Dear People of St. Michael's,

Our prayers have been answered! The Vestry and Discernment Committee are overjoyed to announce that the Rev. Andrew VanBuren will begin his call as 8th Rector of St. Michael's on Sunday, November 29, 2026.

The Rev. Andrew VanBuren grew up in Hudson, Ohio. After earning his undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, he traveled to Northern Ireland to live and volunteer at Corrymeela Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.

With a deepened passion for ministry, Andrew then moved to Rochester, New York, to attend Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He began his ordained ministry serving a lovely parish in Clifton Springs, New York. It was during his time serving this congregation that Andrew met his future wife, Becca, who was living in Rochester, completing her Master’s in Music Education.

Several years later, Andrew and Becca married and relocated back to southeastern Pennsylvania, where they have lived for the past seven years. They live with their three children, Coraline (5), Annabelle (3), and Finnegan (1), as well as their energetic dog and curmudgeonly cat. In their free time, various VanBuren members like to:

• Go to parks and throw rocks in the creek

• Read science fiction and fantasy novels

• Go for runs

• Give high-fives to everyone in sight

• Play the piano

(It’s up to you to find out which family members like to do what!)

From the parish surveys and the listening process, the Discernment Committee identified four key qualities St. Michael’s should seek in its next rector: a caring pastor, a thoughtful teacher, a capable manager, and a collaborative leader. Andrew has demonstrated a depth and breadth of leadership across all of these qualities. His warm, attentive approach to pastoral care, his experience in spiritual formation and peacemaking, and his theological curiosity stood out to the committee. They were also impressed by his seven years as rector of St. Gabriel’s in Pennsylvania and by his experience managing a parish school, offering pastoral care at a summer boys camp, and serving in diocesan leadership.

Just as importantly, Andrew has demonstrated a genuine commitment to collaboration and lay empowerment. He listens. He meets people where they are. And he steps forward to help bring people together and get things done. The committee believes his combination of pastoral warmth, intellectual depth, practical experience, and collaborative spirit makes him an especially good fit for St. Michael’s and for the opportunities ahead of us.

Both Andrew and Becca have family in the Arlington and greater D.C. area, and they are thrilled to join St. Michael’s.

So please join us in welcoming our new Rector for his first Sunday on November 29 (and, of course, all the many Sundays that will follow). If you have any questions in the meantime, don't hesitate to ask!

Dan Ruff, Senior Warden
Caroline Haynes and Laura Clarke, Discernment Committee Chairs