Our Clergy

The Rev. Dr. Edward E. Thompson, Rector

The Rev. Paula Lawrence-Wehmiller, Clergy Associate

The Rev. Cn. William North, Clergy Associate

The Rev. Dr. Edward E. Thompson ("Ted" or "Fr. Ted") 

Rector

Fr. Ted Thompson

Fr. Ted, William, and Mary

Fr. Ted using "scientific experiments" during sermon time!

Click for photos of Fr. Ted's installation

The Rev. Dr. Edward E. Thompson ("Ted" or "Fr. Ted") was called to serve as rector of Trinity in September, 2018.  Born in Bethesda, Maryland, he grew up near Rockville, took his B.A. at Williams College, then lived and worked in Japan. This led to two years of graduate work in Asian Studies at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, after which his theological questions took him to the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Episcopal seminary in Berkeley, CA. With an M.Div., Fr. Ted first served a large parish in Menlo Park, then after ordination to the priesthood, as vicar of the Japanese/Japanese-American mission of Christ Church-Sei Ko Kai, in San Francisco, and subsequently as rector of the suburban parish of Christ Church, Alameda. In 2009, with an Episcopal Church Foundation fellowship and his bishop's blessing, Fr. Ted left parish ministries to pursue advanced studies and training at George Mason University's School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution in Arlington, VA, with the goal of growing the capacity of the Church for the global mission of reconciliation. While completing his Ph.D., Fr. Ted worked as consultant and short-term staff with congregations in northern Virginia and then in the San Francisco Bay Area.  

He has returned to parish ministry intent on bringing together Church, academia, and the larger community in the work of reconciliation. Fr. Ted is Acting Dean of the Delaware Deanery, one of ten area groupings within the larger Episcopal diocese. He sits on the board of Partners in Ministry, the coalition of churches which has supported Protestant Christian ministry at Swarthmore College.  On behalf of the Presiding Bishop's Office of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs, Fr. Ted represents the Episcopal Church in the Hindu-Christian Dialogue hosted by the National Council of Churches. He also serves on the NCC's Theological Task Force, for which he is helping to draft a theological and programmatic response to racism in the context of inter-religious relations. In addition to Anglican liturgy and theology, he values pastoral and small group settings as opportunities for spiritual growth in wisdom and faithfulness, as well as moments to "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)  

Fr. Ted arrived in Swarthmore with his wife, Mary, and their teenage son, William. Following an accomplished career in government service, Mary now teaches yoga and has become a garden enthusiast. William's next love after their dogs "Bella" and "Liza" is baseball, which has become a family past-time. You may catch sight of father and son going through William's hitting, fielding and pitching routines at Henderson Field or Mary walking the dogs. The family also enjoys sailing, fishing, watching a variety of movies, "talking science" at home (at least Fr. Ted does!), and vacations on the downeast coast of Maine.  

Clergy Associates

Trinity is delighted to have the Rev. Paula Lawrence-Wehmiller and the Rev. Bill North serving as Clergy Associates. Clergy Associates, sometimes called Assisting Clergy, are ordained clergy formally attached to a parish in a non-stipendiary capacity.  They may serve in various capacities within the parish, such as preaching, presiding, teaching, or offering pastoral care, upon the rector's request and as their schedules allow. Since clergy cannot officially be part of regular membership of a congregation, this is also a way of giving them a parish to call "home," which among other things allows them to participate fully in Diocesan Convention.  Thank you, Paula+ and Bill+, and God bless you among us!  

The Rev. Paula Lawrence-Wehmiller ("Rev. Paula")

Clergy Associate

The Rev. Paula Lawrence-Wehmiller, Clergy Associate

Clergy Associate Paula Lawrence-Wehmiller had a long and distinguished career in education before her "inclination to give the bread away" led her to her ordination as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1998.  She now combines her teaching and priestly vocations - consulting, speaking, writing, offering retreats, conferences, and workshops, supporting and nourishing the work of educators, clergy, community leaders and the people they serve.  She served as Pastoral Associate on the diocesan staff in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, overseeing the ordination process and liturgical planning and providing pastoral care for the diocesan staff and for clergy throughout the diocese.  In 2007, she received "The Ecumenical Award in Recognition of Dialogue and Bridge Building" from the Benedictine Women of Madison, Wisconsin, an ecumenical monastic community on whose founding board she served for nine years.  Paula served on the advisory board of "Different and the Same, Helping Children Identify and Prevent Prejudice," a video project of Family Communications, Inc., the parent company of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, and she authored a chapter in Mister Rogers'Neighborhood: Children, Television and Mr. Rogers.  For more information about Paula, please visit her website here.

The Rev. Canon William North ("Bill" or "Rev. Bill" )

Clergy Associate

The Rev. Cn. William North, Clergy Associate

Clergy Associate Bill North was ordained in 1965 at the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York and began parish ministry the week of the Newark Riots.  Then, for nearly 25 years he was the Executive Director of a pastoral counseling center in St. Louis.  Returning to parish ministry in 1993, he was ordained in The Episcopal Church and served churches in St. Louis, Phoenix, Houston and Portland, Oregon, and was a member of Cathedral Staff and Canon Chaplain to Clergy in the Diocese of Arizona.  In 2012, Bill and his wife, Mary, moved to Swarthmore in 2012 to be near their children and grandchildren.  Bill keeps his hands busy cooking - his new avocation - digging in the garden and playing a good hand of bridge.