Wilderness is not a luxury, it is a necessity of the human spirit. – Edward Abbey

To our wonderful friends and family,

You are an amazing group of people and we will never be able to thank you enough for your prayers, support, and generosity.  I am about to finish up a near three year odyssey also known as the “discernment process” and after a lot of prayer, thought, and conversation, we have decided that our family will be moving to Sewanee, Tennessee this summer. We will make this move so that I can complete the Masters of Divinity program at The School of Theology at the University of the South in pursuit of ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. I am confident that attending Sewanee will provide the very best theological education, a diverse community to learn and study with, and various opportunities to hone my skills as a shepherd of God’s people. A big part of this decision had to do with the comfort and happiness of our family and access to both a university setting and being surrounded by nature. Sewanee provides that. Edward Abbey once said that wilderness is not a luxury, it is a necessity of the human spirit. That really resonates with me now as I am set to engage in the most spiritually intensive few years of my life.

It is a huge leap of faith that we are taking as a family and yet the support that we have received from our friends and family help us know that we are taking this leap with the full backing of people who care for us. A huge heartfelt thank you to the people who have helped me from a young age learn to listen for God’s voice and follow His call, I most certainly wouldn’t be where I am now without you. I am humbled by your generosity as I wouldn’t be able to follow this blessed calling without you. I would also like to thank my family for their understanding and willingness to embark on this crazy adventure. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and we will keep you up to date on what life in seminary is like, and what direction the Holy Spirit is guiding this ship.

Blessings on you and much love, Ian Williams