Letter Take Two

Here is the first draft of the actual letter. Comments please.


Richview Council,


I am writing to you because I would like to begin the Discernment process as an Inquirer. I have been connected to the church most of my life. My Dad is a minister and when he remarried, he married a minster. My Mum is very active in her church and choir as well. So it could be said that I come by it honestly. I have been attending Richview since just after my daughter's birth in 2005 and almost immediately felt a sense of belonging there.

When I was faced with making a decision about what to do with my life in my early 20's I felt a pull towards the church. At the time I felt I wasn't really and so chose the less challenging path and became a Massage Therapist. While I do not regret this decision, the draw to the church has never left me and my call to be leadership within the church has only increased in strength. I can no longer ignore the constant urge I have to be a bigger part of the church. I have spent time working with the youth to see if that quieted the voice, but it has proven to only make it louder and put the call into concrete form. I can only attribute that to me coming closer to where I should be.

My experience with the call to ministry has been much like hiking toward a waterfall. I have known longer than even I am aware, that the call was there. As I began to move in the direction of God's purpose for me I began to hear the trickle of the water, faint and far away. With each step I have made along the path the sound of the water has become clearer. There have been times when something has distracted me and I have left the path. Then the sound of the waterfall has still been present, and those off path experiences always brought me back to the path with a stronger desire to be there. The water is now loud in my ears. The water fall is just up ahead around a bend. I can almost see it. It is time.

I do have a question regarding the support person for the Discernment process. I have someone in mind, but they are not a member of Richview. She has, however, grown up in the United Church and has known me for 9 years. She is honest and I have no doubt of her ability to be straightforward with me and challenge me throughout this process. Would she be an acceptable choice?

Thank you for your time in reading this letter and considering my request. If you have any questions or need further clarification please feel free to contact me.

Yours
Rebekah Duncan