Pastor Julia Burkey 

September, 2024

Dear Orchard Ridge UCC,

Greetings to you in this season of new beginnings, where God’s spirit surrounds each of us as we begin a new church year, as we send our children back to school, as we sink into the last days of summer and as we harvest the heavy tomatoes in our garden. How are you doing? I have missed you these last months while I have been on maternity leave, adjusting to time as a family of four with the new addition of Kindred Praise Burkey Cooperrider. She is peaceful baby and giggles with joy at her big sister Reverie who is now three and a half and going to 3k nursery school five mornings a week!

My heart is filled with gratitude for your beautiful gifts to my family of delicious meals, a gorgeous quilt created with love by the many hands of our quilters at ORUCC for Kindred, for the baby doll for Reverie just like mom, for the very helpful diapers for my family and for families in need, and for the gift of paying for visits with a postpartum doula. Our postpartum doula was a game changer for me, as she helped me have a positive postpartum time. She supported us in so many ways during her visits- she helped me swaddle Kindred, do laundry, clean the kitchen, bathe Kindred for the first time and maybe most importantly sat at bedside with me helping me integrate my new life as a mother of two as I healed from my beautiful birth and bonded with my new baby. Kindred was born at home on May 20, 2024 at 10:55am. The day after Pentecost worship! I think she was really feeling the Holy Spirit and wanted to come join us. I cannot wait for you to meet her.

After 15 weeks of precious time with my children, I am ready and eager to come back into the fold with you and to be engaged in the meaningful work of being the church in our little corner of the world. My work as your pastor is deeply purposeful for me; I love being one of your pastors.

For the beginning of my time back, I am seeking to be present relationally and administratively. Relationally means I want to connect with you, to know what is on your heart, hear how your summer has been, or get to know what matters most to you. Administratively means I am paying particular attention to getting into good rhythms with our staff and leaders, with the many monthly meetings that make the engine of the church hum beautifully. Since sermons take time and planning (what? you don’t just get up there and talk?), my creative work of writing and preaching and will come in October as I plan out themes and ease back in. I plan to be in the office most Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and I welcome you to swing by. I have some standing monthly morning meetings that take me off site so do check in with me or George if you’d like to visit with me. You can also make an appointment with me or come to worship on Sunday see me and the wider ORUCC community.

This is a vital season to lean into local community, to lean into the deep story of the Christian faith, one of liberation and love. This is a vital season to turn our faces to what is life-giving and hope-filled, to give us strength to perceive the places of violence and injustice that need the loving care and attention of the world. Let us, as is sometimes attributed to John Wesley, do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, with all the people we can, as long as we ever can.

In grace,

Julia