Our Mission is to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel and to seek and serve Christ in all people.
St. John's Episcopal Church Mission Statement, January 2019
St. John's Episcopal Church Mission Statement, January 2019
Our Leaders
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Michael Drinkwater was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. He first came to the Episcopal Church as a teenager in Gulf Breeze, Florida when his family began to attend St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church. He has fond memories of the people at St. Francis. The welcome they showed him as a newcomer continues to influence his ministry.
Michael first started working for the church when he joined the Bishop’s staff in 2008 as Coordinator for Youth Ministries for the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, a post he held while completing his Bachelor’s in Business Administration at the University of West Florida. In August of 2009, Michael left on a new adventure to attend the General Seminary of the Episcopal Church in Manhattan, where he was recognized as the Robert C. Dentan scholar for excellence in Old Testament and Hebrew Studies.
Following his graduation in 2012, Michael accepted a position at the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he served as Canon for Outreach and Formation for over 6 years. He left in 2018 to complete his Master’s degree in Linguistics at the University of New Mexico.
Michael Drinkwater accepted the call to be the next Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Alamogordo in May of 2019. He looks forward to spending the next phase of his life serving his new parish and the community of Alamogordo.
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Lee HD Burnett, Music Director, in concert with Casey Evans, Ann Bagby and Helen Garrett.
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Lee HD Burnett, contralto, is from Kentucky, but has journeyed far beyond, collaborating with ensembles such as Te Deum (Kansas City), Universitatis Schola Cantorum, Antiqua, Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Lexington Chamber Chorale, and the Kentucky Back Choir. Her specialization lies in early and postmodern vocal music. Her career has taken her throughout the U.S. as an in-demand choral clinician, adjudicator, conductor, and soloist. Burnett has studied with cutting-edge choral directors of the 21st century, including Jeffrey Ames, Joshua Habermann, Tesfa Wondmagegnehu, Jeffrey Redding, and Ysaye Barnwell. Posts in music education have included a tenured collegiate position to preschool general music. Honors include distinctions from the Kentucky Senate, two master’s degrees, and a citation of excellence from First lady Michelle Obama. Maintaining a robust schedule of scholarly research, Burnett has recently undertaken a project studying intonation variances in the field recordings of Alan Lomax.
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St. John's is overseen by a Vestry that works with the Rector to manage our parish. Current members of the Vestry are: Tony, Mike, Steve, and Geoff. Members of the Vestry meet monthly with the Rector, review all budgetary matters with the support of Treasurer, Tony, look after the building and grounds of the parish, oversee all contractual matters, and must approve all purchases of significance. Vestry members are elected at the annual parish meeting in January. Members' individual ministries include volunteering in the churches outreach programs such as the Day School, working in the Community Kitchen, participating in the Blessing Bag ministry, as well as other community outreach activities.
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Photo by Ann Bagby