The Rev. Dr. Tommy Watson
Christ's Church New Associate Rector
A Letter From Father Tommy:
Dear Members of Christ's Church:
It is with heartfelt gratitude and genuine excitement that I accept the call to join your faith community as Associate Rector. From my very first visit, I was touched by the warmth and kindness that radiated from all of the people I interacted with. Your hospitality and openness made me feel instantly at home, and I am deeply grateful for the spirit of welcome that defines Christ's Church.
Your sanctuary is a place of stunning beauty, a sacred space that reflects the reverence and devotion of your congregation. As I stood in it, I sensed the rich history and the vibrant faith that have shaped this church, and I am honored to become a part of its unfolding story.
With anticipation for all that lies ahead, I look forward to growing together in faith, service, and fellowship. I am eager to listen, learn, and walk alongside you in times of joy and challenge, always confident in God’s loving guidance.
It is truly a blessing to be entrusted with this role and to have the honor of sharing in such a meaningful journey with you. I am excited to begin our ministry together in such an inspiring place, surrounded by such extraordinary people.
With gratitude and joy,
Fr. Tommy
A Letter From Father Matt:
Dear Christ's Church Family,
I have wonderful news.
After a nationwide search, I am overjoyed to introduce our new Associate Rector: The Rev. Dr. Tommy Watson. Father Tommy rose to the top of a remarkable candidate pool because of his deep spirituality, gift for teaching, pastoral warmth, and genuine joy - a joy that fills every room he enters. You'll hear a bit of his spirit in the letter he wrote below.
Father Tommy comes to us from Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church in Wilton, Connecticut, where he has served as Assistant to the Rector for Formation and Engagement. His path to ordination is a story worth knowing: before answering the call to ministry, he spent twenty years as a tenured professor of voice and music history at Anderson University in South Carolina, then left that career in 2021 to earn his MDiv at Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in voice performance from the University of South Carolina, and his life as a professor, professional musician, cantor, and organist is woven through everything he does. He is deeply committed to Christian formation, preaching, pastoral care, and, particularly, children's, youth, and family ministry. He has the heart of a teacher, which will be a gift to all of us.
During his site visit, we watched him move seamlessly from the nursery school floor to a conversation with our choristers and teens to an afternoon at The Osborn. People were drawn to him everywhere he went. Outside of church, he's a regular at the gym, a devotee of the Met Opera and Broadway, and a pianist. He clearly has more than a few things in common with the people and culture of Christ’s Church!
Father Tommy joins us on Wednesday, July 15. His first Sunday will be July 19, and we will welcome him that morning with a reception following the 9am service. More opportunities to meet him are coming this fall.
Here is what those who spent time with him had to say:
"Tommy has a warm pastoral countenance and is a focused, locked-in listener. I was very impressed with his ability to create impactful youth programming across age groups." - Betsy Graseck, Search Committee
"We are blessed to have Tommy joining our parish. He is deeply spiritual, knowledgeable, and brings a warm, calming presence. Together, Tommy and Father Matt seem to provide the perfect balance of gifts and leadership that Christ's Church needs." - Nichole Reiff, Search Committee
"Tommy is super down-to-earth, incredibly smart, and has a ton of experience. He's going to be a great fit as we focus on hospitality and spiritual vitality going forward." - Cris Thorne, Verger
"It was so moving to watch Tommy with the nursery school children. They immediately jumped up to share what they were doing and ask him why he was there!" - Ann Hirsch, CCNS Director
This call was made possible by your generosity in last fall's stewardship campaign, and your prayers for this process - thank you! I am deeply grateful to our Search Committee - Anna Bancroft, Betsy Graseck, Nichole Reiff, and Andrew Swank - for their wisdom, discernment, and commitment to this process. They gave us a great gift.
One of the privileges of my role is knowing how special you are and how gifted Father Tommy is, and being able to see what God is already preparing for us as we begin this journey together. I cannot wait. Thanks be to God!
With Great Thanks,
Matt+
