St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Ben Lomond has appointed a new rector, the Rev. Blaine Hammond, of Long Beach, Wash.
Hammond, a musician and a published poet, is expected to arrive at the church on Sept. 13. Bishop Mary Gray-Reaves of the Diocese of El Camino Real will preside at a special 10 a.m. service that day.
“We believe Father Hammond is a leader and a gatherer who will join hands with us to serve all people in the San Lorenzo Valley in their diverse faith journeys,” said Barry Holtzclaw, senior warden of St. Andrew’s.
Holtzclaw said the new rector’s ministry is focused on families, young people, music, ecumenism, environmentalism and pastoral counseling.
The position of rector has been vacant for more than a year since the Rev. Keith Johnson, a prominent valley figure who coached football at San Lorenzo Valley High, returned to Florida after five years.
Hammond, a Nebraska native who grew up in Washington state, earned a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing from the University of Washington. He also holds a master of divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology
