Hello, I’m Tommy.
I’m an Episcopal priest, teacher, and public theologian seeking to follow Jesus alongside communities committed to compassion, justice, healing, and joy.
I serve as Rector of the constellation of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Colchester and Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne, Vermont. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share ministry with these two congregations as we listen for where the Holy Spirit is leading us.
My ministry grows from a simple conviction: every person is a beloved child of God. The church should be a community where people can bring their faith, questions, wounds, gifts, and whole selves.
Finding a Church Where I Could Belong
I grew up in Tishomingo, a small town in rural Mississippi. When I was about sixteen, I decided I needed to know whether there was a church where I could belong as a gay person. I took down the Yellow Pages and began calling churches.
When I reached St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Corinth, I asked the vicar, Fr. Scott Arnold, what the church believed about gay people. Without hesitation, he answered, “They are God’s children the same as anyone else.”
I was hooked.
That Sunday, I found a spiritual home. The welcome I received shaped the priest I would eventually become and continues to shape my commitment to LGBTQ inclusion. I want people who have been rejected, shamed, or pushed to the edges by religion to know that God sees them, loves them, and welcomes them.
My Call to the Priesthood
I first recognized a call to ordained ministry while watching a priest prepare the altar for Holy Eucharist. The call frightened me. I did not believe I was knowledgeable, confident, or good enough to represent God.
I tried to deny the call, but the call never denied me.
My first ordinations were in The Old Catholic Church, which was not affiliated with the Union of Utrecht. I was ordained a deacon on December 7, 2008, and a priest on April 19, 2009.
My journey eventually brought me back to The Episcopal Church, where my call had first taken shape. I was ordained a deacon in The Episcopal Church on July 20, 2024, and a priest in The Episcopal Church on May 28, 2025.
The Faith That Guides Me
Jesus stands at the center of my faith. He loved God and neighbor, challenged religious leaders who used faith to oppress people, and formed relationships with those society pushed aside. His life, death, and resurrection call us toward freedom, reconciliation, and a new way of living together.
The Baptismal Covenant grounds my ministry. It calls us to seek and serve Christ in all people, strive for justice and peace, and respect the dignity of every human being. These promises leave no room for deciding that some people deserve less love, dignity, or belonging than others.
Open & Relational Theology helps me understand God and prayer. I believe God’s nature is love, and love does not control. God calls, persuades, inspires, and works with creation toward healing, beauty, and wholeness. Prayer is part of that relationship. When I pray, I listen for how I can participate in what God is doing here and now.
Life Beyond the Collar
I share my life with three dogs: Belle, Grace, and Zeffy. I’m a devoted animal lover, and they make sure life is never too quiet.
I also quilt when I have time. Quilting has become a spiritual practice for me. It requires attention, patience, and a willingness to bring separate pieces together into something whole. At times, stitching those pieces together has helped repair parts of my own soul that felt torn or ragged.
I pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, enjoy reading history, and find humor in almost everything. I believe faith can carry deep theological questions while retaining warmth, honesty, and laughter.
St. Jude and Impossible Things
I have a particular devotion to St. Jude, often called the Apostle of the Impossible. His intercession has been meaningful to me during circumstances that seemed to offer little hope.
St. Jude reminds me that despair does not deserve the final word. Even when the way forward is unclear, grace continues to open possibilities.
Walking Together
I hope this site offers room for honest questions, thoughtful theology, spiritual encouragement, and faithful engagement with the world. You’ll find writing here about Open & Relational Theology, LGBTQ inclusion, social justice, prayer, liturgy, the Episcopal tradition, and the continuing work of following Jesus.
Bring your questions, your faith, your doubts, and your whole self.
