La Jubilación
By Rev. Elizabeth Rechter, Executive Director
On June 1 of this year, after eight years as Stillpoint’s Executive Director and 30 years of service in the church, I will be entering into retirement - a new rhythm of work and rest. In Spanish, the word for retirement is la jubilación. I recognize in it the English words jubilant, rejoicing. It brings to mind the biblical ideal in ancient Israel of jubilee – every fifty years a complete Sabbath for the land, and a forgiveness of all debts. In my heart, I feel all of this. I will step away from my role as Stillpoint’s Executive Director, while remaining part of Stillpoint’s faculty when requested. I will always be active as a spiritual companion, supporting the spiritual lives of individuals and groups.
I consider it one of the great graces of my life to be called to this work at Stillpoint. Among the many privileges has been working with the amazing group of leaders who make up our faculty, staff, board and interns. One of these wonderful people, Christine Ng, has agreed to step in as Interim Executive Director. Chris knows our organization from every vantage point - as a graduate of our Ghost Ranch program, a faculty member, mentor, supervisor, and as our program administrator for Ghost Ranch and Graduate Programming. Her experience as a spiritual companion, a lawyer for 20 years, a UCC pastor, and currently as pastor of UCC church operating in the digital virtual world of Second Life, make her well suited to keep us moving forward while the Stillpoint Board forms a search committee to identify our next Executive Director.
I want to express my profound gratitude for the beautiful vision Stillpoint’s founders had 40 years ago. This Ecumenical group of friends, all committed members of their churches, lamented together the lack of opportunity for the average seeker to explore their direct experience of the Holy as a critical element of supporting spiritual life and spiritual leadership. They went to work to create a program to form deeply grounded spiritual companions so seekers had a space to share their direct experience of God and to grow their spiritual consciousness.
Stillpoint enters this transition in a phase of growth and possibility, to continue this legacy. We, as an organization, have sought to stay awake to our calling to grow and deepen, listening with intention to the movements of the Spirit in our communities, as well as to our own shadow sides. I believe we are in a period of evolution, along with the wider human community, to be open to a more expansive understanding of the Spirit’s vision of what it means to be an active participant in the healing of the world as living members of God’s beloved community.
Due to ongoing generous giving and increasing interest in our work, we are able to support the spiritual lives of our communities. There is no work that feels more essential in these challenging times. We are in need of spiritual companionship, now more than ever.
My experience of the Stillpoint community is captured in the words of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:“There is almost a sensual longing for communion with others who have a large vision. The immense fulfillment of friendship between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality impossible to describe.”
With great gratitude and Blessings for the Journey,
Elizabeth+
From the Stillpoint Board:
We are extremely grateful to Elizabeth Rechter for her eight years as our Executive Director, during which she brought an abundance of gifts, energy, and vision to the role. Elizabeth’s commitment to the people and programs that make Stillpoint and has positioned us with a vibrant organization. We will miss her insights and presence on a daily basis, but support her discernment, and look to her future and ours with anticipation and in hope. The Board is also thankful that our valued program administrator at Ghost Ranch, Christine Ng, is willing and available to work with us as Interim Executive Director as we usher in the next generation of Stillpoint leadership.