The Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas
ABOUT OUR NEW RECTOR

“There was something about Thea Keith-Lucas that stole our hearts right from the start,” say members of the Rector’s Search Committee.

Apparently, it was mutual. When Senior Warden
Fran Weil phoned to let her know that the Rector’s Search Committee had unanimously and enthusiastically voted to call her to serve as Rector, Rev. Thea paused a moment to absorb the news. Then, she said softly, in a voice filled with emotion, “I prayed Calvary would choose me because I have fallen in love with all of you.”

Rev. Thea, with son Dimitri, being introduced to a true Danvers specialty: the Gilda Swan dessert from Danversport Yacht Club.

Thea Keith-Lucas is married to Jacob (“Jake”), a teacher in the Wayland school system, and they have two children: winsome Renee, two-and-a-half-years-old, and Dimitri, who was born in March. The couple lives in Watertown.

Thea is currently at Trinity Episcopal Church in Randolph, MA, where she has served for four years, first as Christian Education Coordinator, then as Curate, and later as Sabbatical Pastor.

She describes her Randolph parish as a rich amalgam of “professionals and laborers, longtime residents and recent immigrants, and people of European, Afro-Caribbean and Nigerian descent.

“This community has taught me to listen carefully and speak clearly across differences. It has also taught me that nothing can be done without humility, honesty, perseverance, and complete trust in God’s grace. It is,” she says, “the parish that taught me how to be a priest.”

Rev. Thea earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College in 1997. She holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School (2000) and in 2004, she received a Master of Divinity degree from Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge.

Prior to her ministry work, Thea served as an assistant editor at Cascadilla Press in Medford, MA and an exhibition coordinator at McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College.

About her worship style Thea says, “I love the worship of the Episcopal Church in all its forms. My home parish was St. Luke’s and St. Margaret’s in Allston, a small urban, progressive community with a fondness for elaborate ceremony. I now serve in a parish where the services are simpler and the tone is more evangelical. I feel at home in both places and am open to finding a shared worship style with Calvary.

“Your openness, thriving lay ministries, and clear commitment to young people are vivid proof of the transforming power of Christ,” says Thea about her attraction to Calvary. “It is clear that God is at work among you, using you to heal each other, teach each other, and discover each other’s strengths. I can imagine growing well with the people of Calvary Church as we discover God together.”

Rev. Thea will begin her tenure as Rector of Calvary on Sunday, September 9, 2007.

Welcome, Rev. Thea!

The Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas to lead our parish
CALVARY CALLS NEW RECTOR

With a unanimous and heartfelt vote by the Rector’s Search Committee (RSC) -- and a unanimous vote by the Vestry to affirm its choice -- Thea Keith-Lucas has been called to serve Calvary as its new rector.

The selection process went remarkably smoothly, despite a very strong field of candidates, any one of whom could easily have been picked to lead our parish. But in the end, it was Thea who clearly stood apart from the rest.

“She has a maturity and a level of wisdom far beyond her age,” says Debra Lemieux, co-chair of the RSC. Those are the very words used by several of Thea’s references as well.

“She seems really happy to be in church, preaching and offering the Eucharist,” says Jane Maihos, one of the RSC members who traveled to Randolph to see Rev. Thea preach. “She just radiates a sense of spirituality.”

Following intensive interviews with three excellent candidates, the field was winnowed down after the withdrawal of one. With two powerful choices remaining, the Search Committee met on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, at the home of Co-Chair Deb Lemieux, to confer about the visits Committee members had made to the churches of the two finalists to hear their sermons and to participate in their Holy Eucharist.

“That evening, our objective and hope were to simply decide, as a group, where we stood and to determine how we would proceed with our deliberations,” said Co-Chair Larry Crowley. 

But providence intervened in the most blessed way.

After carefully examining the attributes and gifts of each of the two finalists, and having prepared themselves individually and as a group with prayer, and reflection on who, among the candidates would best serve the needs of Calvary, the group –- joyfully, and with a real sense of the Holy Spirit in the room –- decided spontaneously that it was ready to vote to call Thea as the new rector of Calvary.

“It was a really emotional time for all of us,” said Deb Lemieux. “Thea was so spiritual. We all just felt it emanating from her.

“Many of us on the Committee said throughout the process that our rector was already chosen -- preordained -- and it was just up to us to discern whom God wanted us to choose,” Deb continued.

Bill Hooper concurs. “From the day Rev. Scottie announced her resignation from Calvary Church, I knew God had long since chosen our new Pastor. He also allowed us to form a Search Committee and recruited each of us to serve and exercise our free will in discerning and accepting His choice for our Congregation.”

Rev. Thea and Fr. Loring at Calvary.

Of the seven candidates originally offered for consideration, three were thought to be really strong matches for Calvary. When one of those withdrew from consideration, it only strengthened the Committee’s focus on Thea.

“I believe the withdrawal was one of God's subtle methods to guide us along the path He wished us to follow,” says Bill.

“I voted for Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas because there is a little voice inside telling me she's the right choice for our congregation,” Bill continues.

“Initially, it was challenging to have a committee of 14 diverse and strong-minded people come together to do this work,” says Larry. “The Committee fully represented all aspects and constituencies of our parish. And, yet, despite our various perspectives, we felt confident that as a group, we would succeed in our mission,” Larry says.

And indeed they have. “I think Thea is God’s promise to Calvary that we are going to grow and thrive as a vital worshipping community,” says Deb Lemieux.

“We all feel blessed to have worked together and become even closer as a spiritual family by participating in the search and by bringing Thea to Calvary,” Deb says. “We share a sense of joy and wholeness having gone through this together.

“It truly was a growing and strengthening experience for us, and for our entire parish, since it reminded us that Calvary is the people in the pews -- a strong and vibrant spiritual family.

And now,” Deb adds, with evident pride and delight, “we have a new head of the family again.”