After a year and a half long profile and search process, Good Shepherd welcomes the Reverend David Wacaster as our new rector.  Wacaster will start his new ministry with us on Sunday, January 24.
 
Wacaster was selected by a unified Vestry during its discernment last month.  He has served as Assistant to the Rector at St. Luke’s Church in Bethesda since 2005. At St. Luke’s, Wacaster, who is 38 years old, had a special focus on inclusivity for all who at-tended. He also created a “soft space” for families as part of  St. Luke’s sanctuary redesign and intro-duced the “Journey to Adulthood” youth ministry program and a lectionary-based Sunday School Curriculum to the parish. Prior to St. Luke’s, he served as a supply priest for the Diocese of Washington in 2005. He was a Curate at St. Thomas Church in Washington, DC in 2004 and 2005.
 
Wacaster and his partner Michael Fraser live in Cheverly, MD.
 
Wacaster describes himself as an “energetic mentor, preacher and teacher with a strong concentration on Christian Formation for youth and adults, an advocate for the Episcopal Church at diocesan and national levels, committed to the practice of Christian Hospitality and making the church a welcoming place for all, open to discussion of new ideas, particularly at the inter-section of theology and popular culture.”

Wacaster replaces as permanent rector, the Rev. Patty Downing who left Good Shepherd in May 2008 for a new job as rector of Trinity Episcopal Parish in Wilmington, DE. 

 
A very big thank you to all those who served tirelessly to make the process work, including  the Search Committee, and the Profile Committee, members of the Vestry and all those who prayed during the Vestry’s discernment.
 
A special thanks to Interim Pastor Linda Grenz for serving us so well on our journey! We will celebrate Linda's ministry with us after her last service on January 3, 2010.