Christ Church Celebrates 20 Year Ministry of Retiring Rector

Alexandria, VA, November 23, 2014 — On Sunday, November 23, 2014, at the 10:00 a.m. service, the Rev. Pierce Klemmt will preach his final sermon at Christ Church, Alexandria, VA before retiring. Following the service, there will be a reception celebrating his 20 years as Rector of Christ Church including presentation of gifts and the revealing of his portrait.

Rev. Klemmt, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, came to Christ Church by way of Springfield, MO. He was installed as the 27th Rector of Christ Church on April 28, 1994. During his 20 years of ministry, he has many accomplishments, including:
• Engaging with other local leaders to bring a comprehensive set of services to the neediest in our community through a vibrant Lazarus Ministry;
• Overseeing the acquisition of the Ross Building and the building of the Fowler House and McMurray Commons facilities to provide a home for Youth Christian Education.
• Working for social justice in our local community, the nation, and across the world with specific emphasis on welcoming Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Bisexual members to the church and fighting for greater gender equality. “LGBT inclusion was a major effort,” Rev. Klemmt recalls. “It was an issue that vestry wrestled with. The whole church wrestled with it. It was very costly in membership and money to the whole [Episcopal] church. But thank God we are at the point where gay marriage is legalized now and our community is largely behind it as a civil rights struggle. I used to say there would be anti-gun laws in Virginia before Virginia allowed gay marriage. And here we are. Our first same-gender blessing was an important highlight.”
• Partnering with the Lilly Foundation and other church communities to begin the Ministry Resident Program which produced numerous future leaders in the Episcopal Church; Rev. Klemmt says, “At the reunion of all our residents, each resident paid tribute to the program as essential to preparing young men and women for the duration of their ministry and what it takes to do this job well.”
• Building an enduring partnership with the Diocese of Renk and South Sudan and working with government, non-government organizations, and other faith communities to bring peace to South Sudan and Sudan;
• Shepherding the congregation through a successful Capital Campaign to fund a new HVAC system that will provide a comfortable environment for members, staff, and visitors for many years to come;
• Serving with grace and dignity as a rector, a preacher, a leader, and a friend for which we will be forever grateful.

Rev. Klemmt and his wife Tuke plan to remain in Alexandria after his retirement from Christ Church. For additional information or a photo, Contact: Tara Knox, Development Director, Historic Christ Church; Alexandria, VA, 703-778-4928 (direct), 703-626-4837 (cell), 703-549-5883 (fax), tknox@ccalex.org.

Historic Christ Church is a historic church with an active congregation. Located at 118 N. Washington St. in Alexandria, VA, Christ Church is home to 2,400 parishioners and provides ministry to communities local and global. The parish home of George Washington and many other government and legislative leaders since, Historic Christ Church has long been at the center of the religious and public life of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Nearly all the Presidents have attended Christ Church during their term of office. Other visitors include British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Senator Elizabeth Dole, former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, Rosa Parks, and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Christ Church is a historic church with an active congregation. Located at 118 N. Washington St. in Alexandria, VA, Christ Church is home to 2,400 parishioners and provides ministry to communities local and global.
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