A Farewell Blessing

Kaleo + Church of the Nazarene

We have spent the last couple of months in significant church conversations.

In early July, our Lead Pastor, Emily, shared her grief and resolution around resigning her pastoral credential and leaving the Church of the Nazarene. This resolution for resignation was not due to a shift in calling, or a desire to leave the pastorate of Kaleo Nashville; but rather because she felt she could no longer remain personally healthy or have the generous and affirming space she needs to pastor well within the denomination. She specifically referenced in a letter to the whole church the “spirit of suspicion” that has taken root locally and nationally in recent years, as well as, her “grief” that she can no longer stay in the denomination “that has so well raised, educated, and ordained” her.

This letter came after an 8-week sabbatical and a rigorous discernment process.

Our pastor’s news is what led to the last couple of months of significant conversations.

After two all-church meetings, a process set out by the church board, and an all-church vote (minus kiddos) the people of Kaleo have also unanimously agreed that Kaleo as a church should also disaffiliate from the Church of the Nazarene as its denomination.

This decision was not made lightly, and many thoughts feelings, and concerns were addressed in these meetings. The road forward is not very clear at this point; this is a time of transition for us. Not every person in the church will leave the denomination, so there is a natural change individually, and therefore corporately that comes with this change. We have been a church family and that is not changing. No matter who continues to be a part of the congregation now or in the future; we treasure the relationships that have been nurtured over years of friendship, living in community, sharing the faith, and being there for each other.

There is a great history in the Church of the Nazarene and it is our birth-denomination. We are who we are individually and as a church because we have been shaped, parented, and formed by Nazarene theology, relationships, and social practice.

We are better for it.

We hope we have left the denomination better as well. With relationships intact, we move forward, not separately, but under the big tent that is the household of God.