Rev. P.J. Woodall Jr.

Our Interim, P.J. Woodall, Jr., who has for the last four years been serving as a missionary priest in Haiti, will be moving to Atlanta with his wife Loraine in May.In the meantime, we are sampling a wonderful array of different rectors' styles and personalities through our supply-priest schedule.
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In May, the Rev. P. J. Woodall, Jr., and his wife Loraine will move to Atlanta from the diocese of Virginia, where P.J. has for the last year been coordinating overseas missions and serving as manager for the launch of a new college in Les Cayes, Haiti - a project of Episcopal Relief and Development (also known as the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief).
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P.J.'s still very involved with the Haiti mission, a relationship that dates back to his decade-long tenure as rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Natick, MA. (1988-'98).St. Paul's had a sister mission with Haiti.

Prior to the Massachusetts St. Paul's, P.J. was rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Clinton, NC. (1983-'88).

In our interview with P.J., we found him to be very down-to-earth, and very much in tune with St. Dunstan's emphases on outreach, community involvement, and environmental issues.He is a latecomer to the priesthood, having attended seminary (Sewanee) after serving for 13 years as a hospital personnel administrator in North Carolina.He holds an MS in Industrial Relations from UNC at Chapel Hill and an MDiv from Sewanee.

Should we roll out the red carpet or resurrect the rickety ramp that led up to the church during our mud-hole stage?Either way, welcome to P.J. and Loraine!

Rev. P.J. Woodall, Interim Rector

Christ Church is honored to have P.J. Woodall serve as our interim rector.P.J. first graced our Church with his warm smile in January, 2007.

P.J. grew up in North Carolina and attended college at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., where he obtained his bachelors degree.For many years he worked in the field of hospital personnel administration.

As a seminarian, P.J. attended the University of the South School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee and acquired his Masters of Divinity in 1983.After his ordination, P.J. served for five years as rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Clinton, North Carolina, where he was active in community ministries, including the Migrant Farm Worker Ministry.P.J. then served as rector for ten years at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Natick, Massachusetts, a diverse integrated parish with domestic and overseas outreach programs.At St. Paul's, his work with sister missions in Haiti inspired P.J. to become a Missionary Priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.He spent five years working with schools and clinics in Haiti, ministering to adults and children in a land of relentless poverty.

P.J. returned to the United States and worked for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, using his skills to organize and mobilize diocesan resources for overseas missions.He has since served as an interim rector in Georgia, at St. Dunstan's in Atlanta, St. Gregory the Great in Athens, and Nativity in Fayetteville.

He has been married for over thirty years to his wife, Loraine, with whom he has two daughters.P.J. enjoys walking and reading.

Rev. P.J. Woodall, Interim Rector

Please keep Mark, Janet, and their family; Beau; Rev. Woodall and his family; the Vestry, our staff, and our entire congregation in your prayers.
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The Vestry is excited and pleased to announce Father P.J. Woodall has accepted our call to become interim rector of Christ Church.Father Woodall is presently finishing an interim position in Fayetteville, and should join us in January.

Father Woodall is a native of North Carolina.After graduating Seminary of the University of the South in 1983, he served as a parish priest for 15 years.Starting in 1998 he served the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti as Partnership Program Coordinator, helping U.S. churches with their mission work in Haiti.Since returning to the States he has found the intensity of purpose of interim work to be a perfect fit for his spiritual gifts.

The selection committee was overwhelmed by his deep spirituality and constant search for God's direction in his life.When told of our recent church history one member asked him, "We haven't scared you off, have we?"Father Woodall paused and replied, "No, I am just so touched by what pain all of you are in.I see my initial role here as a healer."He quickly grasped the complexity of our situation and felt while healing obviously is a priority, so is moving forward and re-establishing our purpose as a "body of Christ."

We have posted Father Woodall's complete resume on the Vestry bulletin Board.

Our interim minister, P.J. Woodall, greets us all with his cheery "Welcome to God's House" every Sunday morning.