Dear Shallowford Family,

The Book of Ecclesiastes advises us: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” These seasons include a time to say hello, and a time to say goodbye. It has been my great joy to serve you in ministry for the last nine years. The time has come for me to follow God’s calling for the next season of my life. My last Sunday at Shallowford will be September 10th.

I have accepted the position of Chief Development Officer at Families First, a 133-year-old non-profit in the heart of Atlanta. The mission of Families First is “to build resilient families so all children can thrive.” They provide behavioral health, parenting, and permanency services to some of Atlanta’s most vulnerable residents. I will be working with a team of four to raise Families First’s annual budget from government grants, foundations, and individuals.

In June of 2014, Shallowford welcomed me as your Associate Pastor for Mission & Adult Discipleship with open and enthusiastic arms. I have never encountered such an active and engaged group of disciples. Shallowford, you are, for me, the embodiment of the Greatest Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Week in and week out, we have grown in our faith together through worship, Sunday school, small groups, book clubs, and special programs. It was a delight to teach and learn from you because of your curiosity, honesty, and genuine fellowship.

“And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Some of my most meaningful moments in ministry have been in mission with you: from supporting Shalom’s youth to packing Stop Hunger Now meals, from founding Memorial Drive Ministries to welcoming La Amistad to our campus, from four trips to Haiti to two refugee families resettled. Again and again, you showed up! Your generosity and faithfulness propelled us to love and to serve our neighbors in ever deeper and bolder ways.

Shallowford, words fail to express my gratitude and love for this congregation. Thank you for the incredible opportunity to walk alongside you in faith. I will miss you dearly. My prayer for you is that you continue to grow and shine in your love of God and neighbor. You are such an exceptionally warm and dedicated congregation, and I know that you will continue to care for and encourage one another and bless our neighbors near and far.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
Grace & Peace,

A Note from Pastor Anna

t has been an incredible joy to serve alongside Rev. Catherine Foster. Without a doubt, her ministry at Shallowford will have ripple effects for years to come. We have benefited from Catherine’s strong worship leadership, passion for justice-based mission work, engaging Bible studies, eloquent prayers, and pastoral touch. I hope you will all join me in sending Catherine off to her next phase of ministry with our gratitude and prayers. We will miss her greatly, and we are better for having spent this chapter of our lives of faith together.

In the coming week, the Personnel Committee and I will be working on a plan to support the ministries of Mission and Adult Discipleship in this transition, with complete confidence that these vital programs will continue to thrive for years to come.

The session has called a congregational meeting following the 11:00 a.m. worship service on September 10th to officially mark the end of Catherine’s ministry with Shallowford. Afterward, we will head into the Great Hall to celebrate her during our previously scheduled “Shally Tailgate” congregational lunch – Click HERE to RSVP. It will be a time of laughter, tears, gratitude, and fellowship, and I hope you will all join us.