Friday, December 28, 2007

Spiritual community welcomed new clergy

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

The new Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Sun Valley went from the design phase, above, to reality in 2007. It opened earlier this month.

The year 2007 proved to be one of changes and advances for the Wood River Valley spiritual community.

In July, the Wood River Jewish Community hired Rabbi Barney Brickner as its third full-time rabbi. A third-generation American Reform rabbi, Brickner, 49, had previously served at Temple Israel in Columbus, Ohio, Temple Israel in Kansas City, Mo., Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Glenview, Ill., Temple Judea in Massapequa, N.Y., United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis, Mo., and Congregation M’kor Shalom in Mt. Laurel, N.J.

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Sun Valley had two major changes this year. Father John Morgan, who served both Our Lady and St. Charles in Hailey for almost 12 years, retired in July. His replacement, Father Jorge Garcia, conducted his first services July 7 and 8.

Garcia most recently served in American Falls and Aberdeen, Idaho. Prior to that he was a priest for 21 years in Colombia.

On Dec. 13, Morgan returned, with Bishop Michael Driscoll of Boise, to participate in the formal consecration of the new Our Lady of the Snows. The church, designed by Ketchum architect Jim McLaughlin and built on the same spot as the older church, is considerably grander and has a large social hall in a daylight basement.

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In August, after more than a year of searching, interviewing and visiting, St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun Valley hired a new rector.

The Rev. Kenneth Brannon had been associate rector at St. Barnabas in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. He follows in the footsteps of two popular ministers, the Rev. Brian Baker and Bishop Craig Anderson.

“There’s so much love and skill and talent in the pews,” he said. “My role is to discern that and fuel the embers.”