St. Andrew’s Calls a New Rector

Dear St. Andrew’s Parish Family,

On behalf of the Vestry and the Rector Search Committee, I am excited to share some joyful news with you. After a season of prayer, listening, and discernment, we have called the Reverend Dr. William J. Buracker II, Ph.D. (BJ for short) to serve as the next Rector of St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound Episcopal Church and he has accepted this call.

This has been a thoughtful and Spirit-led process. Throughout, we have trusted that God is guiding St. Andrew’s, just as God has faithfully done across generations of this parish. We give thanks for the many voices, prayers, and hopes that have shaped this call.

BJ comes to us from All Saints Church in Chevy Chase, MD, where he has been serving as Vicar. A graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary, he brings gifts for preaching, teaching, and pastoral care, along with a deep love for the Church, our Episcopal traditions and a heart for community. In getting to know him, we have seen a priest who listens well, leads faithfully, and joins others in the work God is already doing.

At St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound, we are a parish grounded in worship, fellowship, and service, shaped by prayer and the life of Christ. In BJ, we recognize a rector who will help us continue to grow in that shared life, honoring where we have been and walking with us into what God is calling us to become.

BJ and his wife Kimberly, and their five children will be joining us in July, with his first Sunday among us on July 12th. In the weeks ahead, we will share more details about opportunities to welcome them.

I offer my deep thanks to the members of the Search Committee, to my fellow Vestry members who gave their time, wisdom, and care to this work, and to all of you who prayed for and supported this process. This call belongs to all of us.

Please join me in praying for BJ, his family, and our parish family as we enter on this new season of life together.

Faithfully,

Tina Poisson Senior Warden

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A Brief Introduction to Our New Rector

Father BJ grew up in Olney, MD, a suburb outside of Washington, DC, and then moved to the Pinehurst area of North Carolina in 1995. After studying math at NC State, he attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte while working as the Youth Director at Sandhills Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines, NC. From there, he pursued the academic study of the Bible, earning a ThM from the University of Edinburgh in 2008 and a PhD from The Catholic University of America (CUA) in 2017, both in Biblical Studies. He also worked full time at CUA in various roles, including as the Associate Dean for the School of Professional Studies.

After falling in love with the beauty of The Book of Common Prayer, the importance of the Sacraments, and the deep history of Anglican Communion, BJ and Kimberly were confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 2015, and after a long period of discernment and prayer, he was ordained to the priesthood in March 2019. He has served at All Saints Church in Chevy Chase, MD since then, including as the Interim Rector for two years. He currently ministers as the Vicar, assisting the Rector in preaching, teaching, and liturgical worship, as well as overseeing the prayer and pastoral care teams, leading Morning Prayer, and overseeing the seminarian. He is also the Dean of the Southern Montgomery County Region of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Father BJ loves Jesus and loves pointing people to Him by building relationships, walking beside them in their faith journey, and helping them understand Sacred Scripture and how to use their spiritual gifts. He feels particularly called to St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound because of its passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ; its active ministries; its engagement in the community; and its beautiful, bright, and peaceful worship space. He cannot wait to meet everyone there and serve alongside them to build upon the glorious work God has already been doing there for over 100 years!

BJ and Kimberly, the love of his life, will celebrate their 20th anniversary this December, and they have four daughters (Hannah – 13, Eilidh – 11, Mary Esther – 9, and Stacey –3), and one son (JT – 7). They also have two cats (Marble and Sterling) and a snake (Puzzle). Kimberly homeschools their kids and participates in parish life as much as possible. While not at church, they all enjoy reading, soccer and gymnastics, the performing arts, taking family walks, and most importantly, board games.