A Fond Farewell

This month we say goodbye to a beloved staff member and servant leader, Pastor Kathy Graves.
Since 2006, Pastor Kathy has served God’s mission at Trinity with faithfulness, humility, wisdom, joy, and Christ-like compassion. She has been a conduit for God’s healing and hope in times of crisis and loss – and a voice for the Spirit’s wisdom and guidance. As one former Council member said, “She has a knack for taking everything that’s been said and providing that one insight we all missed, that made it all clear.”
Pastor Kathy will retire at the end of this month, leaving our staff as the third longest-tenured pastor in Trinity’s history. And while she doesn’t care at all about her place on the “longest-serving” list, her impact on this congregation and the wider community will be felt for years to come. Kathy’s gifts for end of life ministry, spiritual direction, mental health, and grief care – along with an uncanny knack for identifying people’s gifts and encouraging (arm-twisting?) them to serve (only for them to discover they love it), has transformed lives and enlivened our community of faith. She is a servant with a heart for Jesus and a marvelous colleague in ministry. God has used her in powerful ways, not just at Trinity, but throughout her career as a parish pastor, mission developer, and chaplain.
We will celebrate Pastor Kathy and her many years of faithful service on June 25-26. Pastor Kathy will preach at all three services that weekend. Then on Sunday, following the outdoor service, we will gather in the courtyard for an informal reception in her honor. I hope you will join us as we thank God for her calling as a pastor and pray God’s blessings on all that lies ahead.