Meet Our New Seminarian, Drew Downey

Drew Downey is originally from Mobile, Alabama where he grew up under the attentive eyes of his parents, both early childhood educators. This helped shape his love for reading, and also meant he could never hide a report card. Drew graduated from Auburn University in 2006 with a major in Communication and a minor in English. After college he returned to the Gulf Coast where he worked for a community bank working his way from a teller to an Assistant Manager. During his time on the Gulf Coast, he served as president for both the non-profit organization Ecumenical Ministries and the Baldwin Pops Community Orchestra. He also served as a board member of the Fairhope Public Library.

He discovered the Episcopal Church through a childhood friend and would attend Christmas Eve services during High School and College. After moving back to the Gulf Coast, Drew found himself at St. James Episcopal Church after being invited to play in the brass ensemble for an Easter service. The message he heard that morning was unfamiliar to him having grown up in the Baptist Church. The sermon spoke of love divine and a God who is always reaching out to those that who were pushed to the fringe of society. Shortly after that Easter Service, he began attending confirmation classes and was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 2015. Drew was active during his time at St. James by serving on the vestry, singing in the choir, assisting in book discussions, serving as a confirmation mentor, and serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister with Community of Hope International.

In 2019 Drew began exploring a call into ordained ministry. Drew and his husband Chris soon found themselves in front of the Commission on Ministry and began walking the path of discernment. In 2022 Drew was granted postulancy and was accepted by Virginia Theological Seminary. He is currently beginning his Middler year at VTS and is excited to be part of the St. Michael’s family.

When choosing a church to attend in the DMV, Drew and Chris were looking for one that felt intimate—where they could worship and grow alongside people who would know their names. Drew is also interested in a church that is cognizant of historical harms, is active in community outreach, and where leadership is found in all people. He has witnessed this through St. Michaels’ acknowledgement of the racially restrictive covenant within the original deed, as well as the forum held on the opioid epidemic and subsequent Narcan training.

Drew and Chris look forward to learning more about the community as they worship and grow with the St. Michael’s family.