The Right Reverend José McLoughlin | Bishop of Western Diocese of North Carolina

José Antonio McLoughlin was consecrated as the seventh bishop, and first Hispanic, of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina on October 1, 2016.

Prior to his election as bishop of the diocese of Western North Carolina, José served as the Canon to the Ordinary and Chief-of-Staff for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma since 2008. Previously, José served congregations in the dioceses of Southeast Florida and Virginia.

​Ordained in 2005, José earned his Masters in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Central Florida. Prior to his call to the priesthood, José worked in the criminal justice field serving in the state of Florida as a police officer and in the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. in various capacities, most recently as the special assistant/senior advisor to the assistant attorney general.

​Since becoming the Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina, Bishop José has declared, in many and various ways, that he hopes to be a different kind of bishop, and he particularly does not want to be remembered as a distantly-removed dignitary. While not disregarding the great traditions of the Church, Bishop José believes that changes are necessary in the ways the church ministers in our day, and many of those changes must originate from the ministry of the bishop. He has to be a “hands-on” bishop who is close to the people of the diocese and the clergy who serve them. He has committed to being fully engaged in the church’s ministry with youth, minorities, and underserved populations. He is passionate about raising up a new kind of leadership for the church in our day.

​José and his wife Laurel have two children, Alexander and Alyson. Alex is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he majored in Sports Media with a minor in Spanish. Alex works for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the triple A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alyson is a student at UNC Charlotte majoring in Criminal Justice. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bishop José is bilingual, enjoys music, playing the drums, and studying 18th century American history.

July 16, 2023 | The Reverend Jim Adams | Christ Church, Raleigh, NC

The Reverend James Patrick Adams is Rector of Christ Church, located on Capitol Square in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.  Founded in 1821, Christ Church has a tradition of excellence in sacred music, teaching, and preaching, and it is well known for its robust outreach programs serving the needs of the poor and marginalized in Raleigh and beyond.

 Jim attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia where he earned his Master of Divinity in 1997.  Prior to accepting the call to Christ Church, Jim served as Rector of Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church in Cape Elizabeth, Maine from 2000-2010.  Previously, he was Associate Rector at Saint Thomas Church, Hanover, New Hampshire, and Episcopal Chaplain at Dartmouth College.

Jim is married to Allene Cooley Adams and together they are parents to six adult children.  So far, they have eight (nearly perfect) grandchildren, and two beloved (badly behaved) canine companions.

June 18, 2023 | The Reverend Dr. Robert Black | St. Luke's Church, Salisbury, NC

Father Robert Black has served as the Rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Salisbury, North Carolina since 2014 having previously served as the Assistant Rector at St. Francis in Greensboro, NC and  at St. John's - Lafayette Square in Washington, DC.

Born and raised in south Florida, Robert's family moved to North Carolina at the start of high school. He studied religion as an undergraduate at Wake Forest University, earned an M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a D.Min from The University of the South: Sewanee. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury. He is a recognized leader in Salisbury around issues related to racial justice and healing.

He and his wife, Tyler, who works as a CPA, have been married since 2008 after dating for many years beginning in high school. They have two elementary school-aged daughters, Eleanor and Rowen. Robert's hobbies and interests include reading and bourbon tasting, and he is an RKC-certified kettlebell instructor. The Black family greatly appreciates and enjoys the time in Linville and at All Saints.

June 18, 2023 Homily below:

August 20, 2023 | The Very Reverend Samuel Candler | The Cathedral of St. Philip,  Atlanta, GA

Sam Candler became Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip in October 1998. He was raised on a farm in Coweta County, Georgia, and he received his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Occidental College, in Los Angeles, California. In 1982, he graduated magna cum laude from Yale University Divinity School (and Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, its Episcopal component). He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the University of the South in 2021 for his “exemplary willingness to take on the hard soul work of Christian responsibility and carry on that work faithfully and lovingly,” particularly in his lifelong devotion to faithful parish ministry. His vision for St. Philip's is that we shine the light of Christ together, by being a passionate and vibrant community of Christian faith, and by serving the city and Diocese of Atlanta, and the world.Sam loves the lively community and diversity of parish life. An amateur pianist, he had intended to become a jazz musician before he was called into the priesthood. Thus, he values the role of music in prayer, and has served on Liturgy and Music Committees in several dioceses. Besides his love of scripture and bible study, he also loves the outdoors; he continues to fish, hunt, hike, and observe the stars as much as possible. Sam is quite active in Atlanta's interfaith community and he helped develop its formal structure, named the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta. Furthermore, Dean Candler is a frequent teacher and preacher in the United States and in the wider Anglican Communion. Finally, Dean Candler speaks regularly on the role of religion in matters of science and environmental sustainability.

August 20, 2023 Homily below:

June 4, 2023 | The Reverend Dr. Robert Dannals

Reverend Dannals originally came to us from Christ Church, New Bern, North Carolina, before he went on to serve as Rector of Christ Church, Greenville, South Carolina, and Saint Michael and All Angels, Dallas, Texas.

Following official retirement from Saint Michael in 2015, Bob served as Interim Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City, and then Holy Innocents' Church, Atlanta, and then All Saints’ Church, Beverly Hills, and then Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach, Florida. He has recently become the Interim Rector of Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York City, and is scheduled to serve in that capacity until August 2024.

A north Florida native, Reverend Dannals received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University, and Masters and Doctorate Degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary, Drew University and The Graduate Theological Union.

In addition to the churches listed above, Reverend Dannals has served two other churches in North Carolina: Christ Church, Charlotte, and Trinity Church, Statesville, and when he is at his home residence, he serves in a non-stipendiary capacity at St. John's Cathedral, Jacksonville, Florida.

Bob is married to Valerie, and they have three adult daughters and four grandchildren.

June 4, 2023 Homily below:

July 2, 2023 | The Reverend Chip Edens | Christ Church, Charlotte, NC

The Reverend Chip Edens is the eighth Rector of Christ Church in Charlotte, NC.

Chip has led Christ Church in numerous strategic initiatives that have strengthened the parish’s ability to equip and empower its membership of 5500.

At Christ Church, Chip is the founder and moderator of the Faith Forum, a public conversation addressing issues of faith and culture. Since 2010 he has interviewed over 100 thought leaders, including New York Times bestselling authors, marriage and parenting experts, artists, musicians, business leaders, and politicians. The subjects explored during the Faith Forums range from Biblical studies and Christian spirituality, to relationships, health and wellness, justice, interfaith relationships and leadership. These events draw an audience from around the region, some with 2400+ in attendance. The Faith Forum is live-streamed to viewers around the world.

Chip is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and Yale University Divinity School. He has studied organizational leadership at Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has also studied at the Duke Center for Reconciliation and Justice.

Chip has served the Church in a number of capacities, including as Diocesan Trustee, Co-Chair for a Bishop Search, a founding board member for the Gathering of Leaders, the Episcopal Parish Network, and The Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. In 2018 Chip was selected a scholar at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

A native of Virginia, Chip grew up in Richmond and spent his summers on the Chesapeake Bay. He is an avid fly fisherman. Chip is married to Beverly, an artist. They have three children and two Labrador Retrievers.

July 2, 2023 Homily below:

July 23, 2023 | The Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop of El Camino Real - Retired | San Jose, CA

Bishop Mary was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Music. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from the College of St. John the Evangelist in New Zealand in 1994. She was ordained in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles to the diaconate in 1994, the priesthood in 1995, and to the episcopate in 2007 in the diocese of El Camino Real.

As a priest, Mary served as assistant rector in two parishes in the Diocese of Los Angeles before accepting the call to be rector of St. Margaret’s in Miami Lakes, Florida, in December 1998. Following six years of service as rector she joined the staff of the Diocese of Southeast Florida as Archdeacon for Deployment. In November 2007, Gray-Reeves was elected as the third bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real. She resigned her ministry as a diocesan bishop in 2020, taking on the Managing Director position of the College for Bishops.

Bishop Mary authored the book Unearthing My Religion and co-authored The Hospitality of God with Michael Perham. These publications and her involvement in supporting strong leadership in all orders of church ministry reflect her passion for making the Christian faith relevant in today’s complex world. Gray-Reeves was instrumental in forming Beautiful Authority and facilitating Leading Women, gatherings designed to encourage, energize and empower women clergy leaders at various stages of their vocational lives. She serves on various committees and boards of The Episcopal Church, is a member of the International Women’s Forum and The American Leadership Forum. Gray-Reeves is excited about the diverse opportunities that will unfold for the missional future of the church and is privileged to serve bishops and their dioceses during this provocative and Spirit-filled time. She also offers consulting services utilizing her knowledge of family systems theory and mediation skills.

Bishop Mary was widowed in June 2014 following a long marriage to Michael Reeves. She is the mother of Katie and Dorian and blessed with an equine partner, Calla, her Rocky Mountain gaited mare.

July 23, 2023 Homily recording below:

June 11, 2023 | The Reverend Geoffrey Hoare, Rector | St. Alban’s Church in Washington, DC

We welcome to All Saints today, the Reverend Geoffrey Hoare, Rector of St. Alban’s Church in Washington, DC. This will be Geoffrey’s 24th year with us.

A native of England, Geoffrey came to America as a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina in 1976. After taking an additional degree from Cambridge University, where he is a member of Magdalene College, he returned to the United States and to the Yale University Divinity School together with its Episcopal component, the Berkeley Divinity School.

He was ordained Deacon and Priest in the Diocese of North Carolina where he served at Christ Church in Raleigh 1982-1987, also teaching theology in the Vocational Deacons Training Program before becoming Rector of St. Paul's Church in Alexandria, Va., 1987-1998. During those years he also served as adjunct faculty at the Virginia Theological Seminary.

In 2016, Geoffrey Hoare stepped down as rector of All Saints' Atlanta after eighteen years and moved to Washington DC where his wife, Sage had taken a new position in Public affairs with AT&T. Since then he served for six months as Interim Rector of The Church of the Epiphany on G Street in downtown Washington and from March 1, 2017 as Priest-in-Charge of St. Alban’s, the parish on the close of the Washington National Cathedral, being elected Rector in March 2018.

Geoffrey has served church and community in a number of capacities including seeking to address issues of race, class and other "isms" on a national level (VISIONS Inc). He has served on the Board of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and is currently on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Yale Divinity School. . In Atlanta, he served as an instructor in the contextual education program of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he is also on the Advisory Council of the Anglican Studies Program.

He enjoys singing in church, shower and any other venue that will have him. He is an avid golfer, reader, writer and chef. He lives with his wife, Sage, and their children.

June 11, 2023 Homily below:

July 30, 2023 | The Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith | Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC

The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith was named the 11th Dean of Washington National Cathedral in 2016 after serving as rector of St. James’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Va., for 16 years. Dean Randy previously served as rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Georgia. He was ordained in 1990 and he holds degrees from Denison University and Yale Divinity School.

In his tenure at the Cathedral, Dean Randy has led the creation of a five-year strategic plan, raised $27 million for the renovation of the Cathedral College, overseen a comprehensive capital campaign for $150 million, grown the Cathedral's budget from $14 million to $25 million, and reoriented the institution toward radical welcome and hospitality, with a particular focus on racial reconciliation and outreach to the nation’s veterans.

Under his leadership, the Cathedral has seen growing attendance at worship, six years of budget surpluses and significant progress in ongoing repairs from the 2011 earthquake.

Dean Randy loves hunting and fishing. He is married to the Rev. Melissa Hollerith, and he is the proud father of two adult children. The Holleriths live on the Cathedral Close.

July 30, 2023 Homily below:

May 28, 2023 | The Reverend Dr. Harrison McLeod | Christ Church, Greenville, SC

We welcome back to All Saints, the Reverend Dr. Harrison McLeod, Rector of Christ Church, Greenville, South Carolina.

Harrison was born in Virginia and grew up in Birmingham, AL, as a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. After college, he worked for several years in New York City and in Birmingham, before entering seminary at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, where he received the degree of Master of Divinity. Harrison recently received his doctorate degree from Virginia Theological Seminary.

After seminary, Harrison served as Assistant Rector of All Saint's and as Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, both in AL. Later he was called as Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Tyler, TX. In the summer of 2008 he was called to be the twentieth Rector of Christ Church in Greenville, SC.

Reverend McLeod has been married to Jennifer Byars McLeod for over 20 years. They have two sons, Hal and Jack.

May 28, 2023 Homily below:

September 10, 2023 | The Reverend David Meginniss | Christ Church, Tuscaloosa, AL

The Reverend David Meginniss retired as rector of Christ Church in Tuscaloosa, AL. He was born in Dothan, Alabama, the fourth child of the Episcopal priest there. At age ten, the family moved to Mobile. In 1973 he attended the University of Alabama for both undergraduate and law school. He practiced law for nearly twenty years in Huntsville, AL, and along the way he married Barbara Osborne, which was the smartest thing he ever did. They have one daughter, Sarah.

Maybe NOT the smartest thing he ever did was to give up the satisfying and lucrative law career to uproot his family and move them to Sewanee for seminary, proving once and for all that God does have a sense of humor. After his ordination in 2001, David became the rector of a small church in Wetumpka, AL, outside of Montgomery. Four years later, he accepted the call to go to Christ Church in Tuscaloosa, where he served as rector until 2021.

Sarah is an attorney and criminal prosecutor in Washington DC. She is married to a history professor and they live in Crofton, MD, along with their daughters Annette, age 6, and Evelyn, age 3, and their son, Royce, who is 1 and a half, and they are, by far, the cutest grandchildren anyone could hope for.

September 10, 2023 Homily below:

Sept. 3, 2023 | The Very Reverend Stephen Morris | St. Peter’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg, FL

The Very Reverend Stephen B. Morris retired as Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, St. Petersburg Florida, on June 30, 2023. Having served as Dean for 15 years, and as a priest to the greater church for 31 years, he felt called to serve the community in which he lives in a different capacity.

Stephen is now the founding Executive Director of Skyway Housing Foundation. This is a nonprofit that will partner with city, county, state agencies and developers to provide affordable housing for those in need with preference given to senior and workforce housing. The foundation will focus its efforts in southwest and north Florida.

Stephen and Christina always look forward to their time in Linville as he has been serving All Saints for 23 years. Their six children all have fond memories of their time growing up here as they are all adults spread far and wide working and pursuing their own ambitions. Stephen remains active in the Diocese of Southwest Florida and in his work with the Anglican Centre in Rome. Originally from Louisiana, Stephen has lived in Florida for over 20 years and he and Christina will continue to call St. Petersburg home.

September 3, 2023 Homily recording below:

Sept. 17, 2023 | The Reverend Tom Newcomb | The Church of St. James the Less - Retired | Scarsdale, NY

Tom Newcomb was born in New York City in 1947 and grew up in White Plains, NY. He attended Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. He served as a teacher in the Peace Corps in Cameroon, West Africa 1969-71. He taught English as a Second Language at the East Harlem Manpower Project in New York from 1971 until 1972. He graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York in 1975 and was ordained a Deacon in June of that year.

Tom served as Assistant Rector of St. Michael’s Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He was ordained to the Priesthood in February of 1976. In 1978 he moved to Savannah where he was Assistant Rector of Christ Church from 1978 to 1983. From 1983 until 2000 he was Rector of St. Timothy’s Church in Fairfield, Connecticut. In 2000 he moved to Scarsdale, New York, where he served as Rector of the Church of St. James the Less until his retirement in 2015. From 2016 until 2020 he served as part time Priest-in-Charge of St. Martin’s Church in Harlem, New York City.

Tom is married to Lee Ann Stutzman. They have three children, Jonathan, Christopher, and Mary and seven grandchildren.

September 17, 2023 Homily recording below:

August 6 and August 13, 2023 | The Rt. Reverend Henry N. Parsley, Jr., Retired Bishop of Alabama

We celebrate the return of Henry Parsley to All Saints. Bishop Parsley was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Alabama in 1996 and became the tenth Bishop of Alabama in 1999 and served until 2012. He has since served as Bishop Provisional of Easton, MD, 2014-2016 and as Visiting Bishop for the Diocese of South Carolina, 2020-2021. He was ordained in 1973 and is the 923'd bishop in the American succession.

He earned his BA degree in English literature from the University of the South, Sewanee in 1970 and a Master of Divinity degree from the General Theological Seminary, New York in 1973. He holds honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from both institutions.

Bishop Parsley served as the Chancellor of the University of the South from 2003 - 2009 and as a member of the Board of Regents for a decade. He was chair of the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops from 1999 - 2011 and a member of the Board of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion 2004 -2015. He has attended two Lambeth Conferences and ten General Conventions, and continues on occasion to take his place in the House of Bishops.

Before his election to the episcopate he was Rector of Christ Church, Charlotte, NC, 1986 - 1996. Previously he served parishes in the Diocese of South Carolina. He has a special interest in the outreach ministries of the church and in teaching and leading retreats on literature and the spiritual life. In addition to his ministry as a bishop Henry enjoys fly-fishing (especially in the Linville River), reading fiction and poetry, and travel.

He is married to the former Rebecca Knox Allison. Their son Henry N. Parsley III and his wife work in Broadway theater and are currently with the show “Hamilton.” The Parsleys are enjoying their retirement cottage on Masonboro Sound in Wilmington, NC.

August 6, 2023 Homily recording below:

August 13, 2023 Homily recording below:

 

August 27, 2023 | The Reverend Lisa Saunders | Christ Church, Charlotte, NC

The Reverend Lisa Saunders grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and Virginia Theological Seminary. She has served at Christ Episcopal Church since 1988, and in the last year scaled back her hours to one-quarter time.

Lisa is married to Tim, a pediatric and neuro ophthalmologist, and they have three adult children and one grandchild. She enjoys cycling, reading, travel and pummeling a speedbag. Saunders is the author of Even at the Grave, The P is Silent and From Stars to Stable.

.August 27, 2023 Homily below:

July 9, 2023 | The Reverend Leigh Spruill | St. John the Divine, Houston, TX

The Rev. Dr R. Leigh Spruill is rector of The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston, Texas. He is a native of Virginia, and received his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Leigh received his Master of Divinity from the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee), and his Doctor of Ministry from Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto.

Prior to moving to Houston in January of 2021, Leigh was the long-serving rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Earlier in his ordained ministry, he served as rector of St. Mark's Episcopal in Jacksonville, Florida, and as associate and assistant rector at parishes in Birmingham, Alabama, and Richmond, Virginia.

He is married to Susalee Cain Spruill, and they have three adult children, Eleanor, Peter, and William.

July 9, 2023 Homily recording below:

June 25, 2023 | The Reverend Becca Stevens | Thistle Farms, Nashville,TN

Becca Stevens is a speaker, social entrepreneur, author, priest, founder, and President of Thistle Farms. As an entrepreneurial leader, she has established 10 justice initiatives and has raised over $65M in funding. Stevens leads important conversations across the country through speaking, advocating, preaching and writing. She walks the line between pragmatism and poetry in her message that love is the strongest force for change in the world.

Stevens founded Thistle Farms in 1997 with a single home for survivors of trafficking, and addiction. Almost twenty-five years later, it is a global movement for women’s freedom. Today the Nashville flagship includes a residential program that serves as a national model for women’s recovery, and three justice social enterprises that provide jobs to survivors—amounting to $4M in earned income last year. Stevens developed the Thistle National Network to provide tools, workshops, and conferences to support young organizations wanting to follow its holistic model of recovery. There are now 92 organizations, providing over 500 beds to survivors, in its network. She also created Thistle Farms Global Shared Trade which supports 1,400 artisan survivors through 39 partners in 21 countries.

As a priest, author, and entrepreneur, Becca says, "I have tried to spend my life inspiring communities to organizae and act with love." Her husband of 30+ years is Grammy-winning and Hall of Fame songwriter Marcus Hummon. "Marcus has been the gift of my life. He lives for creativity, which means we pursue our individual paths together. We have raised three sons who are all artists in their own right, and so our home is filled with music, paintings, designs, and too many dogs."

June 25, 2023 Homily below:

Sept 24, 2023 | The Reverend Caroline Rinehart Stewart | The Church of the Redeemer, Baltimore, MD

Caroline, a native of Charlottesville, VA, graduated from Converse College with a degree in Psychology, from the University of Virginia with a Masters of Education in Counseling, from Loyola University with a Masters in Pastoral and Spiritual Care, and earned a Post Graduate Degree in Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. She was ordained to the Priesthood in 2006 in the Diocese of Maryland.

Caroline has served as a parish priest in a number of Maryland parishes, as the Episcopal Chaplain at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, on the faculty of The Center for Spiritual Support Training at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, and as Chaplain for 2 independent schools in the Baltimore area. She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid. Retired from full time ministry, she continues to serve as a Supply priest and as a Spiritual Director.

Caroline and Bill will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct 20th and thrilled that part of their honeymoon was spent in Linville at her brother Bruce and Mary Rinehart’s house!! They have two adult children and three grandchildren!

September 24, 2023 Homily below: