Now that the selection process has concluded, how are you feeling about your upcoming move to the Church of Our Saviour ?
Anne and I are both thrilled about the upcoming move, though currently a bit overwhelmed with the chore of packing up a house. We are excited to be joining such a vibrant, active, and diverse congregation, and we look forward to being truly a part of the parish community there.
How do you feel about moving to the Hillandale community, and also about being part of our larger communities of Silver Spring and the Washington Metropolitan area?
It has been some years since we lived in a city environment, and we are looking forward to it. It should be an interesting mix to live in Hillandale, which seems like a relatively quiet neighborhood, while being so close to the busyness of New Hampshire Avenue and the Beltway. As for the DC Metro area, we have had many opportunities over the years to visit the region, and are quite excited about living so close and enjoying the amenities it has to offer—the museums, gardens, varied ethnic cuisines, cultural events, and such. Also, we love to take day trips, and it will be very nice that both the city and rural areas are so easily accessible from Silver Spring.
Many people are fascinated by your love of roller coasters. Is there anything you'd like to tell them about this particular hobby?
There was a time when I kept up with the vital statistics of various roller coasters: which firm designed it, its top speed, its highest drop, the length of its track, the negative G's (negative gravity), and its various features such as double helix, corkscrews, and inversions. I even chatted online with other coaster enthusiasts under the handle “Coaster Priest.” But life is too full to spend much time doing that, and eventually that hobby fell by the wayside. I do, however, still enjoy regular excursions to amusement parks in the summer. Although I've ridden more extreme coasters, my current favorite is Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags in New England . My favorite amusement park, however, continues to Kennywood in my hometown of Pittsburgh . Roller coasters, by the way, are wonderful metaphors for life, with all the twists and turns, ups and downs, and unexpected directions.
What in your background do you think has best prepared you for new challenges as the rector of Our Saviour?
I told the search committee that I feel my primary gift for ministry is that I am well-rounded, that I do well at all the many facets of parish ministry rather than excellently at one or two. I think this comes from my long and varied experience. I have served on church staffs since I was nineteen, and have done everything from being a church sexton and youth minister while in college, to being a rector. That has given me a unique perspective that many priests do not have. Beyond that I would say that my gifts of teaching and pastoral care, my desire to encourage lay leadership, and my recent and expanding work with Latino ministry are all good preparations for the challenges and opportunities that Our Saviour offers.