Letter to the Keystone Congregation
May 21, 2024
Dear Keystone UCC Community,
I first discovered Keystone in January of 2023, when Living Water Inclusive Catholic Community, which had been founded the year before, had outgrown the homes we had been meeting in. Luckily, many of our members had come from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, which had recently closed, and someone said, “You ought to call Kate Speltz’s husband! He has a church!”
Little did I know that I would fall in love with Keystone. From the first time our board members met with the Keystone leadership team, I could see that they were like peas in a pod - seasoned, progressive Christians on fire for social justice and compassionate action in the world. It wasn’t long before I and some Living Water members started attending Keystone and heard Rich’s inspiring preaching and the beautiful music provided by Elliot and Yigit. When I discovered that I could do a ministerial apprenticeship at Keystone as the capstone to my Master of Divinity degree, I was elated. I was able to preach a few times, meet and work with more members of the congregations of both Keystone and the Taiwanese Christian Church, and complete on a couple of small projects around the building.
I am extremely sad that Rich and Rachel are leaving, although I know it is the right move for each of them. I have made myself available to be of service to Keystone as transition pastor in order to support the community during this time of transition. I am excited to get to know everyone better as we discern together about Keystone’s present and future. I will be ordained at Keystone on Saturday, May 25th by the Roman Catholic Womenpriests and I intend to seek “Dual Status” ordination with the UCC if possible. I am eager to see how Living Water and Keystone can work together even more closely, both on social justice/activism projects and possibly developing combined worship services from time to time as well!
I was most impressed by the sentence in Keystone’s profile that read, “We do not need a pastor to save us. We need leaders to support our leadership.” I have faith in the wisdom and passion of the Keystone members, and I hope to act as a loving witness to your process as I develop my preaching voice, facilitate worship, and keep things running with the help of the wonderful Keystone leadership team. My husband Matthew is a skilled contractor and can fix anything, so the church building won’t fall apart while I’m around, either!
Please let me know how I can be of service to you all.
Blessings,
Adina Meyer