The Reverend Dr. Rich Bardusch, Rector
Father Rich Bardusch is a graduate of Emory & Henry College, Duke Divinity School, and has a Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development from Drew University. He completed a year of Anglican Studies at EDS in Cambridge, MA. He is a bit of a Thomist, i.e. he likes the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. It was St. Thomas who said, “The noblest human act is Joy.” He has also studied Early Christianity and enjoys learning about the Gnostic Writings.
A few motifs of his ordained ministry have included welcoming new people into churches, fun, and creating new ministries. His spiritual discipline includes Centering Prayer, study, and simple living. He is a gardener, sci-fi fan, and patio reader extraordinaire. He also enjoys biking, Christian liturgy, and plants, not necessarily in that order. He loves dogs, traveling, and being at the center of a vibrant religious community. In the last 20 years he has had three Siberian Huskies, and will probably get another one once he is settled.
Fr. Rich has done most of his traveling in Central America, but has also visited the British Isles and Southeast Asia. He has studied Spanish in Costa Rica, Greek at Providence College, and Celtic Spirituality at St. Deiniol’s in Wales. His bucket list includes New Zealand, Nepal, and Liberia. He is the proud uncle of one niece and four nephews, all of whom live in or near Yorktown, VA. His family on his mother’s side (Griffith) came to Smithfield, VA in 1632, from Wales, and eventually settled in Appalachia. His dad’s family came from Germany in the 1880’s and settled in New Jersey.
Fr. Rich was born in Hampton, VA and as a child grew up on the Yorktown Battlefield where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in 1781. He has published four stories in a collection written by youth pastors in “Sage Advice: Stories from Seasoned Youth Workers”. As a youth pastor he ran a church camp that had over 1000 children each summer.
Roger Long, Director of Music
Roger is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University and has, over the years, served Lutheran, Methodist, and Episcopal churches as Organist/Pianist and Director for bells, vocal choirs and Instrumental ensembles. Previously he was the Director of Music Ministry and Organist at Christ Lutheran Church in Fairfax.
Roger has been with St. Tim’s since September of 2016.
Parish Administrator Wanda Rixon
Wanda is pleased to join the St. Timothy’s community, and is delighted to be part of our Christian ministry of love, service and social justice. She brings a career of business management and operational skill to the job, having most recently served as Director of Operations for the Fairfax County Community Health Care Network, and subsequently Director of Community Engagement for Molina Healthcare’s operations throughout the Commonwealth. Prior to her work in the health care field, Wanda served at the Washington National Cathedral as the Operations Director of the College of Preachers/Cathedral College.
Among Wanda’s personal passions is soccer. She has served for years as a member of the leadership board of the Fairfax Women’s Soccer Association and Northern Virginia Women’s Soccer League. Wanda’s husband Greg is a retired career Army officer, and their son, Geoffrey, is Chairman of the Social Studies Department at Bishop O’Connell High School in Falls Church.
Director of Christian Education, Alyssa Stoffer
Alyssa Stoffer, Director of Christian Education, is delighted to join the staff at St. Timothy. She is a certified in Youth and Family Ministry as well as an Early Childhood Teacher. She holds degrees in Psychology, Music, and Early Education. Alyssa has a passion for kids, people and the community. Alyssa has worked previously at Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodists churches across the country serving in Youth and Family Ministry positions. She strives to make St. Timothy a place where all God’s children know love, where they are loved, and where they come to know and love Jesus.
St. Timothy’s congregation has enjoyed the placement of seminarians from the Virginia Theological Seminary for thirty-five years. They come to us through the Seminary’s Office of Field Experience. Through a process of church visits, discussion with the director of field education and interviewing with supervisors, seminarians negotiate a field placement of twelve hours a week which begins in September of their middle year of study. While at St. Timothy’s they participate in the worship service and Christian education.