Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Advent,
One of the exclusive duties of the rector of a parish is the composition of the clergy and lay staff – a responsibility that I take very seriously.
Upon my arrival, and knowing that Fr Jay James would be leaving in a few months, I began the process of contacting people church-wide to solicit names and begin the search for a new priest. In light of COVID, and the havoc that it will wreak upon the church for the years to come, it became immediately apparent that any priest added to our clergy staff would have to have the charism and skills necessary to minister in the new religious landscape in which we find ourselves. In fact, this became the criteria for another priest as I am convinced that the next few years are going to be ones of rebuilding and evangelization, not only in this parish, but in the wider Church.
I am very excited to share with you that with the counsel of the Wardens and the enthusiastic approbation of the Bishop, I have called Fr David Thompson to join the clergy staff at the Advent. Fr David comes to us most recently from the position of Associate Rector of the North Campus of the Church of the Incarnation, Dallas. “Incarnation North” is a church-plant of the main campus, and Fr David was the founding priest of that effort, essentially building a church from scratch. Fr David was also with me in Texarkana for a time as part of the diocesan curacy program in the Diocese of Dallas, but despite that has turned out to be a very fine priest! Apart from parochial ministry, Fr David has experience in ministry to the homeless, schools, and primary evangelism to the unchurched.
Originally from Norman, Oklahoma, Father Thompson grew up attending All Souls’, Oklahoma City. He was a practicing churchgoer in his years leading up to college. In 2008, he experienced a pivotal and personal conversion which changed him into a committed disciple of Jesus Christ. A year later he and his wife, Heather, married. He studied at Wycliffe College, Toronto. He has three school-aged children.
Having a “builder” on staff will be very important going forward, and I am thankful for the important skill-set he brings to us at this time in the parish’s history. He will complement both me and Father Hanson in ministering to the people of the Advent, our diocese, and our city. He is a competent, patient, empathetic, and engaging person. Most importantly, I know him to take seriously the promises made by a priest at Ordination: to be “a faithful pastor to all whom you are called to serve, laboring together with them and with your fellow ministers to build up the family of God” (BCP, p. 532).
Father Thompson’s letter of agreement is signed, sealed and delivered, his move is set, and we look forward to his arrival here in a few short days. We will be in a good position to hit the ground running when things open up further!
I know that you will receive him with the graciousness and support that you have shown me, and I look forward to this new chapter in our parish life.
DEA+
