The Reverend Ginny Wilder
When you think about who a typical clergyperson is, I am the least likely person to show up on the list. I grew up in the Episcopal Church and left organized religion in my 20s, specifically because the church had some work to do around welcoming people in the LGBTQIA community. In my 30s, I was ready to come back to the church and heal. In my wilderness years, I spent my weekends playing music in bars, clubs, and festivals, and touring up and down the East Coast. What I didn’t know at the time was that even playing in bars would somehow prepare me for being a priest.
Here’s the truth: we are all walking our own spiritual journey. Every single one of us is a beloved child of God, and there is nothing we can do, say, think, or feel that will ever make God stop loving us. How we choose to respond to God’s love is up to each of us. I chose to respond by answering the call to serve in an ordained capacity. Maybe you will choose to respond to that love by offering your gifts in our worship, in our ministry, in our work for justice, and in our desire to be the hands and feet of Christ in this beautiful and broken world as we become a beloved community. If you ever want to talk about your spiritual journey, your call, and/or using your gifts to love God and love our neighbor, please know that I am here for that conversation, regardless of whether you are a member of St. Michael’s or not. And speaking of conversations, I prefer to be called Ginny rather than Reverend, Rector, or Canon. Thanks!
When not at work, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Barbie, and our two rescue dogs, Riley and Martin. You can find me hiking, fishing, grilling, playing music, or riding my super cool Elliptigo bike (In the warmer months). My favorite place to be is by a firepit in the evening, telling stories.
401-314-9133 | Click to Email
Staff
Alexander Bauhart
Music Director | Click to Email
Alexander was born in Montréal, Québec. His teachers include Geneviève Soly, Mireille Lagacé and the world renowned organist Bernard Lagacé. Dr. Bauhart received a scholarship from New England Conservatory where he earned his Masters, and a merit scholarship from the School of Music at Yale University, where he was the pupil of Richard Rephann in the Doctor of Musical Arts program. As well as performing regularly as a soloist on harpsichord and organ in the United States, Canada and Europe, he was the Director of Music at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Bristol, RI in the early 2000s, so this is a bit of reunion for Alexander and St. Michael’s!
His many awards include the Woods Chandler Memorial Award for an Outstanding Organist (Connecticut, 1998), the FCAR Scholarship for Excellence in Research (Government of Québec, 1997-1999), and the Medal of Achievement in the Popular Arts, presented to him by the Minister of Culture of Poland in 1981. His Yale doctoral thesis was on the Twelve Polonaises of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, the translation of a tuning treatise by Canadian author Pierre-Yves Asselin, and the publication of the complete works of Johannes Trier, a pupil of J. S. Bach.
Loretta Francis
Parish Administrator
401-253-7717 | Click to Email
Betty Vargas
Accounting/Stewardship
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Steve Cabana
Sexton