The Rev. Anahi Galante is the new priest-in-charge at Holyrood/Iglesia Santa Cruz in Washington Heights, NY. The congregation has a history of service in the community, but leadership is exhausted. She envisions a series of three retreats for the Vestry, the Lay Pastoral Care Providers Team, and the leaders of the Outreach Ministries. This project will afford the opportunity to heal old divisions and restore the church’s role in representing God’s love for the world.
To date she has held the first retreat, which inspired a number of congregational listening sessions. Like so many in the post-pandemic church, she is finding that intentional work around centering, prayer and communication is invaluable. She is adapting her schedule to other events in the congregation, and is integrating their work into the liturgy via the prayers of the people and the dismissal.
