Our New Rector!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With great joy, the Wardens and Vestry of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church are pleased to announce that the Reverend Michael P. Barham will join us as our next Rector on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Rev. Michael comes to us from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), Berkeley, California, an Episcopal seminary, where he is currently Director of Student Services and Recruitment.
From our first conversation, the Vestry was drawn to Rev. Michael’s warmth and spirituality, his commitment to inclusivity and community building, and his sense of humor. We enjoyed and learned from his preaching, which many from St. Andrew’s identified as a high priority.
Ordained 16 years ago, Rev. Michael served in the Diocese of Hawaii as Associate Rector at the Parish of St. Clement Honolulu, and in the Diocese of California as Vicar of Holy Family & Good Shepherd Episcopal Churches. In addition to his role at CDSP, he is a sought-after supply priest in the Bay Area. Raised in Meridian, Mississippi, he graduated from Millsaps College (Jackson, MS), and earned an MDiv from the Divinity School at Duke University (Durham, NC). He has a Certificate in Anglican Studies (2007) and a Doctor of Ministry (2012), both from CDSP.
For fun Rev. Michael enjoys hosting dinner parties, reading, hiking, exploring museums, and stopping to smell flowers; his favorite podcasts include “Your Momma’s Kitchen” and “The Moth Radio Hour.”
Pilgrimage is one of Rev. Michael’s favorite spiritual practices. This summer, he will be making the Shikoku pilgrimage that involves hiking a pilgrimage route of 750 miles on the Shikoku Island of Japan. He will be praying for St. Andrew’s and for each of us, taking time to reflect and prepare to join us in September.
Rev. Michael is excited about St. Andrew’s, the opportunity to walk with us in this next chapter of our ministry, and to get to know each of us. In particular, he tells us that he is eager to learn how to play Chicken Foot at the upcoming parish retreat (October 4-6 at Shrine Mont)!
We are grateful to the vestry who have also served as the search committee during this period. We are so thankful to Parish Administrator Leslie Reinhardt and Associate for Music & Ministry David Houston, as well as all of our volunteers who embody the vibrancy of St. Andrew’s.
We have also been enormously blessed by our Interim Priest, Rev. Linda Calkins who has provided leadership, spiritual counsel and energy to St. Andrew’s over the past year.
As we enter the transition process, we will celebrate Rev. Linda’s time with us and plan for Rev. Michael’s arrival. Look out for more information about both!
In Love,
Mary Marshall Levy, Senior Warden
Pamela R.M. Phetphongsy, Junior Warden
The St. Andrew’s Vestry/Search Committee:
