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Dear
Cathedral Family,
Matthew
1:18–25 reminds us that God enters the world through moments of
transition, trust, and unexpected grace. With that same spirit, and
with deep gratitude, I share that the Rev. Siri Hauge Hustad will be
concluding her faithful service as part of our worship team.
Her
final service at the altar will be Christmas I, December 28th, and we
will gather at each service that morning for a Community Sending
Service to bless, thank, and honor her before she steps into her next
chapter.
Siri is
an extraordinary pastor, colleague, and friend, not only to me, but
to so many within this Cathedral community. She is a leader, a
groundbreaker, and a lifelong Episcopalian whose story is woven into
the very fabric of Saint Mark’s. Siri was one of the first female
acolytes of this Cathedral, baptized and raised in this community,
and baptized ,formed by its prayers,
mentors, and music and raised by this community.
Siri has
also been a founding member of our shared ministry team, stepping
into this experimental and collaborative model with courage,
creativity, and unwavering devotion. She has given tireless hours,
far beyond the visible moments at the altar, serving the people of
the Cathedral with a pastor’s heart and caring for this building and
its ministries with the kind of love that cannot be measured on a
calendar.
She has
shown up in quiet moments and urgent ones, in celebrations and
sorrows, offering stability, insight, compassion, and humor exactly
when they were needed most.
And I
want to say this clearly, as your Provost and with resolute
conviction: Siri has been an anchor of who we are today as a staff
and ministry team, and a living sign of who we hope to be as a people in the future. Her faithfulness,
integrity, and unwavering commitment to the Gospel have shaped our
identity and strengthened the foundation upon which we now stand.
She has
served with joy, integrity, and courage, especially in her ministry
with youth and young adults, her steadfast accompaniment of the
marginalized, and her fierce advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.
Before
her ordained ministry, Siri served as a Public Health nurse, meeting
people exactly where they were, in every condition of life, with
compassion, dignity, and unwavering empathy. This deep care for God’s
children has always grounded her heart and helped shape the priest
she is today.
When I
think of Siri, one word rises above all the others: Agape—God’s
unconditional, self-giving love. That love shines through her
ministry, her presence, her preaching, and her pastoral heart.
We are
grateful beyond words for the time she has shared with us and for the
many ways she has helped shape this community with grace, courage,
and hope.
As we
prepare for her December 28th sending, I invite us all to join in
prayer:
Holy
and gracious God,
We
give you thanks for the ministry of your servant Siri,
for
her faithfulness, her courage, and her unquenchable love for your
people.
We
thank you for the ways she has led us—
with
clarity and compassion,
with
joy and conviction,
with
a heart that reflects your own.
Bless
Siri as she enters this next season of life and ministry.
Grant
her rest where she needs rest,
renewal where she seeks renewal,
and
delight in the unfolding of your call.
May
she know the gratitude of this community
who
has been shaped by her presence,
enriched
by her wisdom,
and
inspired by her love.
Send
her forth in peace,
surrounded
by grace,
strengthened
by faith,
and
carried by your Spirit
into
the future you have prepared.
In
Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen.
I invite
you to hold Siri in your prayers and to join me in giving thanks to
God for her remarkable ministry among us.
With
gratitude and hope,
The
Rev. Timothy M. Kingsley
Provost,
Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral
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