Meet the Clergy

The Rev. Paul Abernathy

Reverend Paul R. Abernathy

The Rev. Paul Roberts Abernathy is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He is a graduate of Westminster College (Fulton, Missouri) and the General Theological Seminary (New York City). In over twenty-five years of active, ordained ministry, Paul has served congregations in Columbia, Missouri, Chicago, Illinois, Charleston, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.

Paul has been the Rector of St. Mark's since June 1998. St. Mark's, a progressive Christian community, and Paul, who declares, "the older I get, the more flamingly liberal I become," are a good match. Paul's vision for St. Mark's is that of a progressive community that can maintain its Christian roots while openly embracing pluralism, which involves the acceptance and celebration not only of diversity, but also of difference.

An avid reader, outside of theological studies, Paul enjoys biographies and mystery novels. He is blessed to be married to the beautiful and vivacious Pontheolla Mack Abernathy.

Adjunct Clergy

In addition to our regular clergy, there are several parishioners who are former rectors or ministers from other denominations. They often assist when the rector and/or associate rector is ill or away with a class or on vacation.

The Reverend Emily Guthrie
The Reverend William Flanders
The Reverend Carl Siegel
The Reverend Arnold Taylor

Seminarians

Helen White

Bill Baxter: Building Church

In 1954, St. Mark’s Church, Episcopal, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. was an inner-city parish whose members had largely moved to the suburbs. Then 65 years old, the parish was dying. The Bishop of Washington accepted this as an inevitability, something that was caused by the changes in demographics and economics in postwar Washington. It was into this scenario that Bill and Jean Baxter made their way. Bill was three years out of seminary.

Brilliant, brash, ardent, and energetic, Bill took on the challenge of the parish in ways both unexpected and (sometimes) unwelcome. Building Church by William and Jean Baxter (JoEllen Hayden, Editor) records some of his memories of those times, including redevelopment of the life of the parish, the early days of the civil rights movement, Lyndon Johnson’s presidency, and the introduction of a new Christian Education program that addressed the practical and everyday concerns of his parishioners.

To order a copy of Bill Baxter’s book, print out the order form (PDF) and mail or FAX it to Baxter House.