Sunday Worship Service

Sunday, September 26, 2021
10:30am
The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija

Weekly Bible Sharing

With Rev. Canon Eric H. F. Law

Thursday, September 30th
12:00 p.m.

Join via Zoom: Click here to join meeting.

Or, join by phone: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 841 2829 0982

August 8, 2021

Meet our Co-Rectors!

Rev. Jessica ( Jessie ) Thompson
Rev. Daniel ( Dan ) Kline

Rev. Jessica ( Jessie ) Thompson
Rev. Daniel ( Dan ) Kline

Walking through the redwoods each week to their ethics class in downtown Berkeley, Jessie and Dan discovered energy around their shared call to the priesthood. They began exploring co-preaching and pastoral care at the start of their relationship. After graduation, they were ordained, married, and moved across the country to the east coast where Rev. Dan’s sending diocese was located. Rev. Dan served as the Associate Rector on an interim team and Rev. Jessie served as a Priest-in-Charge over two parishes during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were responsible for creating and sustaining new ways of doing ministry in response to this crisis.

The Reverend Jessie Thompson

Jessie is a native of Portland, Oregon. She received a Master of Divinity and a Post-Masters in Transforming Spirituality with an emphasis in Spiritual Direction at Seattle University’s School of Theology & Ministry and received her Certificate of Anglican Studies from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California (where she met her partner, Dan). She recently completed a certificate in Contemplative Leadership with the Shalem Institute.

Rev. Jessie has over two decades of ministry experience, in a variety of roles ranging from children’s pastor to religion professor and everything in between. Her work as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator makes her heart sing. For the past two years, she has served as the Priest-in-Charge at St. James Episcopal Park (Prospect Park) and St. John the Evangelist (Essington), in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Her passions and areas of teaching/ministry include creating space for people to encounter the Holy, body theology, labyrinth work, discovering God’s deepest desires in our lives, hospitality as intentional vulnerability, transitions, grief, and loss. Her heart beats for the marginalized, and she seeks to provide safe spaces for all to feel welcomed, known, loved, and celebrated. Rev. Jessie is a sucker for watching God’s grace show up in unexpected places, and she loves the idea of second chances and transformation.

When she’s not in the office, you can find her making silly videos for her favorite nieces, scoping out the best live music around, or dancing somewhere– anywhere! She loves a good cup of coffee and conversation, so she hopes you’ll reach out for both.

The Reverend Dan Kline

Dan is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and a Certificate of Anglican Studies from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California (where he met his partner, Jessie). He is currently working on a Master of Science in Church Management from Villanova University’s School of Business.

Rev. Dan has over a decade and a half of ministry experience. He’s worked as a seminary professor, missionary, children’s pastor, youth pastor, assistant pastor, prison chaplain, recovery chaplain, and hospital chaplain. For the past two years, he has served as the Associate Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chestnut Hill, a historic neighborhood of Philadelphia. Prior to being ordained in The Episcopal Church, Rev. Dan taught English overseas in South Korea and theology in Fiji. He also worked in the restaurant industry, helping launch several locations of an Austin, Texas based startup in a new market. It’s no surprise that he loves cooking and discovering new and innovative cuisines, as well as the entrepreneurial side of ministry.

A trained community organizer, his passion is helping people discover God’s work in their lives through the Jesus story, especially through a social justice lens. His spiritual guiding compass is, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “to make the invisible visible.” Rev. Dan’s diverse denominational background fuels a desire for bridge building and reconciliation between divisions in the church and the wider society. When he’s not in the office, he’s planning another camping trip to a national park with Rev. Jessie.

This is Porkchop!

Rev. Jessie and Rev. Dan believe that their unique vocation as a clergy couple with a shared leadership ministry is another fresh and innovative way to model Christ’s relationship with the Church. Their prayer is that their complementary gifts might provide deep pastoral care, support historic traditions, vision for future generations, and creatively help individuals grow in spiritual community, all while offering greater access to God’s belovedness for all.

The third musketeer caravanning across the country with them is their sweet 16-year-old dog, Porkchop (who has also been to seminary twice!). All three look forward to serving the Church of St. Paul in the Desert and continue to be in awe of the Spirit’s great invitation here!

An excerpt from a prior letter…

We are delighted to submit our application to serve as the next co-rectors of The Church of St. Paul in the Desert. As we read your Parish Profile and your thoughtful website offerings, we were energized, excited, and moved by the unique qualities and values that reflect St. Paul’s desire to share meaningful ministry, care well for present and future generations, be good neighbors in ways of service and outreach, and grow together in the waiting with God and walking on new ground!

We believe our varied gifts for ministry complement each other well and would offer St. Paul’s a dynamic and steady leadership team in the years ahead. We were so moved by the invitation to those drawn to serve here, that if God calls us to St. Paul’s, we will consider it a blessing to be welcomed home.