A message from the Wardens: Announcing the Tenth Rector of Christ Church

The Rev. Matthew Hanisian

Dear Christ Church Community:

With great joy, we are pleased to announce that we have called a new Rector to Christ Church! The journey we began together in the fall of 2021, with the announcement of Christopher’s retirement, will conclude on June 1 with the arrival of our Rector-Elect, the Reverend Matthew Hanisian and his wife, Katie Glover. After an 11-year career in marketing, Matthew was ordained in 2009 and has been the Rector of St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church in Severna Park, Maryland for the past eight years.

Our Search Committee unanimously recommended Matthew to be our next rector because he is a lifelong follower of Jesus who brings all of the gifts we asked for during our parish discernment process. Matthew brings palpable joy and considerable energy to all aspects of his ministry that is inspiring and contagious. His leadership style is collaborative, personal and relational, and he seeks to create a culture of welcome and invitation. He laughs easily and often, doesn’t take himself too seriously, and incorporates humor into his ministry. He is excited to lead us by walking alongside us as a loving partner, mentor and friend, as together we discern God’s call for the future of Christ Church. In Matthew’s words, “I seek to create a vibrant and growing church where becoming disciples of Jesus Christ and growing in faith are done with joy and love.”

We are enormously grateful for the immeasurable contributions of the Search Committee on behalf of Christ Church during the past fourteen months. In addition, we have been blessed with the experience and collaborative leadership style of our Interim Rector, the Rev. Tom Crittenden. He has honored our traditions, participated with enthusiasm in our ministries and offered new ideas — all to help us prepare for our next rector. Tom and the entire Christ Church staff have made this period of transition a time of renewal and hope for our future. We will have an opportunity to say farewell to Tom in the coming weeks.

Please join us on Sunday, March 19 at 10:45am in the sanctuary to learn more about our Rector-Elect. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the entire parish for your support and prayers throughout the past year and we look forward to beginning a new chapter in our life together at Christ Church.

Sincerely,

Robin Anstaett
Senior Warden

Gary Martin
Junior Warden