Monday, June 30, 2008

NEW SMALL CHURCH PROGRAM OFFICER ANNOUNCED




Dear Blog friends:

It is with great joy that I announce that the Rev. Robert (Bob) Honeychurch has been named as the new Program Officer who will be serving the small church through the Episcopal Church Center.

Bob Honeychurch currently serves as rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Fremont, California. In addition, he is an Adjunct Instructor in Parish Leadership at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley.

Prior to coming to St. James’ in 2001, he and his wife, the Rev. Sylvia Sweeney, served as co-rectors of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Idaho Falls, Idaho from 1992-2001. During that time he also served for two years as a Regional Missioner for the Diocese of Idaho, serving with the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. He also served twice as an interim pastor at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Idaho Falls.

A native of Montana, Honeychurch began his ordained ministry in 1984. He served as co-vicar of two mission churches in the Diocese of Montana – St. Luke’s in Libby, and Holy Trinity in Troy – from 1984 to 1992.

Honeychurch received a B.S. degree in Education from Montana State University in 1979, an M.Div. from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in 1984, and a D.Min in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western in 1999.

Honeychurch will begin his ministry at the Church Center, working out of the Omaha regional office, on September 1, 2008. Part of his portfolio will include administering and posting to this blog. There will therefore be a hiatus in postings, but they will resume in early September. If you have any ideas or suggestions in the meantime, Honeychurch can be reached at bhoneychurch@episcopalchurch.org