November 1, 2006

 

 

Dear community of St. George’s:

 

It is with great joy and anticipation that we announce the selection of a new Priest in Charge Under Special Circumstances (PIC USC) to serve at St. George’s! 

 

Bishop Jon Bruno and Canon Joanna Satorius, our Diocesan Deployment Officer, have informed the Vestry that The Reverend Norm Freeman has accepted a Call to become our PIC USC.  As we had hoped, Reverend Norm will join us December 15th, and preach his first services on December 17th, the third Sunday of Advent.

 

Father Norm Freeman has served for over six years as Vicar for St. Michael and All Angels Church in Isla Vista, and Episcopal Chaplain for the University of California, Santa Barbara.  Previously, Father Norm served as Curate at St. Paul’s Church in Greenwich, Connecticut.  These churches grew dramatically during Reverend Norm’s tenure.  His theological studies include a Masters of Divinity Degree from the General Theological Seminary.   Father Norm is also an accomplished, celebrated percussionist with Bachelors and Masters of Music degrees from The Julliard School.  In 1999, the Jazz Vespers that he began at St. Paul's inspired a full page story in The New York Times entitled, Where Music and the Ministry Merge.   He has performed on four Grammy nominated projects, including the Grammy Award winning New York Philharmonic recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 In D Minor.    

 

Father Norm and his wife Lori have been married for twenty three years and have two children.  Brady is a communications major in her second year at UCLA, and Chris is a sophomore in high school.   We are very pleased that Father Norm and his family will be living in the Rectory close to our church community. 

 

We trust that you will be overjoyed with this news, as we are.  Over the next 12 to 18 months, we will embark upon a discernment process with Father Norm to determine together if he will be called as our next Rector.  Please join us in contemplative prayer for our community, Father Norm and his family as we begin this journey.  We also want to pause and thank Father Philip Strange for serving as our Priest in Charge during the transition.

 

The Vestry is honored to serve St. George’s parish and, as always, we welcome your input.

 

May God’s eternal grace shine upon us,

 

 

 

Brennan James                                                             Bob Crowson

Senior Warden                                                                       Junior Warden