The Rev. Dr. Bill Doggett, Interim Rector, St. James' Parish

 

Dr. Doggett is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, but has lived in Washington DC with his family for sixteen years. He earned his M.Div. from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and his Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. His dissertation topic was hymns and hymnals for children. In the last several years he has served as Interim Rector at several churches in the D.C. area -- most recently at St. James' in Mt. Airy, Maryland. Before becoming a priest he worked as a musician, teacher and theater artist. His published works include children's books, hymns, and scholarly works. He also designs and makes liturgical vestments, including the consecration set for Bishop Budde and St. James' Pentecost set.

His spouse and partner of twenty-four years, Matt Braman, runs the technology department for a non-profit organization. They have two young adult sons and a toddler grandson whom they are systematically and joyfully spoiling rotten. In what little spare time he has, he enjoys playing the recorder, cooking, and scuba diving.

 

The Rev. Emily Guthrie, Rector, Christ Church Parish Kensington

 

Rev Emily Guthrie is our Rector.  Emily exudes joy and is a passionate, collaborative leader who believes in the transformative power of faith. She’s creative and celebratory and has a vibrant and loving presence. As a pastor, Emily has a love for people of all ages, their contributions, gifts and presence in life of congregation. As a preacher, she seeks to connect scripture, our lives and spiritual journeys. She’s also a committed servant leader in the community and brings a wealth experience as an administrator and manager. She most recently served as the Assistant Rector at St. Margarete’s in Washington, DC and also spent more than 10 years leading the Capitol Hill Group Ministry, a non-profit in DC. Emily has a B.A. from Princeton University and a Master of Divinity from the Yale Divinity School.

Emily and her husband Michael love the outdoors, be it in the garden, the woods or the beach.

Overall, she has an abiding faith and feels called to work with us to manifest God’s love, justice and compassion at Christ Church and in the world.

 

The Reverend Dr. Robert William Harvey, Rector, Episcopal Church of Our Saviour

 

Robert is in his tenth year as Rector of Church of Our Saviour. Originally from Pittsburgh, Robert has been in ordained ministry for nearly twenty-five years, serving churches primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. He holds a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree in Congregational Development from Virginia Theological Seminary. His interests include choral music, Civil War history, riding roller coasters, and recreational activities such as kayaking. Robert enjoys spending time with his wife Anne and their three miniature poodles.

 

The Reverend Jessica K. Hitchcock, Associate Rector, St. Luke's of Bethesda

 

The Reverend Jessica Hitchcock joined the ministry team at St Luke's early in 2010.  Jessica grew up in South Georgia where she thrived in a strong children and youth program at the neighborhood Methodist Church.  Baptized in the Episcopal Church as an infant, she feels passion about creating a safe and engaging place for children and youth to experience the many blessings of the Good News of God in Christ within the Episcopal Church.  

 

Jessica discerned a call to the priesthood during her college years at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA.  In between college and seminary, she worked as a nanny and bank teller (because talking with folks about how to raise their kids or what to do with their money was good preparation for talking with people about God and faith).  She attended Virginia Theological Seminary, graduating in May of 2005, and was ordained priest in June of 2005.  Before coming to St Luke's she served as Assistant Rector at Ascension, Gaithersburg and Interim Assistant Rector at St John's, Lafayette Square.    Jessica split her time between St Luke's as Assistant Rector and her job as Youth Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, untill August of 2012.  Jessica joined St. Luke's full time as the Associate Rector in September 2012 .

 

The Rev. Margaret Ingalls, Rector, Transfiguration Anglican/Episcopal Church

 

The Rev. Margaret Ingalls is the 4th rector of Transfiguration Anglican/Episcopal Church in Silver Spring.  Meg is married to another Episcopal priest, The Rev. Brad Ingalls, who is serving Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Churchville, MD.   Meg and Brad have been married for 40 years and have two daughters, Katy(married to Justin Fischer)—who is lives in Georgia and serves her country in the military, and Sarah (married to Justin Howard) who is going to school and working as a parish administrator at St. John’s Episcopal in Havre de Grace, MD.  They have four grandchildren:  Katy’s two—Brandon and Piper, Sarah’s Sophia, and Sarah’s step-daughter Geneva.

Meg  was ordained to the diaconate on June 10, 1989, and to the priesthood on St. Patrick’s Day 1990.  After her time as seminarian and deacon at Holy Comforter in Vienna, VA, Meg began her calling at Holy Comforter in Richmond, VA, where she served as assistant for over three years.  She then served as rector at Holy Trinity in Fruitland Park, FL, for 15 years.  During that time the church was able to give wing to two new congregations and a small school dedicated to students with learning disabilities.

Since coming to Transfiguration, Meg and the vestry have said goodbye to a long term relationship with Thornton Friends School and welcomed a nesting congregation—Remnant Seventh Day Adventist Church.  Swing Dance, Yoga, and Narcotics Anonymous have become new ministries held at the church.  We have sent the youth on mission trips and retreats and have introduced retreats for adults and musicals for the young people.  We have continued our work with C-4, AIM, our girls at Our Little Roses in Honduras, baskets of food at Christmas and Thanksgiving, toys for children at Christmas, and other service projects.  After two years of a Wellness Fair, we have introduced a church wellness program and are looking at new initiatives to serve our community.

We are excited at the possibilities of being ambassadors of Christ to one another and to our community.  We are a richly diverse people coming from as far away as Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, and all regions of the U.S. from California to Texas to Minnesota to Florida to Maine.  We are a microcosm of the world with wonderful accents and a vision of celebrating all of our lives in the loving spirit of our Lord. 

 

The Rev. James Isaacs, Assistant Rector, St. James' Parish

 

James began his ministry as Assistant Rector at St. James' in February 2011. James (as he prefers to be called), graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1999 and entered Virginia Theological Seminary the following fall. Upon his graduation in 2002 from seminary, James began his ordained ministry as the Associate Rector at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Naples, FL. He was called to be the Rector at St. Andrew the Fisherman in Mayo, MD in 2005.

In 2009, he resigned from his position as Rector to continue his education and an expansion of his ministry. He entered Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, VA, a university renowned for its conflict transformation expertise. There his coursework included, among other things, managing congregational change and conflict and interfaith peacebuilding. He completed his studies in December 2010 with a Masters degree in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding. James now has a consulting practice helping congregations through issues of change or conflict, yet retains a love and devotion to parish ministry, including preaching, teaching and celebration of the Holy Eucharist. His position on the staff of St. James’ allows him to be actively involved in parish life as a priest while engaging in his consulting practice.

James possesses particular enthusiasm for social justice, pastoral care, and liturgical and spiritual leadership. He had served in the Diocese of Maryland on the Bishop Transition Committee and the Diocesan Council, and on the Bishop Search Committee for the Diocese of Easton. He now serves on the Diocese of Washington's Diocesan Council. He lives in Potomac with his wife, Maggie, and his young son, Jimmy.

 

The Rev. John S. McDuffie, Rector, Christ Church of Rockville

 

Fr. McDuffie was raised in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Prior to his work as a priest, he was a clinical social worker. He attended St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, and later received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religion from Boston University. He earned a Master’s Degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. John attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, and received his master of Divinity degree in 1987. After serving as rector of St. Dunstan's Church in Bethesda, Maryland, John was called in 1998 to be the 25th rector of Christ Church. John and his wife Mary live in Bethesda, and together they have five grown children. John’s hobbies include music of all kinds, including jazz saxophone.

 

The Reverend Dr. Stephanie J. Nagley, Rector, St. Luke's of Bethesda

 

The Reverend Stephanie J. Nagley, PhD serves St. Luke’s as the fourth rector during our fifty year history.  She spent her early years living in the Pacific Northwest and later obtained her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and doctoral degrees in nursing.  Dr. Nagley served on the faculty at both Kent State University and Case Western Reserve University .  In 1990, she entered the Virginia Theological Seminary from the Diocese of Ohio, and was ordained in 1993.  She was an associate rector at St. James by the Sea, La Jolla , California from 1993 to 1999 and at St. Mark’s Capitol Hill, Washington , DC from 1999 to 2003, and she joined St. Luke’s as its rector in September 2003.  Stephanie lives with her spouse Joann and their two dogs, Jackson and Maggie, in Silver Spring.

 

As we join with her in our spiritual journey together, Dr. Nagley summarizes her role as a:

• Spiritual Leader – engaging the community in collective creativity so all may experience God’s Dream.

• Preacher and Teacher – making relevant the sacred story with intelligent, innovative proclamation.

• Sojourner – journey through life with a heart tuned for the Kingdom

• Visionary – delighting in the discernment of hopes and dreams.

 

The Rev. Cynthia "Cindy" Simpson, Assistant Rector, Christ Church of Rockville

 

Cindy has many years experience as an ordained minister in the Baptist tradition. She received her Master of Divinity Degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville in 1985, and was ordained at Highland Park Baptist church in Waco, Texas in 1987. She worked in Christian Formation for youth and families in Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist church positions. Cindy was Pastor of Chevy Chase Baptist Church and then Broadneck Baptist Church in Annapolis, before becoming Assistant to the Rector at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Poolesville from 1999 to 2006. Cindy was drawn to the Episcopal Church because of our rich liturgical worship tradition. She attended Virginia Seminary from 2004 to 2005 and was ordained to the priesthood in January 2008. In addition to serving as Assistant Rector, Cindy is chaplain of Christ Episcopal School.

 

The Reverend David C. Wacaster, Rector, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

 

Our rector, the Reverend David C. Wacaster, is an energetic mentor, preacher and teacher with a strong concentration on Christian Formation for youth and adults.   He is an advocate for the Episcopal Church at diocesan and national levels. David is open to discussion of new ideas, particularly at the intersection of theology and popular culture. He is committed to the practice of Christian Hospitality and making the church a welcoming place for all.