Date: July 16, 2025
To my Virginia Theological Seminary family: faculty, staff, and students,
As I reflect on this past year, I find myself pausing with deep reverence for the journey I’ve walked. From February to April, I entered what can only be described as a Job-like season — marked by profound loss, relentless grief, and an emotional stretching unlike anything I’ve ever known.
Within a matter of 3 months, I lost four deeply significant people in my life. First was Halle, my very first chaplain supervisor, a woman who helped lay the foundation of my call. Not long after, Amina, my dear friend and the concierge of my building for five years, passed away suddenly. Then came the most devastating blow: my cousin Amanda was tragically murdered by her ex-boyfriend on her birthday. And just when I thought my heart couldn’t take any more, Becky, my first mentor and a guiding light in my early ministry, passed away unexpectedly.
Though my calling has long been centered around chaplaincy — and even now, I continue that work at George Washington University Hospital on Monday and Thursday nights — nothing could have prepared me for this kind of personal grief. I’ve accompanied many in their final moments, held space in seasons of sorrow, and ministered through sacred transitions. But this year, I was the one who needed accompaniment. I was the one who needed care.
And you, the #VTS community, were there for me.
Thank you to the professors who extended grace when my presence was muted by pain. Thank you to the staff who offered kindness in the form of a smile, a check-in, or quiet companionship. Thank you to the students who prayed, listened, and stood with me. Through you, I’ve learned again that even caregivers need care, and that those who stand beside others also need someone to stand beside them.
It’s often said that God doesn’t waste experience, not even our suffering. I don’t yet know the full meaning of that truth, but I believe one day I will testify to it more clearly. For now, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you for being part of my healing. Thank you for walking with me. Thank you for reminding me that I was never alone.
Some things are too deep for words, but I hope this note conveys even a portion of what my heart holds. I honor each of you, and I thank God for placing me in this community for such a time as this.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Kimberly Richardson
Communications Coordinator