Dear TSM Family...

It’s been a long time in coming, but I have something important to share with you now. I hold an odd mix of sadness and hope as I tell you this. I am moving on from my position here at Trinity.

I’m sure the first question in mind is why, and I wish there were a simple clear answer I could give that would make sense, and begin to make it o.k. on a practical level, but I’m doubtful I can. My faith in Jesus has slowly been changing the last few years, and while it has grown stronger than ever, it is causing me to long for some kind of new expression. While I don’t know exactly what that looks like, I know I want continue following the rabbi wherever that may lead, and so it is time for the next steps in our journey.

At this point I can’t even tell you what’s next for our family, because we are still wrestling through that. But wherever change takes us, know and remember that we will cherish and celebrate the time we’ve had together with you, and the relationships we have built, because they live forever with us. Change is normally hard and it sometimes hurts because we lose certain things. While we need to grieve those losses, we also want to be grateful and thankful for all that we have gained through the time that we have had to share our lives as we have walked through this journey of faith together.

A verse for the Journey ahead: “When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar. When I see you again, you’ll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You’ll no longer be so full of questions.”

I don’t think that there is any reason why you, or anyone, would get the wrong idea, but I want to be clear that Duane and the whole staff have always been supportive and an awesome group to work with, and I am not leaving due to any conflict or problem. Please don’t tolerate any rumors that hold even a shadow of those ideas.

The only thing I would ask for from you now would be an echo of what our master said before he left. Love one another even better than I have loved you.

Thank you for your love and support through these years, and for sharing your lives and faith with our family.

Brad Clark