Dear Friends and Foundry Community,
I write to you today with an important update. Foundry’s Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) and Board at large have given Pastor Ginger a five-month Health and Spiritual Renewal Leave. The leave, which in accordance with United Methodist Church and Baltimore-Washington Conference policies, is part of how the church nurtures its clergy. Various kinds of leave are available to full-time clergy every six years in recognition of the unique weight that pastors carry from their work. After 22 years of pastoral ministry, including eight years at Foundry, Pastor Ginger’s creative well needs to be refreshed and her body needs to be cared for. Pastor Ginger’s leave will begin on January 15, 2023 and extend through June 15, 2023.
Pastor Ginger is not leaving Foundry, nor is there any problem at Foundry that has led to her stepping away. She loves her work at Foundry and wants to bring her best self to Foundry for years to come. The Board fully supports Pastor Ginger taking this leave, and we look forward to continuing to work with her once she returns.
Please know that, while no one could truly fill her shoes, there is a plan to provide leadership and support for Foundry while Pastor Ginger is on leave. The Rev. David Argo will serve as Acting Senior Pastor for the five months that Pastor Ginger is away. The Bishop and Cabinet have been consulted and approve the coverage arrangement. Rev. Argo will support and collaborate with the staff, Board, and congregation to maintain the momentum of Foundry’s mission and ministry. He will not be at Foundry to assess or change anything, but rather he will be with us to support Foundry and provide pastoral leadership in Pastor Ginger’s absence. Rev. Argo previously served as a District Superintendent in the Baltimore-Washington Conference and knows Foundry well. We’ll share more about Rev. Argo in a future communication. On Sundays, a series of gifted preachers, together with Foundry’s clergy and lay speakers, will bless the Foundry family with their sermons and messages through this time.
This will be an important time for Foundry to lean further into the vision Pastor Ginger consistently casts of engaged community and service. Christ has no Body on earth, but ours! First, there will be many opportunities to continue to serve in the coming months and live into this vision; please listen for announcements on Sundays of new opportunities or check the Foundry website for recent updates. Second, if you have not already submitted your estimate of giving for 2023, now would be a great time to make a financial commitment to support Foundry so that we can keep Foundry’s ministry strong heading into the new year.
As you have questions, please reach out to me, any Foundry Board member, or email board@foundryumc.org. Thank you for your engagement at Foundry, and I know you’ll join the Foundry Board in keeping our Senior Pastor in your prayers during her leave.
Blessings,
Amanda Peterson Beadle
Foundry SPRC Chair and Foundry Board President
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