Around the Diocese

Ordinations

Peter Feltman-Mahan to the Sacred Order of Deacons Friday, March 19, 2021

Peter has roots in the Capital region of New York and is trained as a classroom teacher, school psychologist, and school leader.

Peter was confirmed at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Albany. While teaching, he discerned the need to more deeply engage the scriptures and church history. Peter began attending Yale Divinity School in 2015 and completed an internship at St. Andrew’s Church in Albany, NY.

Peter found “home” in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, and particularly at his sponsoring parish, Grace Church in the Southern Berkshires. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School in 2020. As a seminarian Peter has served at Trinity Church, Lenox since 2020.

Peter is interested in ministries that build community, deepen our care for each other, and celebrate God’s presence in our everyday interactions.

After ordination, Peter will be assigned to a congregation to be mentored and formed by the community. ♦

Rachael “Jac” Essing to the Sacred Order of Deacons Saturday, April 10, 2021

Rachael, also known as Jac, has been formed by All Saints Episcopal

Church in South Hadley. Originally from the Diocese of Iowa, she gives special thanks to the youth and young adult ministries for providing a place to build community and practice living out Christian values at a young age.

Jac moved to Massachusetts to serve with Lawrence House Service Corps. During this time, she discerned a call to the diaconate and has stayed since as part of her discernment and formation process. With All Saints as her sponsoring parish, she has served the community through her roles of lector, youth group leader, vestry member, and clerk. She was a student with Province 1’s School for Deacons and has most recently been an intern with Christ Church Cathedral in Springfield.

After graduating Mount Holyoke College in December 2019, she became the Pastoral Associate of Lawrence House and has enjoyed planning and leading formation events with the interns there. ♦

Welcome to Western Massachusetts

The Rev. Michael Bastian - Church of the Reconciliation Webster

The people of The Church of the Reconciliation have called The Reverend Michael Bastian to serve as priest-incharge effective September 15, 2020.

This call is to serve two congregations: Church of the Reconciliation (Episcopal) in Webster and Zion Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Oxford.

Michael is a Lutheran pastor who was born in Nuremberg, Germany to German parents and raised in France, Germany, and the US. After completing theological studies at the University of Tübingen, Germany in 1990, Michael embarked on a ministry spanning thirty years. About half of that time was in Germany and half in the US. Calls here include eight years at Holy Trinity Lutheran (ELCA) in North Easton, MA, two years as New England Synod coordinator for the "Iglesia Cristiana Luterana de Honduras," and eight years leading Community of Joy Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico (Rocky Mountain Synod). ♦

The Rev. Tom Barrington - St. Paul's Episcopal Church Holyoke

The people of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Holyoke have called The Reverend Tom Barrington to serve as interim rector effective November 15, 2020.

His ministry began in Syracuse, New York where he served as Canon at St. Paul’s Cathedral from 1988-1992. Tom went on to serve as vicar of two congregations: Emmanuel Church, East Syracuse from 1992-1999, and a Native American congregation, Church of the Good Shepherd, Onondaga Nation from 1994-1999.

In 1999 Tom answered a call to serve as rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Chelmsford, MA. While at All Saints, he served as Dean of the Merrimack Valley Deanery, 2004-2010, and was very involved in Diocesan global mission work in Africa, including a sabbatical in Western Kenya. From 2012 to 2017 he served on the Diocesan Youth Council. Throughout his ordained ministry he has had a passion for ministry with children and families, as well working for racial justice. ♦

The Rev. Sandi Albom - St. Mark's Episcopal Church East Longmeadow

The people of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in East Longmeadow have called The Reverend Sandi Albom to serve as interim, effective December 1, 2020.

After a 40-year career in nursing and corporate healthcare consulting, Sandi earned the Master of Divinity degree and a Certificate in Anglican Studies from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. She was ordained to the priesthood in 2018 by The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld, Bishop of The Episcopal Church in New Hampshire.

With over 400 hours of CPE, and certified as a spiritual director, Sandi's ministry has a focus on pastoral care and retreat work.

In the 1990s, Sandi and her husband were members of St. Mark’s. “We are excited to return to Western MA. I never cease to be amazed at all the ways that the Spirit surprises us.” ♦

The Rev. Dr. Nina Pooley - St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Pittsfield

The people of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Pittsfield have called The Reverend Dr. Nina Ranadive Pooley to serve as their next rector, effective February 1, 2021.

In 2007 Nina was called to be rector of St. Bartholomew's, Yarmouth, ME and is leaving this congregation after 13 years of faithful leadership. During this time, she completed a D.Min. at The School of Theology in 2014. Her thesis, Responsive Rather than Emergent: Intentional Episcopal Liturgy for the 21st Century, highlights Anglican liturgical principles that may guide us as we create liturgy for our time and in new missional contexts.

In the Diocese of Maine, Nina became a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee in 2007 and served as Chair from 2014-2017. She was elected to serve as Deputy to The General Convention (78, 79 and 80). In this Triennium, Nina serves as Vice-Chair, General Convention Interim Body: Task Force for Liturgy & Prayer Book Revision. ♦