October Tower Echoes: Vicar Update

Hello everyone! As I’m sure you are aware of by now, I did not leave Phinney Ridge at the end of July like we had originally planned when I started my internship in August 2020. I’m beyond excited to be staying in Seattle and staying as a part of this congregation for another year, as we continue to navigate what it means to be in this hybrid mode of ministry. I did, however, officially (and successfully!) complete my internship on July 31st!

While I will still be called Vicar, I am now moving into a role of working part-time at the church instead of being the full-time intern. As a part of this second year, I will primarily be focusing on pastoral care, preaching, and worship leadership; the activities that we were not able to do much of in-person during the time of my formal internship. I will also be completing my final year of classes at Wartburg Seminary as a distance student. I was able to go back to campus a few weeks ago for the first week of classes; it was incredibly life-giving to be able to reconnect with my classmates, faculty, and the place that I had called home for two years. And, after a week of humid, Iowa September, I was grateful to come back home to Seattle’s cool rains. I am excited for this year of classes as I study topics such as Lutheran Ethics and Isaiah, and I look forward to the ways that being in classes will continue to shape my ministry leadership here at Phinney! I cannot wait to keep learning and growing alongside all of you in this second year; thank you for giving me this opportunity!

Peace,

Vicar Sara Funkhouser