Presiding Bishop Announces Staff Choices in Evangelism and News and Information
Episcopal News Service. October 27, 1994 [94177]
Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning has announced two new staff appointments -- a coordinator for evangelism and a deputy director for the Department of News and Information.
The Rev. Canon Linda Strohmier, canon pastor of St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle since 1991, will join the national staff in January as evangelism coordinator. Dean Frederick Northrup said her impact on the life of the cathedral has led to a deeper involvement of lay people in pastoral care, including ministry to those who are sick or shut in and those who are seeking spiritual guidance during personal crises.
In an interview with the Seattle Times, Strohmier said that she hopes to bring "both passion and experience" to her new position and added that she looks forward to working in a team ministry in a multicultural setting. And she hopes to build on the Episcopal Church's involvement in the Decade of Evangelism.
Strohmier is a graduate of Indiana University and the General Seminary in New York and earned a doctorate from Princeton Seminary. She served parishes in New Jersey and New York before moving to the Diocese of Olympia. Before seminary she was a social worker, then served as manager of the Big Apple Circus in New York, and administrative director of the Lincoln Center Touring Company. She was a member of the drafting panel on inclusive language of the church's Standing Liturgical Commission. She also taught religion at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and she has lectured on Native American spirituality.
"She's a consummate communicator of the Gospel," said Bishop Vincent Warner. "She has a prophetic voice and speaks with great passion, telling the story and applying it to today's issues."
James Thrall, director of communications for the Diocese of Connecticut since 1987, will join the staff in January as deputy director for the Department of News and Information. He brings a wealth of experience to the national staff, having served as a religion reporter for the New Haven Register and general assignment reporter for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel. He is a graduate of Colby College, Yale Divinity School and has studied at the University of St. Andrews.
Thrall's by-line is familiar to readers of Anglican publications. He has been a member of the news team at recent General Conventions, writes regularly for the Episcopal News Service and was on the staff at the 1993 meeting of Anglican Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council in South Africa. His diocesan newspaper, Good News, has won many awards over the years from the Religious Public Relations Council, Episcopal Communicators and the Associated Church Press. He is serving a term as president of Episcopal Communicators.
"I am particularly delighted to reassure the editors and communicators of our church that someone who understands their needs has joined our team," said Jim Solheim, news director. "I can't imagine anyone who is better qualified to build on what Jeffrey Penn and I have tried to do with a professional news service for this church."
Senior executive for program Diane Porter said that the two appointments "demonstrate the high quality of people who are ready to share our exciting new directions in serving the local church." She said that she hopes soon to announce a new staff officer for Episcopal Migration Ministries.