apply for your installed pastor search. Yet something about Talmadge Hill lingered with me: how you describe yourselves as a community that creates sacred space through wholehearted engagement, courageously meeting people in those tender places we often hesitate to acknowledge.
Earlier this year, as my ministry in Saratoga Springs was drawing to a close, I was seeking a new position. When I learned that Talmadge Hill had shifted its search from an installed pastor to an interim pastor position, I felt a deep sense of possibility. Here was an opportunity to serve a community that had already resonated deeply within me and captured my imagination. Through my conversations with Lisa, Patrice, and Russ, I began to glimpse the remarkable spirit of this simple sanctuary nestled in the wooded beauty between Darien and New Canaan, where its simplicity holds such profound beauty.
What deeply moves me is witnessing a church where vulnerability becomes a wellspring of strength rather than weakness, where authenticity nurtures safety rather than judgment. You have cultivated a community that values spiritual connection over rigid doctrines, understanding that transformation flourishes when we dare to be our most authentic selves and walk alongside one another on life's sacred journey.
Your mission to "Know the Love of God and Share It" is rooted in extravagant hospitality and a willingness to embrace life's paradoxes. Here, belonging to community and serving one another and the world around us becomes a joyful response to God's love. You understand that simplicity, both physical and spiritual, cuts through life's distractions to focus on authentic relationships with God and one another.
I am looking forward to meeting you in person this Sunday. As we cultivate relationships, please know that it will take me a little while to learn all your names and make all the connections. With that in mind, please don't hesitate to introduce yourselves and even reintroduce yourselves so that I can connect with you and hear your unique stories. And if I ask your name more than once, please don't be offended!
As we begin this new chapter, it feels significant that our first Sunday together is Homecoming Sunday. In many ways, I am coming home to a spiritual family. Together, we will hold the present moment while honoring the past and embracing the future with hope and courage. I invite you to join us in worship on Sunday, whether you've been part of Talmadge Hill for years, haven't been here for some time, or are considering visiting for the very first time.
With gratitude and excitement!
Mooi Loop,
Dries