St. Thomas Clergy & Staff
 |
The Reverend Stephen Waller, Rector
I was born and raised in Northwest Louisiana, graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia in 1969 and The General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1972.
The Right Reverend Reginald Heber Gooden, retired bishop of Panama, ordained me a deacon on St. Columba's Day 1972, June 9th, at Holy Cross Church, Shreveport. The Right Reverend Iveson Batchelor Noland, Bishop of Louisiana, ordained me to the priesthood on St. Matthias' Day 1973, February 24, in Redeemer, Ruston, Louisiana. I made my profession as a member of the Third Order of St. Francis in 1983.
I served as curate at Redeemer, Ruston and St. Luke's, Grambling and as assistant chaplain to Louisiana Tech University and Grambling University from June of 1972 until November 1973. I was then called to serve as curate at Trinity, Baton Rouge, and remained there until early 1977 when I became vicar of St. Alban's, Monroe, Louisiana, until 1981 when I moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to serve as rector of St. Timothy's.
I have been rector of St. Thomas the Apostle, Dallas, since September of 1989, responding to its call to work with a parish especially open to a ministry to people living with HIV/AIDS and intentionally welcoming of all sorts and conditions of people.
The Bishop of Dallas has appointed me to serve as chair of the Arts and Architecture Commission of the Diocese and I am at present serving on the boards of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches and The Interfaith Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
The Reverend Anna Neitzel, Deacon
I was born and raised in Dallas and graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1991. I received my Masters in Theology from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 2003 and was ordained to the diaconate by The Right Reverend James Monte Stanton of Dallas in 2005.
I served for two years at Saint Michael and All Angels in Dallas as the Associate Rector for Mission and Outreach before coming to Saint Thomas the Apostle. I had spent part of my discernment process for ordination at Saint Thomas and was thrilled when Bishop Stanton placed me here in June, 2008.
I am a permanent deacon in that I am not seeking priestly orders nor aspiring to the episcopate. It is my job to speak to the Church of the needs of the World and to the World of the Grace of God in Christ. I am to remind the whole assembly that “serving others” is the heart of the Gospel and the heart of everyone’s ministry.
As a staff member I am to be present in the Sunday liturgy at 10:00 and after at the coffee hour. I am present in the parish office on Mondays and Tuesdays and am available by appointment at other times. I want to work closely with all of St. Thomas’s wonderful outreach programs and to explore other opportunities for all of us. I will make hospital visits as is necessary and will preach occasionally.
I have been married for 42 years to my husband, Jim, who is a food broker. We have two sons, Jimmy – married to Julie, and Brian – married to Jodi. Brian and Jodi have given us two magnificent granddaughters, Ainsley and Audrey. I have a passion for cooking, reading and the beach.
I hope to get to know all of the parishioners here at St. Thomas and to be available to help The Rector when needed.
Staff
- Pat Carr, Parish Secretary
- Lee Corbin, Organist and Choirmaster
- Garry Rodriguez, Sexton
And in addition to our dedicated staff, you will often find the office and campus tended by a number of volunteers from the parish family itself.