Leadership at Advent
Fr. Aaron serves Advent Anglican as Rector (priest in charge). Originally from Seattle, Aaron moved to Chicago to attend Wheaton College. He and his wife Marissa married there before moving to South Carolina in 2003 to attend seminary at Columbia International University and was ordained a priest in 2007. He and his family returned to the Seattle area in 2010 to further the work of planting Anglican churches in the Northwest, including the founding of this parish.
Dcn. Jeremiah serves Advent Anglican as our Associate Rector and Director of Discipleship & Mission. As Associate Rector, Jeremiah supports the work of the rector, focusing specifically on the spiritual growth and formation of parish members, as well as their presence and purpose beyond the parish itself. In addition to providing pastoral care, he facilitates offerings such as The Canterbury House, writing workshops, book clubs, and Analog (a ministry for ages 18-24). He also serves as a liaison with our various missional partners in the community. Jeremiah earned a Master in Teaching from Whitworth University, an MFA in Poetry from Eastern Washington University, and a Ph.D in English from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Jeremiah’s writing has appeared in a variety of online publications and literary journals. He has written two critical introductions for the work of T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats. He is the author of the novel, Follow the Devil / Follow the Light (Acolyte Press, 2023), and two poetry collections: After So Many Fires (Anchor and Plume, 2017) and Notes for a Postlude (Wipf and Stock, 2023). He and his wife, Kristin, live in Kirkland with their two children and Willow, a golden retriever.
Robin Lemke serves Advent Anglican as Director of Care and Connection.
Dcn. Ben Acone serves Advent Anglican as our Director of Families and Children. He has led middle school and high school students in the church ever since 10th grade and has loved his wife, Kara, since they met in 11th grade. Ben and Kara have 3 beloved daughters (Posy, Felicity, and Natalia), a beloved dog (Tulip), and two well-liked cats (Ash and Ember). While Ben grew up and started ministering in non-denominational church contexts, Advent’s rich liturgy, vibrant community, and connection to the Anglican tradition compelled him to make Advent home.
Bishop Ken Ross serves the parish of Advent Anglican by providing episcopal oversight, wise direction, and gentle care for the clergy. We count ourselves fortunate to receive from him according to the good gifts God has given him.
In addition to the clergy and staff listed above, Advent is graced with three deacons and three priests. Prominent among them is Rev. Dr. Bruce Waltke, a renowned Old Testament scholar with a PhD from Harvard University. He has held professorships at Dallas Theological Seminary, Regent College in Vancouver, Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, and Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale. He has served as president of the Evangelical Theological Society, was on the translation committee of the New American Standard Bible and New International Version, and is an honorary member of the committee responsible for Today’s New International Version. The list of his published works is too lengthy to include here; an abbreviated list can be found on his Wikipedia page. Beyond his academic acuity, Fr. Bruce is known at Advent for his gentle care for the people of the parish, whom he actively seeks to love and pastor.
A Collaborative Effort
Advent Anglican doesn't rest on the shoulders of any one individual. We all have a place of belonging and service here.
Oversight and pastoral care for our clergy is the responsibility of our bishop Bp. Ken Ross. Local spiritual leadership is the duty of the rector Fr. Aaron Burt.
Our staff includes: Associate Rector and Director of Discipleship & Mission, Dcn. Jeremiah Webster; Director of Care and Connection, Robin Lemke; Director of Families and Children, Dcn. Ben Acone; Coordinator for Worship and Liturgy, Kacy Henley; Coordinator for Care and Connection, Natalie Higashiyama; Children’s Coordinator, Dcn. Kathryn Watkins; Coordinator for Parish Operations, Allison Geeslin; Assistant for Worship and Liturgy, Maggie Bach; and Operations Assistant, Megan Lorance.
A group of elected lay leaders, called a vestry, works with the rector to tend to the financial and tangible needs of the parish while also providing the rector with wise counsel.
The Role of the Clergy
The role of the clergy is to lead by serving. Jesus set the tone when he washed his disciples' feet and then gave up his life. The job of the clergy is not to direct attention to themselves, but to point the people continually toward Christ. He is our true leader and, graciously, our greatest servant.