The Reverend Ann Strazza
|
|
Welcome Mother Ann and Tommy!
On March 2, 2025, All Saints' enthusiastically welcomed our new Rector, The Reverend Ann Strazza
and her husband, Tommy Strazza into our All Saints' family (also their cat, Shalom).
We are delighted to have them and thank God for bringing Mother Ann to us!
On March 2, 2025, All Saints' enthusiastically welcomed our new Rector, The Reverend Ann Strazza
and her husband, Tommy Strazza into our All Saints' family (also their cat, Shalom).
We are delighted to have them and thank God for bringing Mother Ann to us!
Question of the Week with Mother Ann
Question #1:
What was your spiritual journey like that inspired you to become an Episcopal minister?
Having grown up in Watchung, NJ as an Episcopalian, I graduated from high school there. Then I attended college at the University of Delaware and received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English Education. At that time, I thought I wanted to be a counselor, teacher, or writer. Yet while in Delaware around my third year of college, I began to discern my calling to the ministry. I became very active in Campus Ministry and participated in various retreats in Delaware and surrounding states. Through leadership opportunities and trying various new things, I developed a strong interest in the ministry.
Right after college, I spent a year with the Young Adult Service Corp., which is a program the Episcopal Church has available that sponsors young adults to serve in international mission services. My placement was in Capetown, South Africa, where I lived at the Campus Ministry House.at the University of Capetown. I would commute into Capetown proper a few days per week and worked in an office that coordinated campus ministry around the province. The southern tip of Africa is a region representative of the Anglican community, similar to how the U.S. works within its different regions throughout the country.
I was 24 years old when I went to South Africa and that year literally changed my life. I had such an incredible experience there, which influenced and crystalized my decision to become an Episcopal minister all the more.
Question #2:
When you knew that you wanted to commit to joining the ministry, how did you pursue it?
My year in South Africa was such an amazing and empowering experience! When I returned home to the U.S., I began my formal ordination process. I lived in Somerville for two years and was under-employed as a virtual administrative assistant for a start-up that is still around. At the same time, I interned at churches including St. John's in Somervile while going through the ordination process in North Plainfield.
In 2013, I began a three-year course of study at General Seminary in Chelsea (NYC), which was a wild experience! I made some incredible friends during my years there and also studied under some excellent people. It was awesome to work with the legendary musician, David Hurd who served as Professor of Sacred Music and Director of Chapel Music. I also interned at some really cool churches like Bushwick Abbey in Brooklyn. During my senior year, I worked part-time for about 20 hours per week at St. Mark's in Basking Ridge, which was my sponsoring diocese for New Jersey.
When I graduated, I covered at St. Mark's in Basking Ridge while their rector was on sabbatical. Then I did some supply work before finding a position as Priest Associate at Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Wilmington, Delaware. I was one of three priests there and was mentored by an incredible rector. I got to try so many different things and just had a fantastic experience there. The diocese of Wilmington is much smaller than New Jersey and had a different flavor by way of comparison. I was there for three years prior to 2020.
Right before COVID in February of 2020, I accepted the call to serve at the new affiliation of Christ Church South Amboy and Trinity Church Matawan. I signed my LOA right before in-person worship was suspended, which was such a crazy time. So I said goodbye to everyone in Wilmington on zoom, which was extremely hard, and said hello to everyone in New Jersey on zoom. It was such an adventure! I served there for the past five years. It was kind of fun being part of an affiliation, because I'd get an idea and run it by both vestries at once. Sometimes it would be received well by one church and not at all by the other. It was interesting to experience two such different communities at the same time. As Priest in Charge at both congregations, it was often challenging since I could never be at everything in both places. Since both churches started their services at 10:00 am, I alternated every other week to conduct services. I found myself rotating and doing two of everything oftentimes, as opposed to just one thing at the same place. In essence, it was both wonderful and challenging.
Question #1:
What was your spiritual journey like that inspired you to become an Episcopal minister?
Having grown up in Watchung, NJ as an Episcopalian, I graduated from high school there. Then I attended college at the University of Delaware and received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English Education. At that time, I thought I wanted to be a counselor, teacher, or writer. Yet while in Delaware around my third year of college, I began to discern my calling to the ministry. I became very active in Campus Ministry and participated in various retreats in Delaware and surrounding states. Through leadership opportunities and trying various new things, I developed a strong interest in the ministry.
Right after college, I spent a year with the Young Adult Service Corp., which is a program the Episcopal Church has available that sponsors young adults to serve in international mission services. My placement was in Capetown, South Africa, where I lived at the Campus Ministry House.at the University of Capetown. I would commute into Capetown proper a few days per week and worked in an office that coordinated campus ministry around the province. The southern tip of Africa is a region representative of the Anglican community, similar to how the U.S. works within its different regions throughout the country.
I was 24 years old when I went to South Africa and that year literally changed my life. I had such an incredible experience there, which influenced and crystalized my decision to become an Episcopal minister all the more.
Question #2:
When you knew that you wanted to commit to joining the ministry, how did you pursue it?
My year in South Africa was such an amazing and empowering experience! When I returned home to the U.S., I began my formal ordination process. I lived in Somerville for two years and was under-employed as a virtual administrative assistant for a start-up that is still around. At the same time, I interned at churches including St. John's in Somervile while going through the ordination process in North Plainfield.
In 2013, I began a three-year course of study at General Seminary in Chelsea (NYC), which was a wild experience! I made some incredible friends during my years there and also studied under some excellent people. It was awesome to work with the legendary musician, David Hurd who served as Professor of Sacred Music and Director of Chapel Music. I also interned at some really cool churches like Bushwick Abbey in Brooklyn. During my senior year, I worked part-time for about 20 hours per week at St. Mark's in Basking Ridge, which was my sponsoring diocese for New Jersey.
When I graduated, I covered at St. Mark's in Basking Ridge while their rector was on sabbatical. Then I did some supply work before finding a position as Priest Associate at Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Wilmington, Delaware. I was one of three priests there and was mentored by an incredible rector. I got to try so many different things and just had a fantastic experience there. The diocese of Wilmington is much smaller than New Jersey and had a different flavor by way of comparison. I was there for three years prior to 2020.
Right before COVID in February of 2020, I accepted the call to serve at the new affiliation of Christ Church South Amboy and Trinity Church Matawan. I signed my LOA right before in-person worship was suspended, which was such a crazy time. So I said goodbye to everyone in Wilmington on zoom, which was extremely hard, and said hello to everyone in New Jersey on zoom. It was such an adventure! I served there for the past five years. It was kind of fun being part of an affiliation, because I'd get an idea and run it by both vestries at once. Sometimes it would be received well by one church and not at all by the other. It was interesting to experience two such different communities at the same time. As Priest in Charge at both congregations, it was often challenging since I could never be at everything in both places. Since both churches started their services at 10:00 am, I alternated every other week to conduct services. I found myself rotating and doing two of everything oftentimes, as opposed to just one thing at the same place. In essence, it was both wonderful and challenging.