Clergy at St. Christopher's
The Reverend Susan Sowers, Rector
The Reverend Susan Sowers, Rector
Susan became a priest to follow Jesus, wherever he leads. She was raised in an Army family, and followed in the footsteps of her grandfather and father, with her own military career. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in 1982, she served as a Transportation Corps Officer for 25 years and had the privilege of serving young American soldiers in a variety of leadership positions, including: platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander and brigade commander. While in the Service, she received two Master of Science degrees: Civil Engineering from the University of Washington and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Before retiring in 2007 and going to seminary, her final Army assignment was as the Chief of Staff of the Support Command in Iraq. Answering her call to ordained ministry, she was ordained in 2010, after receiving a Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary.
Susan returns to us as our 5th rector, after serving for two years as the Associate Dean of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is no stranger to the congregation. This is where she was ordained to the priesthood and served as the Associate Rector for three years (Jun 2010 - Jun 2013). She is married to Donna Van Winkle who has lived in Hawaii most of her life, and joins her in ministry.
Susan is grateful and motivated to be ‘home,’ among the people of St. Christopher’s, as they journey life with Christ and one another. We are all called by God to live “fully alive,” and St. Christopher’s is one of those special places where love abounds and where people truly connect their faith to action.
“The glory of God is the human being fully alive.”
~ St. Irenaeus of Lyon (AD 202)
Susan became a priest to follow Jesus, wherever he leads. She was raised in an Army family, and followed in the footsteps of her grandfather and father, with her own military career. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in 1982, she served as a Transportation Corps Officer for 25 years and had the privilege of serving young American soldiers in a variety of leadership positions, including: platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander and brigade commander. While in the Service, she received two Master of Science degrees: Civil Engineering from the University of Washington and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Before retiring in 2007 and going to seminary, her final Army assignment was as the Chief of Staff of the Support Command in Iraq. Answering her call to ordained ministry, she was ordained in 2010, after receiving a Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary.
Susan returns to us as our 5th rector, after serving for two years as the Associate Dean of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is no stranger to the congregation. This is where she was ordained to the priesthood and served as the Associate Rector for three years (Jun 2010 - Jun 2013). She is married to Donna Van Winkle who has lived in Hawaii most of her life, and joins her in ministry.
Susan is grateful and motivated to be ‘home,’ among the people of St. Christopher’s, as they journey life with Christ and one another. We are all called by God to live “fully alive,” and St. Christopher’s is one of those special places where love abounds and where people truly connect their faith to action.
“The glory of God is the human being fully alive.”
~ St. Irenaeus of Lyon (AD 202)
The Reverend John Fountain
The Reverend John Fountain
I am from Mobile, Alabama, and I have been at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas with my wife Kelly and three daughters, Gray, Eleanor, and Mary Mac for the last three years. I cannot forget we also added a pandemic dog while in Austin: a golden retriever named Sonny. Prior to following a call to the priesthood, I worked in the shipping industry as a ship stevedore, pushboat deckhand, port operations manager, and general manager of a harbor tug division in Mobile. Before moving to Austin, Kelly operated a private practice providing psychotherapy and psychological testing. As a family we enjoy spending time on the water, snow skiing in the winter, and days at the beach.
I am from Mobile, Alabama, and I have been at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas with my wife Kelly and three daughters, Gray, Eleanor, and Mary Mac for the last three years. I cannot forget we also added a pandemic dog while in Austin: a golden retriever named Sonny. Prior to following a call to the priesthood, I worked in the shipping industry as a ship stevedore, pushboat deckhand, port operations manager, and general manager of a harbor tug division in Mobile. Before moving to Austin, Kelly operated a private practice providing psychotherapy and psychological testing. As a family we enjoy spending time on the water, snow skiing in the winter, and days at the beach.
