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Thanks for checking out our Trinity website,
and for clicking on my bio page. I hope after reading this that you
will come to Trinity to meet all of us in person, and please do introduce
yourself to me. In the meantime, I can tell you a little bit about
what I find exciting at Trinity.
First, as we say every Sunday morning, "whereever you are in
your journey in faith you are welcome here". And we mean it.
My favorite thing about Trinity, if I would have to pick just one,
would be our diversity. People from all "walks of life," all
kinds of backgrounds and careers and religions and journeys and styles
and beliefs come to Trinity and find here a welcoming atmosphere.
We have lots of children and parents, and singles and married couples,
we have widows and widowers, and lovers young and old. We have a
mix of races and genders and sexual orientations, and it is a rich
and energizing mix.
We care about inspiring liturgy and good music and challenging educational
opportunities, and we also like to get together to eat good food
and have some fun.
As for me, I am delighted to be a priest in a parish where shared
ministry between clergy and laity is a reality. And I love our inclusive
language, and the bold new ways we name and encounter God.
At Trinity, my responsibilities include two particular areas: Christian
Formation, which covers our educational and formational opportunities
for children and adults, and Parish Life and Growth, which covers
our areas of welcoming and incorporating and nurturing our congregation.
I enjoy working with small groups, such as our Mothers' Circle or
our Parents of Teens, and I enjoy the kids. And I also love preaching,
especially the preparation for preaching. In 2003 I will be on a
three-month sabbatical where I will focus my time on contemplative
prayer.
My background is in the Lutheran Church: I was born and raised in
the Lutheran Church in Minnesota, so I am one of the many people
who have come to the Episcopal Church as an adult. I love the intellectual
freedom of our denomination, as I love the traditions of our liturgy.
I have a BA in Political Science from the University of California
at Santa Barbara (1975) and an MA in Theology (emphasis in Social
Ethics) from the Episcopal Divinity School (1985) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
I have completed the Core Curriculum of the College of Preachers
in Washington, DC. I have been at Trinity since 1996. Before that
I was Canon to the Ordinary for Bishop Fred Borsch in the Diocese
of Los Angeles and before that I was Associate Rector at Saints by-the-Sea
in Santa Barbara. I also served at Mt. Calvary Retreat House 1996-99
as Program Director for the Mt. Calvary Invites program.
I am married to Randy Howard (we married in 1975) and we have one
son, Benjamin, born in 1982. I love to garden, swim,hike and read.
I look forward to meeting you and hearing your story. |
