St. Alban’s Calls David Buck as New Rector

Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson has called The Rev. David E. Buck to be its new Rector.

The Rev. Buck will be coming from the Church of the Nativity in Raleigh, where he serves as Associate Rector.  He will begin his ministry at St. Alban’s in August.

St. Alban’s is a lively, growing parish that has seen exponential growth as it serves the families, singles and seniors who worship there and reaches out to serve the needs of the community outside its doors.

“We are overwhelmed by the grace of God in bringing David to us,” said Peter Macon, senior warden of St. Alban’s.  “His combination of deep faith, strong leadership and great intellect truly are a gift for St. Alban’s.”

The Rev. Buck is a 1971 graduate of Davidson College, where he earned a B.A. degree in French, cum laude.  He continued his studies at Princeton, where he earned his Masters of Theology degree, and at Emory University, where he was awarded a degree as Doctor of Ministry in Theology, magna cum laude.

He was ordained a minister in the Baptist church in 1974 and served for three years as an assistant pastor at a church inNew Orleans, then was called to be Senior Pastor at Terrill Road Baptist Church in Scotch Plains, NJ.  He moved to Huntersville in 1991 and served as Senior Pastor at Independence Hill Baptist Church on Eastfield Road through 2001.

The Rev. Buck was increasingly drawn to the Episcopal faith, and after serving as an assistant at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Mission in Mooresville in 2002, made the decision to return to seminary and study to become an Episcopal priest.  He received a diploma in Anglican Studies from General Theological Seminary in New York in 2003 and was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in 2004.

“I first came to this community in 1967, a freshman at Davidson College.  Forty years later—after my own wandering in the wilderness, so to speak—I’ve come home!” said The Rev. Buck.  “St. Alban’s parish has honored me with this calling.   I look forward to working with them to serve God and the Davidson community.”             

The Rev. Buck follows The Very Rev. Mark Bourlakas, who left St. Alban’s in January to become Dean of the Episcopal cathedral in Louisville, KY. 

After half a century at a tiny chapel on Lorimer Road, St. Alban’s built a new church in 2001 that serves as the centerpiece of one of Davidson’s newest neighborhoods. It is one of the fastest growing Episcopal churches in the state and now has more than 500 members.  

You may contact David by calling the church office at: 704-892-0173 or by e-mail:

dbuck@gostalbans.org

St. Alban’s Welcomes Meg Buerkel as Associate Rector and College Chaplain

Meg Buerkel is counting the days until she is with us at St. Alban’s as our associate rector and as Episcopal Chaplain to Davidson College..

She has an apartment in Cornelius.  She is sorting out a moving truck.  She is tying up loose ends in Philadelphia.             But most of all, she is looking forward to being part of our family of families.

“Children hold a special place in the kingdom of God,” she says.  “If a child knows he or she is welcome and loved in the church, even if they take a hiatus, they know they have a place where they belong.”

St. Alban’s will welcome Meg officially on September 23, the day we celebrate our 50th anniversary.  By then, she and her 13-year-old poodle mix Cotton should be settled in.

Meg was born in Tupelo, Miss., to a mother with strong Episcopal roots who made sure Meg and her younger sister were there for Sunday School, choir and the usual pageants.  She grew up first in Nashville, then in Jamestown, N.C, near Greensboro.   She graduated from high school in Staunton, Virginia, and that’s where her parents live today.  

After earning a degree in psychology at Mary Baldwin College in 1996, Meg worked

for a year in youth ministry at a Jesuit retreat center.  She then spent three years in Louisburg, N.C., in Teach for America, an Americorps program that places recent college graduates in under-resourced public schools.

As she was drawn toward the ministry, she spent a year of discernment working with troubled youths at a psychiatric hospital, then earned her degree at General Theological Seminary in New York City.  While there, she found a tennis partner by the name of David Buck, whom she describes as “exceptionally competitive.”

Now 33, Meg is the associate rector at the Church of the Holy Trinity, a 148-year-old historic church located on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.  The congregation is weighted toward young professionals and graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania, which is just across the Schuylkill River.  

When not in her clerical collar, Meg enjoys swimming and running to stay fit, walking the dog to stay connected to her neighborhood, and reading fiction to exercise her mind.  She is now in her second season of playing on a touch football team as part of the Philadelphia Sports and Social Club.

Meg will be overseeing youth and Christian education programs at St. Alban’s as well as carrying on the important ministry to Episcopal students at Davidson College.  Be ready on Sept. 23 to welcome this new member of our family!

You may contact Meg by calling the church at 704-892-0173 or by e-mail:

mbuerkel@gostalbans.org