The Chaplaincy representatives and the Churchwardens are pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Dr Frank Sawyer as Chaplain of the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy, with effect from 1st October. We expect the Chaplain, his wife and two young daughters, to arrive from Canada, their homeland, during the previous week. The Archdeacon, Fr. Geoff Johnston will be here for his licensing, to take place at St. George's Church, on 2nd October at11 o'clock.Background informationThe Rev’d Dr Frank Sawyer and his wife Ginnelle Elliott, whom he married in 1998, are originally from Canada. Frank and Ginnelle have two daughters, Maggie(10) and Pippa (6). Frank completed his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy (1993) and his Master of Divinity (1997) at Trinity College,University of Toronto. While an undergraduate, he served as a reserve officer of the 56th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. Frank was ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada (Deacon 1997, Priest 1998) and served as an assistant curate in Toronto before moving with Ginnelle to the United States to minister in education in California, Georgia, Maryland, and most recently Florida. Frank has served as a chaplain, upper division head, and headmaster in Episcopal schools. He has taught theology, religious studies and philosophy. While in California, he earned a Doctor of Ministry (2004) at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley. His studies focused on education, developmental psychology, and issues of faith, ethnicity, culture and gender in learning.Frank and his family enjoy travel and living abroad. In 2014-2015, he took a sabbatical from education and served as the Locum Chaplain of Holy Trinity Church in Corfu, Greece, and they also visited Italy, France and England.Frank also taught English in the Czech Republic during a gap year from his university studies and Ginnelle has lived in Italy and England. These experiences abroad confirmed their sense of God’s call to both ministry and family life abroad, leading Frank to take up the post of Chaplain of Greater Lisbon.While he has spent most of his ministry in education, Frank has been engaged liturgically and pastorally in the parishes associated with the schools where he served. In his parish ministry, Frank has enjoyed teaching many Bible study and Christian formation programmes. He has also led many school and parish charitable efforts from work in soup kitchens to environmental conservation. Frank was most recently the Head of Upper School and Chaplain at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida. This past year Frank stepped in as the Locum of St. Andrew’s Church for nearly three months between the retirement of the Rector and the appointment of the Interim Rector, an experience that further pointed him towards a return to parish ministry. Frank is excited to return to the Diocese in Europe with its unique challenges and opportunities of ministering to English-speaking Christian communities abroad. Frank looks forward to ministering to the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy and sharing the Gospel with the English-speaking community.
