St. Paul’s is delighted to announce the appointment of its new Rector, Fr. William Ogburn. Fr. William joins us from the Manhattan parish of St. Luke in the Fields. As Senior Associate at St. Luke’s, he has been responsible for supervising junior clergy and seminarians, overseeing Adult Education, Christian Formation, Parish Life and Pastoral Care, and liaising with all Guilds and running a plethora of community groups. 

Before discerning a call to the priesthood, Fr. William trained as an organist, choirmaster and countertenor, working in a Pittsburgh parish as Organist & Choirmaster for six years. In New York, he was assistant organist to David Hurd, and fell in love with St. Paul’s while substituting here as an organist. He has an undergraduate degree in Sacred Music and is a 2014 graduate of General Seminary. 

While still in seminary, Fr. William served as a deacon in a parish in Syston, Leicestershire (Church of England) and at the Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan. After graduation, he spent two years as Curate at the historic St. Paul’s Church in Wickford, Rhode Island, where he was also engaged in prison ministry. 

He and his husband Jonathan Vantassel (who works in advertising) will be moving into the St. Andrew’s House Rectory shortly, and we look forward to a festive service on their first Sunday, February 23, 2020. Please join us! We are very excited to grow together as St. Paul’s continues to serve as a spiritual haven and beacon for God in an increasingly secular world.