Who we are.
Christ Episcopal Church is a growing, faith-filled Episcopal worship community. Our church was founded in 1744 and we moved into our current building across from the Guilford Green in 1838, so as you can see we have a pretty strong history in Guilford! Our church family includes people of all ages, backgrounds, races, and walks of life... from Guilford, to the surrounding shoreline towns of Branford, Madison, Clinton, and beyond. All are truly welcome.
Our staff.
The Reverend Randolph Harrison West is rector of Christ Church. Father West, a native of Oregon, came to Christ Church in 2010 after spending 15 years as the associate rector of St. John’s Church, Norwood Parish in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Fr. West received his BA from Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota. He did graduate work in architectural history at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, and received his M.Div. from The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.
In addition to his service as associate rector at St. John’s Church, Norwood Parish, Fr. West served as an assisting priest at Grace Memorial Church in Portland, Oregon, and as both assistant rector and interim rector at Grace Church and chaplain of St. Nicholas’ School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In addition to his service as associate rector at St. John’s Church, Norwood Parish, Fr. West served as an assisting priest at Grace Memorial Church in Portland, Oregon, and as both assistant rector and interim rector at Grace Church and chaplain of St. Nicholas’ School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Mark Sullivan is proud to serve as Music Director at Christ Church. Mark studied piano with Andrew Klein of the Pre-College Division at The Julliard School and went on to undergraduate and graduate studies in piano performance, composition, and conducting at the School of Music at Boston University. A Guilford resident for 25 years, Mark appears regularly as a soloist and accompanist, and has served as Music Director of St. Andrew's, Madison, and the United Methodist Church of Clinton, among other positions. He came to Christ Church in the Fall of 2013.
Laurie Varley is the Sunday School Director for Christ Church. Laurie and her family moved to Guilford 6 years ago, from NC. Her husband, Steven works at Yale and their daughter, Stevie will be a 5th grader at Baldwin Middle School in the fall. Laurie previously worked at two NC universities in fundraising, Hospice and Palliative Care of Cleveland County, NC as their Community Outreach Coordinator, and is currently employed by the Guilford Public School system as a para professional at Adams Middle School. Laurie previously worked as a youth and children's director at a Baptist church in NC, worked at the NC Baptist Assembly, leading creative worship services and numerous devotions for high school and college aged students and also volunteered as a church school teacher for 5 years at the First Congregational Church of Guilford. Laurie is excited about sharing God's love with the children and families of Christ Church!
Andrew Doss is in his third and final year at Berkeley/Yale Divinity Schools, on track to be ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Louisiana. Before beginning seminary, Andrew served as a criminal prosecutor in his hometown of New Orleans and continues to work on projects in international governance. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English and French at Amherst College in 2003, an American law degree (JD) from Georgetown in 2008, and an international law degree (LLM) at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands in 2009. He has a background in the arts, studying the writing of religious poetry and liturgical design of paperless music (though you'll hear, he can't hold a note!) within the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and the play he co-authored with his father, Song of a Man Coming Through, was awarded the Best Original Work of 2015 in New Orleans. He loves good storytelling, spicy food, and dancing like a fool in Mardi Gras parades. He is honored to be serving Christ Church, and looking forward to getting to know the warm faces and hearts in this community!
Pat Wakefield is our amazing Parish Administrator. She takes care of everything that is needed to keep our congregation, our building and our community running smoothly!
Sheward Haggerty is our amazing Sexton, and he takes care of everything ELSE that is needed to keep our congregation, our building and our community running smoothly!
