b'across the North Sea to the Shetlands, south through Scotlands Hebridean Sea, and down the Irish coast to Cork. Scrubbing the teak decks at the mercy of orders barked by the impatient, perfectionist Skipper taught him about humility. Paul is certain that this ex-paratrooper and veteran of the Royal Navy acquired his Ph.D. in psychology for the sole purpose of discerning and exploiting weakness. His experience on the voyage taught this young man the value of discipline, gave him reason to take pride in the skills he honed, and made him wonder about the life of a Navy chaplain, easing what young sailors must endure.He tried another direction with a graduate degree in political science. Then he headed west to Colorado, working at a nonprofit and playing in a rock band for two years. None of this really seemed sustainable. Enter the steadfast David Anderson, who by this time had become Rector at St. James the Less in Ashland. Know anybody looking for a job? he said.He was calling me home after my time wandering in the wilderness, Paul says now. I walked into the church office, and hanging over the copy machine was Rembrandts Return of the Prodigal. The call was right there in front of me. And then Andersons lung cancer reocurred. Within a year he was gone. When the illness finally required that David work from home, Paul managed the day-to-day of the church office. With unmeasurable gratitude, Paul wheeled his beloved friend up to the pulpit to preach his final sermon.Whenever Paul talks about the living out of ministry, the words communication and community recur. He seems to understand fully that the origin of both words expresses clearly how effectiveness in the first is critical to the health of the second. His suitability for the pastoral role is clear in his ability to listen. He believes that church communications are essentially pastoral in nature, and should be warm and welcoming in its language. His collaborative nature is apparent to all the staff as he takes leadership of communications and of the care of our beautiful but aging physical plant.As we go to press, he and his wife Molly are adjusting to life with their firstborn son James Henry. About Molly, Paul says, Molly and I met in December of 2015 through mutual friends. I fell in love with her immediately. Dont let anyone tell you that you cannot meet the love of your life in a bar! As Paul continues to grow into his life of leadership in this Parish, what is most obvious about his gifts are his impulse to find meaning in reflection, his commitment to the nurturing of relationship, his capacity for devotion, and his enduring belief in the central nature of the sacraments in the strengthening of the church as the Body of Christ.Submitted by Ann Norvell GrayANNUAL REPORT 2022 | 9'