The STAFF page will introduce you to some of the ordained and lay leaders at St. Andrew's.
Clergy
In a local Anglican church, you’re likely to run into two kinds of ordained ministers: a priest and a deacon.
The word ‘priest’ simply means the elder of a church. He vows “to teach, to warn, to feed, and to provide for the Lord’s family, and to seek for Christ’s sheep who are in the midst of this fallen world, that they may be saved through Christ forever,” (BCP 489). The priest in primary care of the parish is called a Rector. A deacon takes vows to “encourage and equip the household of God, to care for the stranger, to embrace the poor and helpless, and to seek them out, so that they may be relieved,” (BCP 478). You may also see a deacon read the Gospel lesson, prepare Communion or preach.
The Vestry is made up of members who are elected by the congregation to form the governing body of the parish under the oversight of the priest. They work in tandem with the priest to facilitate the financial side of his pastoral vision for the parish. The Vestry keeps the church building maintained and open for you to visit! At St. Andrew’s, our Vestry Members do double duty (or triple!) by acting as liaisons or leaders of parish committees.
Wardens are special members of the vestry. They hold the highest, non-ordained offices in the parish and act as guardians of the parish. There are generally two wardens, called the Senior Warden and the Junior Warden. The Senior Warden advises and supports the priest, and if the priest should keel over, the Senior Warden is in charge. The Junior Warden is most directly responsible for the care of the church property.
