Search Committee News

On March 5, the Vestry called Bill Murray to be the new rector of St. Elisabeth’s. Bill’s first service to celebrate with us will be Sunday, April 22. His first official act as our new rector will be the Vestry meeting on Tuesday, April 17. Below are biographies (autobiographies, actually) of Bill and his wife Jessie.

William (Bill) Seldon Murray IV

William (Bill) Seldon Murray IV, the eldest of Seldon and Carolyn Murray’s three children, was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Worshiping under the murals of St. John’s Episcopal Church at Central and Greer for most of his life, Bill grew into a deep and lasting appreciation of God and the Church. A Happening renewal weekend at St. Luke’s in Jackson served to fuel his passion for ministry and sharing the gospel message. After graduating from Memphis University School, Bill attended the University of Memphis. He filled his time there by joining a fraternity, founding and running Frosh Camp (a freshmen orientation camp), serving as Student Government President, and cheering on the Tigers as the mascot Pouncer. Bill graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in English Literature and International Economics with a double minor in Political Science and International Relations.

His first job was serving as Youth Minister at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in midtown Memphis. Bill shared his ministry with the youth of the church and the diocese leading pilgrimages to Ireland, Scotland and the Black Hills of South Dakota as well as mission trips to Honduras. His joy for sharing the gospel led him to work heavily with the Happening movement, lead the Diocesan Youth Council, and work extensively with Kanuga Conferences. Working with Winterlight resulted in Bill’s introduction to a beautiful woman named Jessie McCutchen. They were married in 2003 at St. Mary’s on the Highlands Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Alabama. After six fruitful years of ministry, Bill felt called to ordained ministry and entered Virginia Theological Seminary. Once again, he filled his time at school by playing on the Fighting Friars flag football team and serving as Class President and Student Body President. Bill graduated Cum Laude with a Masters of Divinity degree. Ordained June 10, 2006 to the Transitional Diaconate and February 15, 2007 to the Sacred Order of Priest, Bill served St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown until his call to become Rector of St. Elisabeth’s.

Jessica Hall McCutchen Murray

Jessica Hall McCutchen Murray was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, to Jim and Jeannie McCutchen. The baby of her family, Jessie grew up at St. Luke’s Methodist Church. As a young girl, she spent countless hours with her friend, Georgia, catching lizards, frogs, and other creatures in creeks near her home before moving on to mudding in her jeep. After graduating from Hoover High School, now immortalized on MTV’s Two-a-Days, Jessie attended Samford University in Birmingham. She filled her time by being a member of the Bulldogs dance team and studying abroad in Spain and Costa Rica. Jessie became interested in the Episcopal Church by working at various camps at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Thanks to some supportive friends and a wonderful priest, Rev. Rebecca DeBow, she was confirmed at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Alabama. Jessie graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish and returned to Hoover to teach Spanish I. Working at Winterlight in Kanuga, she met a crazy Youth Minister named Bill from Memphis who would later become her husband. Jessie enrolled in the Masters of Education program at the University of Memphis and was married later that year. She received her Masters with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She helped pay for the steep costs of living in Northern Virginia by working at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church as the Associate for Children's and Youth Ministry. Jessie is now very happy to be teaching Spanish at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School for grades 5-8.

The members of the search team are:

Mike Bilger and Jessica Murphy, Co-Chair

Roberta Bush, Meeting Facilitator and voting member

Cathy Dunn

Chris Fleischmann

Andy Graham

Eleanor Jordan

Andy Morgret

Laurie Rieman

David Cook (Ex-Officio representation for the Vestry)

Don’t hesitate to stop us and ask questions or make suggestions to us. Thank you, as always, for your support and trust.

Jessica Murphy

l l l l l