WELCOME HOME, JOHN KATER!
Rev. Dr. John Kater, Rector of Christ Church 1974-84, is returning to the Hudson Valley, and will be installed as Rector Emeritus on Sunday, September 25.
Bishop Allen Shin will install John Kater as Rector Emeritus of Christ Church at the 10:30 service Sunday, September 25.
John grew up in Virginia, and came to New York to study first at Columbia College, and then at General Theological Seminary.
John first came to Christ Church as Assistant Minister in 1966, soon after being ordained. He left to attend McGill University in Montreal, receiving his PhD in 1973. John was called to return to Christ Church as Rector in 1974, a position he held for ten years.
Since that time he has had many places to call “home” while serving in ministry and as a teacher: in Poughkeepsie where he was Rector of Christ Church (1974-1984) and taught at Marist and Vassar Colleges; in Sorel and Montreal, Quebec; the Diocese of Panama; Berkeley, CA (Church Divinity School of the Pacific) when he also served parishes in 3 California towns; also as Visiting Lecturer in seminaries and colleges in Brazil, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and in Hong Kong (currently and since 2010) as Associate Professor at Ming Hua Theological College.
During his decade as Rector of Christ Church, John Kater’s leadership focused on finding solutions for social problems in Poughkeepsie with interfaith initiatives shared among 5 downtown churches; on political turmoil in South America; and writing on polarization over issues of faith, politics, and ethics within and among churches. On an evening in May 1982, the disaster of a suspicious fire totally destroyed the Parish House, Christ Church’s education building housing St. George’s School, the Summer Program, and several other activities and services. This tragedy set the parish on a challenging course of reconstruction and reorganization of facilities and service to the community, which continued to grow in response to many needs – a situation that continues as our focus today.
Author of many books and publications, teacher and speaker in many places on the globe, The Reverend Dr. John L. Kater, Jr. has now come “back home” to Poughkeepsie where he has decided to retire, be among us again, and be honored as Rector Emeritus of Christ Episcopal Church. We now have the joy and great privilege of being able to say: Welcome Home, John! and Deo Gracias!
