St. Michael’s Episcopal Church names Jennifer McCracken as assistant manager

Position made possible in part by the Harold Whitworth Pierce, Jr. Trust and a gift from the estate of Phyllis Bartol.

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Milton has named Jennifer McCracken as part-time Assistant Minister. A member of Christ Church in Needham, which is sponsoring her as a postulant for Holy Orders, Jennifer has served as St. Michael’s seminarian since September 2015, studied at Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in Cambridge, and will complete her Master of Divinity at Boston University School of Theology in fall 2017. She will become Associate Rector following her ordination to Holy Orders in June 2018.

Jennifer will play an important role in pastoral care and mission at the parish. She was mentored at St. Michael’s by the Rev. Hall Kirkham, and will share his worship and ministerial duties. A lay supervisory team also helped her understand her experience in leading worship, preaching, and pastoral care from the perspective of the congregation.

“We have connected with a gifted and Spirit-filled minister, and have been given a wonderful opportunity to invite her to join our staff through the extreme generosity of those we serve,” said the Rev. Hall Kirkham, Rector of St. Michael’s.

The newly formed role is made possible through several generous gifts including the Harold Whitworth Pierce, Jr. Charitable Trust; the estate of Phyllis Bartol, a former parishioner and Milton resident; and through ongoing support from the parishioners of St. Michael’s.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and guide the parishioners of St. Michael’s,” said Jennifer.

For the past 30 years, Jennifer has served as a registered nurse most recently at Boston Health Care for the Homeless. She is currently a chaplain to the MANNA community (Many Voices Needed Now and Always), which is primarily a ministry of and with people who are un-housed or unstably housed, and who gather each week to serve, to pray, and to create community together.

“We need each other,” said Jennifer. “We all have gifts to give and to receive and the core of MANNA is to empower all people to claim their place as essential members of our community.”

About St. Michael’s
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Milton, Mass. is a faith community welcoming all who seek to know and deepen their relationship with God. As a premise of our mission, we believe that every person is a beloved child of God, all of us have gifts to offer, and we each travel our own journey with God. As a community of faith, our mission is to support and foster spiritual growth within our parish family, in the town of Milton, and in the world beyond through worship, education, stewardship, and outreach.

The parish and is grounded in the rich tradition of Anglican Liturgy, and also embraces creative expressions of worship as a path toward holiness and spiritual growth. All are invited to join the community and to come and see what St. Michael’s is all about.