Hello dear church,

The time has come for a new chapter of my artistic journey! I wanted to write a quick thank-you for our year together and share what’s next for me.

I have had a wonderful time creating and sharing music here. It was a full year, from summer camp songs to the Changemaker Fellowship to visioning at ministry retreats. We raised more than $65,000 for fire relief efforts at benefits that I organized. And for more than 30 Sundays, I was here with you, using poetry to blend our stories together and pour hope into the future. I hope you’ve been encouraged and blessed by a song, story, or poem. I feel love for Pastor Kathi and the rest of the staff and everyone that shared what the music has meant to you. I hope we continue to carve out space for new sacred art to shape our faith culture.

The future is bright! I am working on an album of new songs, many of which I wrote during this residency. It’s called “Bon Voyage,” a collection of songs and stories about saying yes to the chapters of our lives that require courage and change. You have experienced my music the most this past year, and I’d love to have you be a part of its journey into the world. You can find out more on my website about how to support the album.

I’ll be in the Bay Area for a little longer, but I recently purchased a small place in Vancouver, Washington (near Portland, Oregon), that I hope to use as an artist retreat center, a place where artists and writers can take a guided journey back to their muse. Please pray for this exciting work.

Finally, I hope to see you again soon! The staff and I are already talking about possible ideas, so this isn’t goodbye forever, more like goodbye for now. If you’d like to stay in touch, you can email me or visit my website for information on my new record, upcoming shows, and more.

With love and hope,

Bobby Jo Valentine