St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and West Central Episcopal Mission will celebrate the arrival of their new vicar this Sunday (May 20) in a ceremony led by Bishop Gretchen Rehberg, of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.
The service, called a Celebration of New Ministry, will begin at the Mission (1832 W. Dean Ave) at 5 p.m. Sunday, the day of Pentecost, before concluding at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (2404 N. Howard St), with a dinner to follow. The event will be live-streamed online and all community members are invited to attend.
The Rev. Jonathan Myers, 38 of Ohio, is part of a new generation of priests taking on leadership roles in historic Christian denominations, according to a press release. Myers studied at the Seattle School for Theology and Psychology.
In recent years he has served in numerous support roles as an Episcopal priest, and also opened a brewery in Asheville, North Carolina before moving to Spokane.
“I wish those young people in my generation who often feel uncomfortable in church could hear Jonathan preach,” said Chris Jordan, 29, bishop’s warden at St. Andrew’s, said in a press release. “His sermons are deeply thoughtful, challenging, and he never shies away from the critical social justice issues, which we believe should be at the core of what it means to be a Christian…”
Myers will serve part-time as the vicar at St. Andrew’s and part-time leading West Central Episcopal Mission, which provides free meals to homeless and low-income residents every Wednesday evening in West Central. The Mission also provides garden and office space for River City Youth Ops, a local nonprofit that creates opportunities for youth enrichment through job training and education.
St. Andrew’s and the Mission plan to pursue more joint ministry opportunities over the coming year.
