Our People

This is Richard’s second tour of duty at Epiphany, having been here in the mid-80s as Interim Priest, and returning in 1993 as part time Rector, now priest-in-charge. He splits his time between Epiphany and Norfolk Urban Outreach Ministry and its elderly housing projects in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Emporia. Richard has a BA in English from Old Dominion University and an MDiv from The School of Theology at Sewanee. He was ordained to the deaconate in 1968 and priesthood in 1969.

Richard and Epiphany are kind of made for each other. They both enjoy sort of a “casual formality.” He emphasizes lay leadership in the parish, but within limits of the canons and rubrics. He places a strong emphasis on inclusivity and “taking people where they are.” He obviously failed retirement.

The people of Epiphany Norfolk uphold Julia as a Grandmother Priest. She has a flexible part time position as Assisting Priest so that she is able to spend time caring for her 3 grandsons in Northern Virginia. This works well because Richard Bridgford, the (also part time) Priest-in-Charge, leads a worshiping community where the people live out their baptismal vows as a “priesthood of all believers.” It’s been 26 years since Julia took her kiddos to Seabury-Western Episcopal Seminary in Chicago; for those years, she and her husband Chan briefly had a commuter marriage that, by the grace of God,, has lasted over forty blessed years. She was ordained to the priesthood on the Eve of the Epiphany, 1998, at Eastern Shore Chapel in Virginia Beach. Julia has been at Epiphany six years. She loves the parish; her work with them is fun and mutually fulfilling as they share Christ’s mission and love both inside and outside the church’s walls.

• John Childers
• Anita Neuer Colburn
• Ariel Fernandez

• Jerry Cronin
• Marcie Kidd

• Brian Pritchard
• Mike Scott
• Mary Shaffer

• Chris Colburn
• David Jones
• Kathy Moore

• Jackie Rochelle
• Kevin LaPointe
• Jennifer O’Connell

• Dan Swain
• Tom Gilleland

2020

• Chris Colburn
• Marcia Cronin
• Mary Shaffer

2021

• Jim Fisher
• Tom Gilleland
• Joyce Williams

2022

• Vaughn Coffman
• Ariel Fernandez
• Brian Pritchard