OUR CANTOR BIDS FAREWELL (August 2017) . . .
Together we have provided profound ministry for 14 years glorifying, praising, and worshiping God through music. My most prevalent feeling at this time of announcing my retirement from full time church music and resigning my call at Queen Anne Lutheran is gratitude. This congregation has done well as the primary singer of the song. We were assisted in this effort when we were blessed with our outstanding Wech Pipe Organ and the enhanced Sanctuary acoustics. I have gratitude for all the individuals, all ages, who have stepped forward to be vocal or instrumental leaders of the congregational song. I am forever grateful to each one of you.
I am grateful for the Shalom Choir who started making music with me when they were very young and now have a gorgeous high school women’s choral sound. All are such wonderful young women who I am so proud and honored to have had in my life. I am grateful for all the children who have come through the choir and handbell programs; some now have graduated from college! Whether there were two in a choir (Jimmy and Sonia in 2014, bless their hearts!), or eleven as we had on a Sunday last Advent, we have all been blessed by their presence in worship. The hope of gaining a new staff person as Children’s Ministry Coordinator will make the presence of children in our worship more certain, and the choir program stronger. For that I am grateful.
I am grateful for this community of faith, for our staff and those from the larger church, our Synod, ALCM (Association of Lutheran Church Musicians) and CG (Choristers Guild) who wrapped their arms and prayers around me and held me close at the time of Roger’s death. My need of time for healing, as well as time to deal with a huge house of belongings after 44 years of marriage has kept me here in the PNW for these last three years. I have taken my time to accomplish a lot and have provided the congregation with leadership after Pastors Wayne and Doug left us. Now it is time for me to be more present for Brita, Nick, Luciana (3), and Christian (1). We are blessed to have each other. I feel ready to retire and focus on my journey’s next phase. In July I bought a condo in Naperville, Illinois and I look forward to getting settled and making it my home. QALC also is positioned well for the next musician leader. May you be blessed with a new Cantor who is a fine organist, worship leader, and choir director for all ages.
I wish QALC all the best as you move forward in faith and trust and I will always be grateful for this time in my life at QALC. I will miss worshiping with you. I remain forever grateful!
Arletta Anderson
Cantor and Deacon
A RESPONSE, FROM OUR COUNCIL . . .
Fair Winds and Following Seas, Arletta, with Love and Gratitude
Growing up as a pastor’s kid and then marrying a man who made the Navy his career meant I got pretty good at moving all my life. However, I never got very good at saying goodbye. Those are some of the toughest moments, as friends whom we’ve grown close to and shared so much with, move on. Even then, the sadness is mingled with joy for them as so often they were moving because of an exciting new position or promotion, or looking forward to retirement and civilian life.
That’s where we are now with Arletta. There is sadness in saying goodbye because we will miss her, even as we know she is looking forward to a well-deserved retirement near her family. Those of us who are friends on Facebook see the absolute delight on her face when she’s with her grandchildren!
Arletta, you have been such a blessing to this congregation! Your ministry here has deeply touched us all, from the generations of cherub choirs, the first now grown up, to the beauty of the mystery and majesty of God’s loving presence and word spoken to us through music and liturgy. Our community of faith would be something other, something lesser, without what you and Roger have meant to it through the years. As a Northern Lights Bible Study sister, I have had the added privilege of sharing our faith and our lives more deeply.
Ministry in God’s church is not easy. Perhaps because it matters so much, we have high expectations of those called to minister. And certainly because we are all so very human, congregational life has all the bumps and warts of any family. But it is here that we are called to live out God’s love for us in loving each other and in loving all of God’s creation and creatures. Thank you, Arletta, for fulfilling that call to ministry with love, grace, perseverance, and no small measure of humor.
In the Navy, we said farewell with a wish for “fair winds and following seas.” From the time of sailing ships, it is a blessing and a prayer that a dear friend’s journey may be smooth and safe and graced with benevolent protection along the way. With love and gratitude and the happiest wishes for your life in Naperville, we wish you fair winds and following seas, Arletta. May you go with God.
Deborah Squires
Council President
