Close to 100 people gathered in the Newton room on Sunday for a high tea in honor of Bishop Alan and Donna Scarfe. Bishop Alan was touched by the gift of a canvas with the Grace acrostic and an image of the church from the vestry, a scrapbook with photographs and notes from parishioners assembled by Reverend Amy, and a painting commemorating his “pub hours” from Marvin Humphrey. Senior Warden Genevieve Schlangen summed up the feelings of the congregation in her words of heartfelt gratitude for Bishop Alan’s wisdom, humor, and guidance of the parish during uncertain times. Bishop Alan expressed his love and gratitude for the congregation and all he has received in return. You can listen to his Sunday sermon here.
From Rev. Amy:
I am so incredibly grateful to Bishop Alan for the nearly 3 years of his life that he has given to us, to Donna for sharing him with us and becoming such a vibrant part of our community, and to God for bringing us together! I know this is not a goodbye, but merely an “hasta luego”… We’ll see you later! I’m so pleased Bishop Alan will be with us in October for the Church Future conference and in November for the 150th anniversary. It would be impossible to fully put into words all that Bishop Alan’s time with us has given us, but what I am most grateful for is that he has given me and Grace Church back to each other. I am so excited to be returning full-time to this beloved congregation. Because of Bishop Alan‘s guidance, God‘s grace, and the congregation’s faith and resilience, we are on firm footing as we look to a future with celebration, anticipation, and creativity. We’re going to have a lot of fun!
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