I am delighted to be at St. Michael’s as your Interim Rector.  I realize a number of folks don’t know me, so I wanted to offer the Reader’s Digest edition of my story.  I was born in Waynesboro as the youngest of four children to Anne and Buddy Herrington.  We went to the Methodist Church until I was 12.  My mom’s family had been Baptist and my dad’s family was Methodist.  We began attending St. Michael’s and all four of us kids were confirmed in 1964.

Although I had been an Episcopalian for many years, my intentional spiritual discernment did not truly begin until my father became seriously ill. My father had a stroke, and died six months later in January of 2001.  With his death, I began a journey of self- examination and soul searching.  Several practices, including Spiritual Direction and Centering Prayer, helped me to heal the gaping wounds of divorce and grief.   The Centering Prayer, which in a purposeful way set aside time with God.  I began to make some sense of it all.  I had begun to forgive my ex-husband, forgive myself and forgive God.  I began to see the great need to get outside of myself and help others.  I became a part of the Kairos Prison Ministry and it surely has my heart.  I think I can relate to the ladies in prison, because I have spent so much of my own life in prisons of my own making, involving expectations, or roles we often play.  God has showed me so much through the Kairos ministry.  I have witnessed the awesome power of forgiveness and seen God’s hand heal so much pain and brokenness.

In dealing with the grief of my father’s death, I began to think about my own life, what I had accomplished, and what God wanted of me.  I have had some amazing experiences and felt God’s presence in my life after dealing with the loss of my father.   I began thinking about the definition of success, the world’s and mine.  My definition of success is geared more toward fulfillment, of making a difference, doing something meaningful that impacts the lives of others, and not so tied to achievement and recognition.

I retired in 2006, after spending thirty years as a Special Education teacher and School Psychologist, beginning in Burke County, Chatham County and ending in Columbia County.  After thirty years in the public school system in Georgia, I retired to complete the four year process of preparation for the priesthood.  My mother was so proud of my growth and commitment.  I had attended summer school at The University of the South (Sewanee) for two years, worked with individual priests in the canonical areas, and concluded my work with a year of Anglican Studies at Sewanee.

The months and years have shaped my rough edges, clarified my theology, my sense of self and God’s place in my life.  I have had the opportunity to celebrate God’s grace in the healing of my brokenness from my divorce and the empowerment I have claimed in my life.  My spiritual journey has been a time of searching for clarity, for a sense of balance, a belief in myself, and a sense of purpose.  I’m grateful for my journey, for I’m surely not the person I used to be, but I’m not the person I wish to be, so the journey continues.  I am a child of God - a child of God with many gifts that God wants me to share. I am so excited to be at St. Michael’s. It almost feels like I have come full circle.  God has prepared me for this homecoming and I look forward to serving you.   

In knowing me, it is probably important to know who God is for me. I believe in one God - the Old Testament God who passionately desired a relationship with God’s people and the New Testament God who continues to show grace, mercy, and love to God’s people.

I love the story of six-year-old Johnny.  Johnny rushed home from Sunday School and ran to his mother’s room.  His mother followed him, only to find him staring into the full-length mirror on her wall.  He looked, then he jerked to the left, then to the right.  Over and over he jerked and swayed, all the while his little face was contorted in heavy thought.  His mother finally asked what was going on.  Johnny said, “In Sunday School, the teacher said that Jesus was in each of us.  I thought if Jesus was in me, I could see him sticking out.”  I strive in my life to see “Jesus sticking out” of others and for others to see “Jesus sticking out” of me.  I believe we are to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.  What an Awesome God we serve!

I welcome the opportunity to get to know each of you.  I am to be at St. Michael’s on Monday/Friday (10:00AM to 5:00PM), and Wednesday (10:00AM to 8:00PM) of each week.