Our Rector
The Rev. Christopher Wendell began serving as St. Paul’s rector in the summer of 2011. His ministry includes preaching and leading worship, providing pastoral care to all ages, welcoming newcomers and visitors, and working with the lay leadership in the administration and oversight of the parish. As part of his ministry, Chris also is an active member of the Bedford Interfaith Clergy Network and provides pastoral care to nearby institutions such as MCI-Concord and Carleton Willard Village. He has served in various leadership roles in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts over the past decade, and is currently a General Convention Deputy. Before coming to St. Paul’s, Chris spent four years as an associate rector at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Wellesley. Prior to attending seminary, he worked for a regional theater company as a directing/producing assistant. Chris is a native of San Francisco and a graduate of Princeton University and the Episcopal Divinity School. Chris and his wife, Kristen, an associate professor of engineering education, live in Bedford with their two boys. When not at church, Chris enjoys curling in the winter, the Jersey Shore in the summer, gardening in the spring, apple picking in the fall, and crossword puzzles all year round!
Our Priest Associate
The Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas came to St. Paul’s to serve as a priest associate beginning in September 2022. Thea currently works full time as Chaplain to the Institute at M.I.T. where she leads the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life. Prior to taking on that role, she served as Episcopal Chaplain to M.I.T. and before that was Rector of Calvary Church in Danvers for six years. Rev. Thea lives in Lexington with her spouse, Jake, and their two teenage children. As priest associate, Rev. Thea joins us to lead worship roughly twice a month, preaches regularly, shares in the fellowship life of St. Paul’s and provides clergy support to our women’s group. Please feel free to contact her at: TheaKL [at] mit.edu.
Our Lay Ministry Associate
Molly Minnerath joined St. Paul’s in the fall of 2023 as the Lay Pastoral Associate. She primarily takes part in children’s formation experiences of the parish, while also preaching and providing pastoral care to parishioners. Born and raised in Minnesota (and very proud of it!), Molly moved to Boston to pursue her M.Div. at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and, for the last five years, worked at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul with the MANNA Community, a large community of unhoused and unstably housed folks in downtown Boston. Prior to attending divinity school, Molly lived at various Catholic Workers across the country; spent a year as a volunteer with Maryknoll Lay Missioners in Cochabamba, Bolivia, primarily working with women who lived in prison; spent multiple summers as a camp counselor at a summer camp in the mountains of Montana; and studied theology and Hispanic studies at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in central Minnesota. In her free time, Molly loves nothing more than being outside: hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, fishing, walking around her neighborhood . . . she takes any opportunity to get outdoors, especially with her partner, Maryclare. She strives to live by her beloved home state’s motto: “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation!” You can contact Molly at molly[at]stpaulsbedford.org
Our Vestry
The vestry of St. Paul’s includes the wardens, treasurer, clerk, and several general members with rotating three-year terms. The vestry is a blend of newer and long-time parishioners committed to the responsible stewardship of the church, both practically and spiritually.
Officers
Candy Walker, Warden (vestry@stpaulsbedford.org)
Candy has been a member of St. Paul’s since April of 1979, joining the church in anticipation of baptizing her expected first born. She has participated in Advent Fair activities, taught church school for many years, has been a warden on two previous vestries, was on the search committee that called our present rector, is active with our Outreach committee, and serves on the altar as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. She is a retired teacher from the Bedford Public Schools and resides in Bedford with her husband, Bill.
Heath Luedde, Warden has been a member of St. Paul’s since 2013. He serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and previously as a Middle School Youth Group teacher. Heath has particularly enjoyed helping with the Special Olympics and attending the men’s retreat. He is a Sales Manager and the Assistant Director of Consignments at Bunker Hill Sales in Boston.
Carrie Mathews, Treasurer (treasurer@stpaulsbedford.org)
Carrie’s family has a strong history at St. Paul’s – her grandfather helped build the church in 1955! She has been a proud parishioner for more than 40 years and is a member of the Stewardship Committee, co-director of the annual Christmas pageant, altar server, and junior choir “mom”. Carrie especially enjoys watching her two daughters contribute to many different aspects of the St. Paul’s community. Outside of church, Carrie works at John Hancock as a Director in the Strategy & Transformation group.
Katie West, Clerk
Katie has been a member of St. Paul’s since 2008. She serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and enjoys participating in a variety of parish activities including Women’s Group gatherings, spiritual spa nights, organizing the “cookie walk” table at the Advent Fair, and coffee hour hosting. She recently retired from work as a pediatric audiologist and the Audiology Site Manager at Children’s Hospital at Lexington.
Members at Large
Jeanette Rebecchi joined St. Paul’s soon after moving to Bedford in 2016. As a parent with two young children, she has volunteered in various capacities within the children’s ministry including the nursery room, Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School, and more recently as an altar server. In her spare time she enjoys puttering around in her garden (which now includes a flock of 9 chickens!), and planning her next trip to somewhere new. As an urban planner by training, she’s held several roles in municipal government, and currently works as the DPW’s Capital Program Manager.
Kristin Dowdy began attending St. Paul’s in January of 2019 and has enjoyed taking part in the many social activities the church community has to offer, including the Thrift Sale and Advent Fair. She and her husband were thankful for the opportunity for their elementary-aged children to join in both the Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Programs, making new friends along the way. Kristin has been working as a professional civil and environmental engineer in both the public and private sector for over 20 years.
Andrew Rodriguez has been a member of St. Paul’s since 2018 and is deeply moved by the fellowship and sense of community within the congregation. Andrew has enjoyed the men’s retreat, been active with our Advent Fair, and volunteering with the Special Olympics. Although he’s not much of a singer, he has been spotted caroling with us during the holidays. Andrew works in business development. A native New Yorker, Andrew, his wife, two children and their cat, Mr. Fluffington live in Bedford, MA.
Sarita Pillai has been a member of St. Paul’s since she moved to Bedford with her husband and two daughters in 2012. She has contributed to a number of fellowship activities and taught in the Christian Education ministry. In her spare time, she is an avid reader, foodie and consumer of streamed media. She is VP and Chief Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Officer at an education-focused research and development organization.
Patrick Shannon
Armen Zildjian has been a member of St. Paul’s since 2005 shortly after he and his wife Sybil moved to Bedford. Armen has served on the vestry previously and has taken deep interest in the property and grounds of the church along with the fellowship of the men’s retreat. In addition he is active in baking and cooking each year for our Advent Fair, and recently joined his daughter Ani and son Thomas volunteering for Appalachian Service Project. During the day Armen serves as VP of sales for a local Software company and in his free time enjoys cycling, golfing with his son Thomas and enjoying the outdoors especially along the Maine coastline.
Our Staff
Michael Monroe, director of music
Marge Heckman, parish administrator