Our Interim Rector
The Rev. James Wolford
The Vestry is very happy to announce the calling of the Rev. James Wolford as the Interim Rector of St. Albans, Delaware. Jim began with us full-time on October 1, 2007.
Jim is extremely well qualified for this call. Everyone on Vestry whom interviewed Jim was immediately convinced that he was the right person for the job. In fact, the Vestry unanimously voted in favor of Jim serving with us.
For the past several years, Jim has served an “intentional” interim which is a specialized ministry. In addition, Jim has specific training for interim ministry and is a member of the Interim Ministry Network. Most recently, Jim has served as Interim Senior Pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Springfield, PA. Prior to that assignment, he served as Interim Senior Pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ardmore. From 1998 to 2005, Jim served as Associate of the Bishop, Northeastern PA Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (“ELCA”). In that position, Jim was responsible for congregational oversight, stewardship and social ministry. Jim was ordained in 1976.
As Interim Rector, Jim will help us through the time of transition, moving from a place of loss to a readiness to move forward with new leadership. Jim will assist us to come to terms with our unique history and aid us in discerning an identity that fits our current circumstances. Importantly, as our Interim Rector, Jim will guide us to make a commitment to a new future—openness to a new vision and the leadership of a new Rector. During this process we will collectively discern what we believe God is calling St. Albans to be.
By this point the word “Lutheran” must have jumped out to even those just quickly scanning this article. Yes, Jim is an ordained minister in the ELCA. I can imagine some of you wondering “then how can he serve at St. Albans?” The answer to that question is quite straightforward and not nearly as ground breaking as it may seem initially.
In 1999 the Episcopal Church and the ELCA entered into an agreement entitled “Called to Common Mission” which established a new relationship of full communion between the churches and opened the way for increased cooperative efforts. “Full communion” means that each church recognizes that the other holds the essentials of the Christian faith within the catholic and apostolic tradition. In this relationship each church is open to the gifts of the other as it seeks to be faithful to Christ and his mission. The churches mutually recognize baptism and a sharing of the Eucharist, allowing for joint worship and an exchange of members. In the Called to Common Mission agreement, is was recognized that Lutherans and Episcopalians agree that nothing divides them theologically and they share much in common including patterns of worship and liturgy. The churches recognize each other’s ordained ministers. A Lutheran pastor serving as an Episcopal Rector remains a Lutheran, but serves under Episcopal teaching and practice.
The fact that Jim was ordained in the ELCA will not change the way we worship together. The Book of Common Prayer will still be used to order our services. The Diocese of Delaware will assign an Episcopal priest to serve as a mentor and resource to Jim. Importantly, Jim is no stranger to the Episcopal Church. His wife is a member of St. Mary Anne in Northeast, Maryland, and on occasion, Jim has served as a supply priest there.
This is not even a first for the Diocese of Delaware. A Lutheran minister, the Rev. John Barton, currently serves as pastor at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Milton, DE.
Please join me in warmly welcoming Jim into our church family. Together, we can lay the foundation for a bright future for St. Albans.
Brother Steven Brendan Davis
Senior Warden
Questions Asked of the Interim
Is the Transition Team the same thing as the Search Committee?
No. The Vision Team is a small group that guides the process of gathering information for the profile. As they near the end of their work, a larger Search Committee will be appointed to carry on the process.
Can’t you just stay and be the rector?
Several of you have asked this question in some form. The answer is ‘no’. This is not a possibility. There are a number of good reasons for the policy that states that: The interim rector will not under any circumstances be a candidate for call to the congregation. Even if that were not the case, there are two other good reasons I would not be a candidate. The first is the call I feel to interim ministry. I believe my gifts for ministry, personality and training lead me to this work. The second is that Patty and I love where we live and do not want to move. Commuting works for interim ministry, but a regularly called priest should be part of the congregation’s community.
God’s peace, Jim+To contact the Rev. James Wolford at the church office, go to our Contact Page.
Other Links:
Learn about the Rector Search Process