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The Very Rev. Ron Clingenpeel

The Very Rev. Ron Clingenpeel has agreed to provide pastoral oversight during Fr Tommy's Clergy Renewal. Ron's time will include Sunday services every week with two days of pastoral work weekly. This time will consist of office hours, pastoral care, Wednesday evening services, and meetings with groups (as appropriate, but not Vestry).

A native Nebraskan, Dean Clingenpeel has lived in Louisiana most of his life.After serving churches and campus ministries in Nebraska, Montana and Kansas, Clingenpeel came to New Orleans in 1987 to be the chaplain at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, which serves Tulane and Loyola universities.In 1998, Bishop Charles Jenkins called him to be Canon to the Ordinary, (the assistant to the bishop).In 2002, he was called to be Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.He retired from that position in 2009.

Clingenpeel spent 20 years in ministry to campuses.In 1996, Bishop Brown asked him to take on some other part-time duties helping with the deployment of clergy in the diocese.Since 1998, he as been a consultant for the election of bishops in the Episcopal Church.In retirement he has served as an interim rector, interim camp and conference center director and transitions consultant.

A musician, his band, Father Ron and Friends (https://www.fatherronandfriends.com/), have produced two albums in the American folk tradition.They have twice played concerts at St. Margaret’s.He continues to write music, play in the band, and support other musicians.He can sometimes be heard as a DJ on WWOZ radio in New Orleans.He also works for WWOZ at the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Mostly he just enjoys people, hanging about, and playing music.

The Very Rev. Tommy Dillon II

A Baton Rouge native, the Rev Tommy Dillon graduated from Louisiana State University, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University, and the General Theological Seminary, where he specialized in Anglican Liturgy. He was ordained deacon and priest at St. Luke’s Baton Rouge and served as Vicar of St. Augustine’s in Central City, LA for five years before serving 11 years on the West Coast as Rector of St. Aidan’s, San Francisco and Grace Church in Bainbridge Island, WA. He was called as Rector of St. Margaret's in September of 2016.

Tommy has 20 years of experience as a parish pastor, including responsibility for pastoral care, program development, stewardship, and administration. During that time, Tommy became a leader in community engagement. He has a passion for helping people take ministry and spirit beyond the church walls and embrace new ways of being the church in a changing world.

Before moving to the West Coast, Tommy was the first Director of Prisoner Aftercare Services for the National Volunteers of America. Previously he worked with the Volunteer of America of Greater Baton Rouge for seven years in Mental Health and Homeless Services. He also served as Co-chair for Undoing Racism in the Diocese of Louisiana.

In the Diocese of California, Tommy served as a member of the Diocesan Executive Council, Diocesan Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Nave Chaplain at Grace Cathedral, and a Spiritual Director for Cursillo. He also served as chaplain to the Diocesan Altar Guild, as a board member for Sojourn Chaplaincy at San Francisco General Hospital, and as chair of the Episcopal Bay Area Salvadoran Coalition.

In the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Tommy is Dean of the Baton Rouge Deanery, which is comprised of eighteen congregations and institutions in the Baton Rouge area, is the former chair of the Stewardship Working Group, is co-leader of the Transitions in Progress group (TIP) for newly ordained and new clergy in the diocese, and is a Clergy Deputy for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.

Tommy serves on the Boards of the Wild Goose Festival and the General Theological Seminary as Secretary and is a frequent retreat leader, pilgrimage planner, and an instructor of liturgy.

In Tommy’s world, there is no such thing as the “outcast and the stranger.” His work with newly-released prisoners, with people suffering mental illness and homelessness, and with Hurricane Katrina survivors gave him a fearless compassion for human need. During his time in ministry, parish food bank and elder ministries flourished; Diocesan, parish, and neighborhood Disaster Preparedness groups formed; and connections in El Salvador were created through the Anglican Church of El Salvador and Foundation Cristosal.

Collaborating to create beautiful liturgy feeds his soul. Good food, good friends, and road trips with his Whippet pal Josh reveal the Holy in the everyday world.