All living things grow and change and today I’m excited to say that the Episcopal Café is growing and changing as new leadership takes over. The Rev’s Amy Haynie and Tracie Middleton, both from the diocese of Fort Worth, will be the new Managing Editors.
Haynie has been the editor of Speaking to the Soul since the death of longtime editor Ann Fontaine, and is a regular co-host of the Café’s podcast, From All Points. She is also a leader at RevGalsBlog, an ecumenical effort focused on raising the voices of women leaders in the church.
Middleton brings her experience journalism, PR, and communications. She serves as a deacon at Trinity in Fort Worth, and is currently the Vice President of the Association of Episcopal Deacons. As well, she was one of the deacons featured in our recent Diakonia series.
I have been the Managing Editor since 2014 and have been privileged to work with many great team members, who have been diligent in their commitment to this important ministry. As I took on this role, the key challenge facing the Café was the need to move the site from borrowed space on a diocesan server to a commercial host and to find a way to make the Café a sustainable ministry.
We’ve achieved that goal, and along the way have expanded what kind of content the Café offers as well as significantly growing our readership. It has been a most gratifying and humbling opportunity. I know that even more is possible, but I have also discerned that that is to be the work of others. I am grateful that Amy and Tracie have answered the call to take on this important ministry and I am excited at what their proven leadership skills will bring in making the Café an even stronger.
I had the privilege of offering September’s reflections last year for Forward Day By Day, and I self-published a book on faith practices; The Beginner’s Guide to Following Jesus. I am hoping to write more, but I’ll still be around working on podcasts here at the Café as well as on my own podcast, the Subversive Undercroft. Not to mention my ongoing parish and diocesan responsibilities.
I want to thank Jim Naughton, the Café’s founder for allowing me the opportunity to build on his great work and my bishop at the time, The Rt Rev W. Michie Klusmeyer, for encouraging me to take this work on.
image L to R: The Rev Amy Haynie and the Rev. Tracie Middleton