Chief Usher Rod Bunn says we are from the “home office,” because we began our spiritual journeys in the Church of England.
British born, we were baptized in 1958 and 1959 in the Dioceses of Liverpool and St. Albans and were confirmed in 1973 in Liverpool and St. Albans Cathedrals. Ian likes to point out that he was confirmed by the Rt. Rev. Robert Runcie, then Bishop of St. Albans, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury! From 1971 to 1978 Ian attended services in St. Albans Cathedral twice weekly. Peter Hurford was our choir director and organist; his assistant was Simon Lindley, who was Ian’s middle school music teacher!
In 1979, we met at Lancaster University and soon became engaged. We attended the parish church of St. Thomas until our marriage in 1982… in a Methodist Church! The next 20 years were spent with various non-denominational churches, until 2001 when Julie was hired by a Free Methodist Church as the director of children’s ministries. 20 years ago, we met Rod and Karen Bunn at the Atlanta Opera. You can guess the rest! They invited us to St. Philip’s — and we knew immediately that we were “home.”
We have always pledged and given to support the annual operating fund of every church we have been members of. This fund pays the salaries of clergy and staff and enables the parish to serve Christ in Atlanta and the world. Please pledge to the annual operating fund!
To join Ian and Julie in pledging your support to the Cathedral, please visit cathedralATL.org/pledge or contact David Rocchio, 404-365-1033 or drocchio@cathedralATL.org.