The Vestry is proud to announce the seventh Rector in the history of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church:  THE REVEREND MICHAEL RADFORD SULLIVAN.

Michael Sullivan is 42 years old and is currently the Rector of St. John’s Episcopal in Lynchburg, VA, a corporate parish of over 1700 parishioners. He is married to wife Page, and they have a daughter, Mattie (13), and a son, Jack (10).

Holy Innocents’ expects to welcome Michael in early August.

Below is a letter from Michael to the parish.

Trinity Sunday
7 June 2009


Dear People of Holy Innocents’:

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

To greet you, knowing that our call together brings God’s vision among us, brings joy to my soul. I am deeply honored to accept the call of God through your Bishop and vestry and look forward to many years of shared ministry together.

Words cannot describe the process that has brought us to this day; “spiritual” or “formative” do not capture what I have experienced journeying with your search committee and vestry. With them I have laughed, cried, and explored the wonder of our lives, and in the process we have discovered common bonds that surprised us all. The members of those committees are deeply committed disciples of Christ striving to embody all that God calls us toward in the community of the faithful.  The deep passion for God they share, the excitement they have for the future, and their willingness to engage God’s vision are immense. In the end, it was their passion that most defined my sense of call among you.

Their passion is no doubt a microcosm of the whole parish. I discovered your passion for one another and God when I heard so many stories of your care and love. And then I was lucky to see it in pictures from Haiti, feel it in the hallways of ESL, and hear it in a recording of your singing. And, of course, it was palpable in my visit to HIES. I cannot wait to share in all these ministries, discover many more, sing and celebrate with you on Sundays, and discover all that life brings to us.

My family faces days with much change and many emotions. I am in the midst of the pain and loss that comes to a parish when a rector leaves; please pray for the good people of St. John’s, Lynchburg. Our children, Mattie (age 13) and Jack (age 10), will be saying goodbye to friends. Page, my beloved of 18 years, will wind up her teaching and help me begin thinking about the awful task of moving. As these days pass, pray for us and for our transition.

We hope to arrive in early August. Until then, we remember you daily in our prayers, trusting in God’s continued call to us all and preparing for our home at Holy Innocents’!

God’s peace be with you all.


Faithfully,



The Rev. Michael Radford Sullivan

 

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