The Reverend Dr. Cecil "Ted" Cole, Jr, Rector

Rev. Cole came to us from St. Mary’s Church in Anchorage, Alaska, where he served as senior-level associate to the rector in charge of youth and family ministry. Before that, he was assistant rector with a focus on youth ministry and then interim minister at Christ Church, in Plymouth, MA. He has served as a youth minister at both of the congregations, offering workshops on faith formation for children, youth and families, and leading youth ministry trips to Washington, D.C. and Malawi, Africa. He has run Family Nights with child-friendly Eucharists and supports the same Godly Play curriculum used at St John’s. He has lead a variety of different adult education programs, including bible studies and dream groups. He is well-versed in Ignatian spiritual practices, spiritual dream work and is a certified Appreciative Inquiry (“AI”) coach. He has always had a commitment to LGBTQ communities and equality for individuals and groups of all races and backgrounds.

He attended Middlebury College (BA, Philosophy and Religion), Harvard Divinity School (MTS), and Boston University (Ph.D., Philosophy of Religion). He grew up in New York City, the son of a black man and white woman born in 1968, attended NYC Public Schools through 8th grade and graduated from Xavier High School in 1986. Ted remains a die-hard Mets fan.

He lives in Hyde Park with his wife, Sage Cole, who is the pastor at the Swedenborg Chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts and their two young sons.

ted@stjohns-jp.org

The REVERENd Dorie Goehring, M.Div., PhD Candidate, Curate

Dorie (she/her/hers) is thrilled to join St. John's as a Curate! A Boston native of 10 years, via Pennsylvania and New York City, she was ordained a priest on January 5, 2023 here at St. John’s. She is a PhD candidate at Boston College in Comparative Theology, where she studies Christian and Muslim approaches to bioethics. She earned her M.Div. at Harvard Divinity School and her B.A. from Fordham University in New York City. She has previously served in various leadership roles at The Crossing and Grace Episcopal Church, Newton, and as a chaplain and clinical ethics committee member at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton. She has published widely, with academic articles in Brill (forthcoming), the Journal of South Asian and Middle East Studies, and the Science, Religion, and Culture Program at Harvard Divinity School, and has written for other publications including State of Formation, The Tempest, and INTER magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching British television, drinking tea, rooting for Pittsburgh sports teams, and playing RPGs.

dorie@stjohns-jp.org

Harrison Lee, Music Director

Harrison Lee is a pianist, violinist, and composer. He began playing piano at the age of six. Growing up with a mainly self-taught background, Harrison had the opportunity of discovering his personal connection to music in experimental ways and through classical music. In 2020, Harrison received a Full Tuition scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where he studied classical, pop, rock, film, and other contemporary genres. One of Harrison’s passions is making classical music more accessible to the general audience by rearranging it with modern genres such as rock and neoclassical. He studied composition and some film score during his time at Berklee.

Harrison has had extensive experience performing as a violinist and pianist for ensembles at Rutgers University and Berklee College of Music, including Rutgers Sinfonia and the Berklee Motion Picture Orchestra. He is also an instructor at Musicians Playground in Boston, and via his online following has worked with organizations such as Musescore and Raycon. Harrison believes strongly in the healing qualities of music, and is passionate about guiding others in finding solace and overcoming hardship through the sounds they resonate with.

harrison@stjohns-jp.org

Victoria Berges, SUnday School Teacher

Victoria is a Master’s candidate for a MA Theology & Ministry/ Master’s of Social Work (MSW) dual degree at Boston College. She received her BS in Molecular & Cellular Biology / BA in Spanish from Johns Hopkins University and has worked full-time in public health research and epidemiology for five years. Most recently, Victoria completed a year of ministry with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, where she provided case management and spiritual support group services for seniors, the unhoused, traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors, and survivors of intimate partner violence through a Catholic, community based hospital. Victoria’s research interests focus on adapting Ignatian spirituality for use in mental health care, particularly to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma throughout the lifespan.

victoria@stjohns-jp.org

Carmen Powell, Parish Administrator

Bio forthcoming!

parish.admin@stjohns-jp.org