March 1st, 2023
Dear Rev. Steitz and Rev. Motter,
After a lot of personal thought and discussion with my family, I have decided to resign as the choral director of Community Christian Church, effective Sunday, May 21st. I have reviewed my schedule from now up until spring of 2025 and realized that I will be traveling quite a bit, missing several Sunday services, as I keep receiving opportunities to direct and adjudicate music ensembles from across the country. A major opportunity I received was last week at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference in Cincinnati, OH. This is in the very beginning stages, but I have the chance to coordinate an educational jazz festival in New York City (possibly at Jazz at the Lincoln Center) through the performance company, National Concerts, in the spring of 2025. With this festival and my Hawaii conducting trip in May of 2024, the several music conferences I attend every year, and me being hired to adjudicate music festivals regularly, I feel it’s for the best that I leave Community as a staff member.
Especially with the transition of improving the worship at Park Hill Christian Church, Rev. Steitz has stated how she needs strong commitment from her staff members, and she should have that expectation. With my travel schedule, it will continue to be difficult for me to maintain a high level of commitment to working at the church, and the church deserves a music staff member that is able to commit more time to the position. I would like to stay on staff until the week before Memorial Day Weekend and I am committed for these last two months of my tenure to help with worship in any way you see fit (if you are ok with this). I’m not traveling again until I take a vacation in June, so I am able to commit to the church for the rest of the spring.
It really has been a pleasure to experience serving Community for the past 8 1/2 years. It’s been a blessing to have this employment during that time and appreciate the kindness that the staff and congregation has shown towards our family. I also want to say thank you to all of the staff members; I’ve truly enjoyed working with them. I have a high level of respect for all of the staff, especially the music staff: Tim, Jonathon, Eli, Kirsten, and Rachel. I’ve appreciated Rev. Motter’s random texts asking about my father’s health, Levon and Kevin asking me to join their fantasy football league, the section leaders inviting me a few times to happy hour, doing jazz concert collaborations with Tim, Jonathon’s and Eli’s willingness to help select music and run rehearsals whenever it was needed…I could go on and on.
Also, Bonnie’s and my biggest moment of appreciation was the church’s support during the birth of our daughter Karina. The choir held a surprise birthday party for us and paid for her crib. Rev. Steitz was the first person outside of the family to visit our daughter at the hospital and prayed for her. Members of the church supplied us with meals during the first few weeks of her life. I will remember these moments fondly for the rest of my life, and these kind gestures will forever be appreciated.
In conclusion, I would like to ask one favor: My family and I don’t want a public celebration in front of the church on my last Sunday. I would like to work and leave the position, quietly. A celebration for us is not needed…it was about service to the church. Bonnie and I would appreciate this very much.
Thank you again and we sincerely wish you all the best moving forward.
Cordially,
John Stafford