March 1, 2022
Dear St. Philip the Deacon Friends,
I write with news of an upcoming staff transition at St. Philip the Deacon: Rachel Arends, our Director of Early Childhood Ministry, has let us know that she has decided to pursue a new and different career path, which means that she will be leaving us later this month.
Rachel joined the SPD family in July 2017, so has been with us for a little more than four and a half years. Since she joined our staff, she has proven herself to be a faithful and creative guide for the youngest members of the SPD community, as well as their families. Through her time and energy, she leaves our Early Childhood Ministry in wonderful shape, and we will miss her faithful, thoughtful, and caring presence.
“Teaching, loving, and having fun with the littlest servants of this congregation has been a true blessing,” Rachel says. “We have praised, laughed, played, cried, and cared, all in the name of knowing one another and Jesus better. I pray they have soaked in even a fraction of what they have taught and shown me in the ways of faith, joy, and love. I am honored to have been amongst them, their families, and the other members of St. Philip the Deacon for the past four and a half years.”
Rachel is transitioning into a new line of work later this month, and her last day at St. Philip the Deacon will be Sunday, March 13, when we will have a chance to thank her publicly.
In the meantime, we extend our deep gratitude to Rachel for all of the ways she has blessed us over these last four years, and we encourage you to reach out to her with your own message of gratitude and support for her as she begins this new chapter in her life.
Grace and Peace,
Tim Westermeyer
Senior Pastor