The Rev. Corrie Cabes Accepts Call to St. Mary's in Jasper, AL

Mtr. Corrie is currently the Associate Rector at Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene. The following announcement, written by Mtr. Corrie, was sent out to Church of the Heavenly Rest on May 23, 2024.

Dear Parish Family,
 

I'm writing you a bittersweet letter. I've accepted a call to be the next rector at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Jasper, Alabama, a town about 30 minutes outside of Birmingham. While this may seem like a surprise to you, I have to say, you are so much a part of the reason I am able to do this.

You have loved me well. When I first arrived at Heavenly Rest in October 2020, you welcomed me and my family with the hospitality of Jesus. You fed us, the Hospitality House became our home for the first month, and you promptly ushered us into your lives and the life of the church through worship, service, and fellowship.

My first months at Heavenly Rest were some of the most amazing and also most challenging times of my life. Not only were we masking up and navigating an ever-changing path of COVID-19, but my beloved parents were facing serious health issues. My mom was recovering from a stroke in Oklahoma and my dad's Alzheimer's raged, starving his body and mind. I brought him with me to Abilene and he died at the beginning of my fourth month at Heavenly Rest. I am grateful for my family that held me up and for you, dear church family. Again, Jesus arrived in the form of your comfort food, prayer shawls, and flowers, and most importantly in your love and support. I will never forget how Pastor Mulanda and the 1 p.m. congregation circled around me during a worship service and gently sang a song of mourning from their tradition.

I cannot express how wonderful David and the clergy and staff have been to me. We truly enjoy each other and it is a blessing to have colleagues I can trust, who let me be myself, who are friends that laugh, share difficulties with, and learn together. I have continued my priestly education in this place, where I have been guided with respect and challenged to grow in the best way. Heavenly Rest is a beacon of beauty, light, and love.

I have also had the great honor of being personally mentored by the retired bishop of Texas, where I discovered "spiritual treasure." He has been a rock to me and a wise teacher. Being a part of the Exploring Spiritual Treasure mentor team and class has been transformative and life-giving. I am so blessed to work alongside faithful Christians who have become so dear to me. We have shared so many holy moments together week by week and continued to build upon Bishop Payne's vision of relational evangelism that changes lives.

It's been so meaningful to help craft programs and opportunities for all ages to grow together in faith, especially on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. This church knows how to celebrate, to grieve, to try new things, and to keep on being the church. It has also been an honor to serve as one of the chaplains to our precious students, teachers, and staff at St. John's Episcopal School.

As Ecclesiastes 3 tells us, "to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Because you have loved me well, I oddly found that I was growing in a way that was new to me. Others saw it, and the Diocese of Alabama reached out to me with the perfect opportunity to continue this journey of faith at St. Mary's. I will try very hard to "leave well" and these next few weeks will be a time of preparation for what God is planning next for you and me. I will begin my new call on Sunday, August 4 and I hope to take your prayers with me. Richard and I will be empty nesters now. My daughter Olivia will begin her college education at Abilene Christian University in the fall, gratefully carrying your love and the financial support of the generous Dan Abbott Scholarship. She will continue to call Abilene and Heavenly Rest home. My son Clay will remain in San Angelo where he is finishing his degree at Angelo State University and enjoying the community of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. I know God has amazing plans for this next season of my life and yours. This is the pattern of our loving God.

Thank you for always loving me well,

 Corrie+