Transitions in Administrative Leadership

It seems to me the familiar saying, “All good things must come to an end,” is true, but deserves an addendum. I would propose, “All good things must come to an end, and it is an act of holiness to celebrate both the endings and the new beginnings.” Indeed, we have much to celebrate! After nearly seven years of service as your Parish Administrator, Wil Harkins, has decided to truly retire.

When I arrived at St. Michael’s, I was in awe not only of Wil’s command of the role, but his grasp on the heartbeat of the community. His attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and care for the needs of others is unparalleled. Many of you know he generates the weekly bulletins, makes sure your pledges are appropriately accounted for, and is the joy-filled voice who answers our phones. What you may not know is that he also makes sure we have plenty of toilet paper and coffee, sweeps the drains before a heavy rain so the parish hall won’t flood, and has not missed an inch of our walkway that needed tending after a snowstorm in a decade. In more ways than I can name, Wil has become for me the embodiment of the invitation in Paul’s letter to the Romans about living a holy life, “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (12:13) It is clear to me that everything Wil Harkins has done for this parish in his tenure as administrator has been a gift overflowing with generosity—truly infused with a holy motivation.

I have frequently “joked” with Wil, “Please, don’t ever leave!” The ways in which we will miss having Wil in this role are many. Yet, I rejoice that he will finally get some true rest, have ample time to chase trains, and resume his ambitious walking habit. Thankfully, Wil and Lisa do not have plans to leave the area, and will remain a part of the St. Michael’s community. We will appropriately and lavishly celebrate Wil’s leadership and retirement, but only when we can gather together in person. In the meantime, please join me in thanking Wil for his many years of faithful service.

I am thrilled to share that our new Parish Administrator will begin her time with us on Monday. If I had to imagine a set of skills that would be well suited for this role and our community, it would look much like the resume that Katrina Moore brings with her. She has a degree in accounting, experience in graphic and web design, and has served churches in a variety of roles. Her enthusiasm is infectious, she relishes attending to small details, and describes this role as “her dream job!” Katrina and her family moved to Alexandria in 2021 for her husband to begin pursuing a Masters in Divinity at Virginia Theological Seminary. While her husband is on the ordination track, they are not currently bound to return to their home Diocese, meaning, I will spend the next few years finding her husband a local curacy so she can remain with us for a long time to come! Truly, Katrina’s gifts are an answer to many prayers.

On Monday Wil and Katrina will begin working side by side, and will do so for the next few weeks. I ask for your patience if response time from any of us is longer than expected. We are going to do everything possible to make this a smooth transition. I know you will extend a warm and generous welcome to Katrina, as is characteristic of this community. While no one can ever fill Wil’s shoes, we are grateful to bless Wil in his next chapter of retirement, and to welcome Katrina with open arms.

Beth