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Being the Purple Church

Hannah Atkins, Tommy Dillon

Saturday, 2:00pm | Episcopal

Many of our churches are comprised of members that are made up of a mixture of Blue Democrats and Red Republicans. How do we live out the Kingdom of God as healthy, purple Christian communities when we gather as the body of Christ? How can we truly be an inclusive church where all are welcomed? Stories will be shared from two purple congregations in the South.
Led by the Revs. Hannah Atkins, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas and Tommy Dillon, Priest-in-Charge of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, La.

Rev. Hannah E. Atkins

The Rev. Hannah E. Atkins is the fifteenth rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Houston. To prepare herself as a third generation Episcopal priest, the Reverend Atkins earned a bachelor of arts degree in history at Douglass College, Rutgers University and a masters degree in divinity at the General Theological Seminary in New York in May 1996, with additional studies in theology at Universidad Centroamericana Jose Simeon Canas in El Salvador. The Reverend Atkins previously served as Senior Assistant Rector at St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. Before joining St. John’s Church, she served as Director of Theological and Christian Education in the Diocese of the Episcopal/Anglican Church of El Salvador, Associate Priest at St. John the Evangelist San Salvador, Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity Church Santa Teresa in San Martin, and as Interim Priest-in-Charge at St. Andrew’s Church in Amatepec, Soyapango. The Reverend Atkins is married to Elmer Romero and they have four children (and Paco, the dog).

Tommy Dillon

The Rev. Tommy Dillon is Priest-in-Charge of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, LA. In Tommy’s world, there is no such thing as the “outcast and the stranger.” His work with newly-released prisoners, with people suffering mental illness and homelessness, and with Hurricane Katrina survivors gave him a fearless compassion for human need in Louisiana before moving to the West Coast in 2006. While serving as priest in San Francisco and the Seattle Area, LGBT, parish food bank, and elder ministries flourished; Diocesan, parish, and neighborhood Disaster Preparedness groups formed; and connections in El Salvador were created through the Anglican Church of El Salvador and Foundation Cristosal.

Tommy serves on the Boards of the Wild Goose Festival and the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church and is a frequent retreat leader, pilgrimage planner, and an instructor of liturgy.
Collaborating to create beautiful liturgy feeds his soul. Good food, good friends, and road trips with his Whippet pal Josh reveal the Holy in the everyday world.

Session ID [416]

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