How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since January 2022.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
Growing up, my family attended a Methodist church. We lived in a growing suburb of Houston and by the time I moved away from home, it became a mega church. I say mega church but it was that in size only. It was still pretty traditional; the services were similar to what we have here at Saint Philip’s.

But after leaving home, I didn’t attend church.

What brought you back to church?
Well, I was going through a period of life where I was searching for something more. I realized that whatever life looked like in that moment was ultimately pretty empty. Then I met Laura. Meeting her prompted me to explore my faith again.

We went to an evangelical church here in Tucson for quite awhile. But there were a few reasons it wasn’t a great fit so we started exploring other options.

What brought you to Saint Philip’s?
We chose Saint Philip’s for three reasons initially.

We read a press release about the medical debt relief that Saint Philip’s funded and thought, “That’s a church community we want to be part of.”

It was also a big deal to us to see women in leadership.

And in 2020, when George Floyd was murdered, Laura and I struggled with how to process that. We found a lot of resources on Saint Philip’s website that were very helpful and timely.

What’s important to you about Saint Philip’s?
I appreciate the structure of this faith—the fact that it’s hundreds of years old, as well as the fact that the Anglican communion is worldwide. And I very much like how accepting the community is.

Do you feel a part of this community?
I do. And I feel like we’re on a journey to a hopefully deeper connection. I realize that as welcoming as people are, it’s still up to me to be purposeful about building relationships and becoming part of the community. So I decided to say “yes” to invitations as they pop up.

What are some invitations you’ve accepted?
The first one was easy. Mtr Taylor invited Laura and me to meet her for a cup of coffee. That was after our first or second visit to church. That felt very welcoming; she saw us and wanted to get to know us.

I’m involved in the different ministries that have to do with food that Dcn Susan leads. For example, Laura and I helped out with Thanksgiving dinner last year and will do that again this year. And when First Sunday Drives ask for donations to help Tucson-area nonprofits, I help distribute people’s contributions.

What do you do professionally?
I’m a freelance accountant and bookkeeper.

What did you do previously?
I moved to Tucson and started a freight brokerage, which is essentially a sales job for all kinds of shipping. We serviced everything from small packages like UPS and FedEx to international bulk air freight of items like carbon fiber.

Not long after moving here, I realized how much I missed my younger days working in hospitality. I felt like restaurants offered the right combination of creativity (menu design, interior design, food creation) while still being a business.

My partner and I opened a restaurant/bar in downtown Tucson in 2010 and sold it in 2018.

How did you make the transition from such a social profession to what you do now?
I think I’m still transitioning! But in Tucson, there is always another friendly person or a new relationship right around the corner.

What’s something you are proud of?
My marriage. I never thought I’d get married and Laura and I have been together 11 years now.

Going through life with someone is pretty humbling, and I’m proud that we both choose to do it.

What’s one of your core values?
Acceptance.

My upbringing and experience were pretty traditional. Our family was middle-class but we lived in a very affluent neighborhood. My station, if you will, wasn’t always apparent, though, because of how I look. Since I fit a bunch of societal norms, I was accepted and never once thought about how others might struggle to fit in if they were labelled “different.”

Working in restaurants and working closely with people that may have an identity that generally would be labelled “different”—maybe related to gender, sexuality, race, or otherwise—made me realize that not everyone walks through life in the same way. And my way isn’t better or worse than theirs. Addiction issues are also rampant in the hospitality industry so you have to have an open mind and just accept people where they are in their life. I gained a lot of empathy through that experience.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Never give up hope.

There have been times in my life when it might have made more sense to give up hope. But I didn’t—and things have mostly worked out. Hope isn’t necessarily easy to maintain but I think it’s worth the effort.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
I’m an only child and have always sought companionship. I’ve been very fortunate throughout my life to have people who will walk beside me so I’ve never felt alone. And Laura’s family has been very accepting of me.

What do you do to relax and replenish yourself?
We have a puppy who needs lots of long walks. She’s a hunting breed so we get lots of time outside once the weather cools down.

I’m also a pretty big movie fan. I mostly enjoy smaller dramas; I like a good tear-jerker.

What’s something you find challenging?
100 degree temperatures in October! I’m a jacket and sweater kind of person and I live in southern Arizona. The struggle is real.

What’s one of your super powers?
My humor. I’m pretty good at reading a room and can use humor to keep things light when necessary.

What’s something new you’ve done recently?
Laura and I have started attending the Wednesday Mosaic dinners and formation hour. It’s like a whole new world. We’ve met new people and enjoyed a completely different experience than on Sunday mornings.

If you couldn’t fail, what’s something you’d like to do?
I would work in the creative arts—perhaps as a screenwriter or director or producer. In my spare time I write a little bit. I’ve written movies, tv shows, novels, and I’m currently writing a stage play. But I keep all that for myself right now; it’s just another way I relax and replenish.

What’s something you’ve learned as you’ve aged?
That this is it—I get only this life. I used to wait for certain things to happen—and probably wasted more time than I care to admit. I think about this pretty constantly.

What have I not asked that you’d like folks reading this to know?
That a grilled cheese sandwich and champagne is a pretty good combination for dinner!