Fr. Denaro Called as Rector

Called as St. Ann’s Rector
Institution Set for October 5, 2013
The July 14, 2013, issue of “The Good News,” carried the following important announcement, which is cause for great celebration, joy and hope among our congregation and the many friends of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity.
“It is with great joy and humble prayers that the Wardens and Vestry announce that they have voted to call the Rev. John E. Denaro as Rector of the Parish of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity in Brooklyn Heights.
Fr. Denaro has served our parish faithfully as Priest-in-Charge for more than two years. During this term he has demonstrated his desire to increase our numbers, utilize our unique facilities and make our presence known in the neighborhood and the wider community. Fr. John, as we know him, has made himself a part of our life together. He has shared his gifts of organizing and producing special events as well as his deep understanding of the traditions of our church and its rituals.
The selection of a Rector in an Episcopal parish is typically the result of lengthy process led by a search committee made up of Vestry members and other parishioners. But it seemed clear to the Bishop of the Diocese of Long Island, the Right Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, and to St. Ann’s Vestry that our Priest-in-Charge had achieved a comfortable presence and productive ministry with us, obviating the need for further searching. With the recommendation of the Bishop and after a period of consultation with a number of members, the Vestry determined at its meeting on June 11 to call Fr. John as Rector.
Bishop Provenzano will officiate at the service of institution of Fr. Denaro as Rector on Saturday afternoon, October 5, 2013, at 4:00 PM. We look forward to this festive Evensong ceremony when we, with members of the wider community, will formally and officially welcome Fr. Denaro into his new role.
O’Dell R.S. ‘Syd’ Farley and Frank Kain
Wardens”
The Rev. John E. Denaro began his ministry as Priest-in-Charge at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity on March 1, 2011. His arrival to Brooklyn and the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island follows nearly two decades of service in parishes in the Diocese of New York, including Calvary/St. George’s, Christ and St. Stephen’s, St. Edward the Martyr, St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery, and Holy Apostles–all in Manhattan–and Grace Church, Middletown.
In addition to his experience in parish ministry, Fr. Denaro worked in the church communications realm, as a video producer at Trinity Church on Wall Street and, most recently, as the Church Relations Officer for Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), the refugee resettlement arm of the Episcopal Church. His efforts over eight years at EMM supported parishes and communities throughout the U.S. to respond at a local level to global needs, which he will continue to pursue with the people of St. Ann’s.
Fr. Denaro grew up in the Bronx and is a graduate of Williams College and the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University. He lives in Brooklyn Heights with his partner, Joel Van Liew.
Read more about the Leadership of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity here.