Clergy Staff

The Rev. LeeAnne Watkins, Rector, full time paid

('rector' means, the main,and in this case the only, priest)

The granddaughter of Montana bootleggers and wheat farmers, I transplanted myself to Minnesota about 15 years ago. Not raised in the church, the institution and I collided when I was 16 because some girls who had their locker next to mine invited me to a weekend church retreat. The church and I have never parted ways since (don't know what became of the girls). I love the Episcopal Church, for our breadth and our stamina and our diversity. I love the way all people are invited into decision making. I love the progressive stands we have taken over the years to include the outcast. And I love it because I just love people, and feel deep joy and hopefulness when we can come together to laugh, and to pray, and to work for God's reign on this earth. I'm particularly fond of St. Mary's. These are some great people, deserving of much respect, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be among them as I have for these last 9 years. They are simply a hoot. Let's see, what else. I'm the single mother of an 11 year old boy. I love TV and movies and traveling without an itinerary. OK, I'll stop now, this is sounding like a personal ad.

Rev. Rex McKee,

deacon, 10 hr/week, non-paid

- with Natasha!

I am what is called a cradle Episcopalian that is I was baptized into the church at about 5 weeks and have been part of the fabric of the church from that point on . (except for about 20 years in the middle of my 58 years when I traveled on a private spiritual journey, always knowing however where my roots were.) Born in Southern California, college at University of California: Sonoma, Berkeley, and Riverside .majored in philosophy, theology and English. I have been Married for approaching 38 years to my best friend, have two sons, and two grandsons, Kai and Hiro. I have been a ordained deacon for 3+ years however I suspect called as a deacon most of my adult life, (I spent a lot of years hiding from the Creator). My current paying job is with Northwest Airlines in IS where I have been for 10 years, prior I worked for B Dalton Bookseller until they were sold to Barnes and Noble.

In addition to my work at St Mary's (which is a fantastic community, check it out) I serve at SPACC (St Paul Area Council of Churches), the Diocesan MDG task force, Clergy Continuing Ed Committee, Diocesan Council, and I am a Safe Church Trainer. Also, I serve on the National Executive Committee of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship where I have been a member since 1966 when EPF supported me as I obtained status as a Conscientious Objector (CO) in 1969.

My call as a deacon is to be the bridge between the church and the world and to lead the church into all of the dark places where restoration needs to be done, and to preach our unique understanding of the Gospel. I am fully called to the traditional role of the deacon to welcome, agitate, organize, feed and send the church into the world to be God's hands and feet, ears and mouth, and heart.

Favorite books of the Bible are Job, Isaiah 3 and Micah, psalm 91 and 141, and the Q Gospels. I love to read, watch movies, and fish. Most significant spiritual ancestors are Bob Dylan, Alan Ginsberg, and Leonard Cohen .poetic prophets all. Favorite quote: he who is not busy being born, is busy dying. I am a middle aged hippie and radical in most things .Liturgically I am somewhere between high church Anglican and emerging .but that explanation needs far too much space, ask me. Shalom!