The Rev. Alison Harrity

Rector

"The kingdom of God is like..." What the kingdom of God was like existed for me in parables and abstractions until my ministry began at St. Richard's in 2011. The kingdom of God is the gay and the straight, the young and the old, the disabled and strong, the gritty and the gentle, the slow and the wise, and all those who gather to worship the creator of all that is and love each other in very many ways. I am lucky to not only serve this congregation but to have been wrapped in love in this place.

     Miami is my place of origin. Coral Gables Senior High School launched me in 1995 to Hobart and William Smith Colleges where I found deep and abiding friendships. My ordination process started by senior year of college and as a postulant in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, I took the job of Youth Minister at St. David's (Radnor) Church in Wayne, PA. I served there for two years before going to Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. Southeast Florida made a place for me as an assistant priest at St. Gregory's, Boca Raton, where both of my children were born: Spencer (2001) and Libby (2003). After four years in South Florida, I ventured back to St. David's as associate rector in 2004 and then on to St. Richard's in 2011. My home church, St. Thomas in Coral Gables, continues to be a special place for me.

 The Rev. Canon Robert Vanderau, Jr.

Assisting Priest

The Rev. Dr. Harry Coverston

Assisting Priest

I am a fifth generation Floridian, a fourth generation educator, third generation college educator. My great grandparents were named Reed and Wright so I guess it was fate that I would end up a teacher. I am a recovering lawyer who still holds an inactive license with the Florida Bar (I stopped practice in 1990) and an ordained Episcopal priest. My spirituality is that of an inner world (nature) mystic. I am Franciscan to my very core, a professed member of 26 years in the Third Order Society of St. Francis (TSSF). Andy , my gentle souled, soft-spoken partner of 44 years became my legal husband in 2010 on the steps of the US Supreme Court. He is G-d's greatest gift to my life. I live within two hours of my nuclear family members. Historically I have been a yellow dawg Democrat though my politics are decidedly Green. I hold a Ph.D. in Religion, Law and Society from FSU, an M.Div. from Church Divinity School of the Pacific, member seminary of the GTU in Berkeley, CA, and a J.D. and a B.A. in History and Secondary Ed from the University of Florida. I complete a two year program at Richard Rohr’s Living School for Contemplation and Action in Albuquerque, NM August 2017.Interests: I am owned by three cats and two dogs, a dachshund and an energetic beagle pup. I live in the heart of Orlando behind a green wall of trees and tropical vegetation which provides enough tranquility that I can pray, meditate and write. I care about religion and politics probably more than I should. I retired from 13 years as lecturer at the University of Central Florida in 2014 but I continue to teach ethics and humanities as an adjunct at Osceola Campus of Valencia College in Kissimmee. I love my students and consider it an honor to work with my colleagues.

The Rev. Dr. Dale Truscott

Assisting Priest

The Rev. Dr. A. Dale Truscott is a native of Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio, and Hamma School of Theology. He studied Biblical Archeology and Historical Geography in Jerusalem, Israel, while serving as Pastor to the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. He then served three parishes in Ohio, including Olivet Lutheran, Sylvania. He received the D.Min. degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation and studied for a Ph.D. there. Dale served as an interim pastor at many parishes in Southeast Michigan, ending his active career at Holy Faith Episcopal and Lutheran Church, in Saline, Michigan, a congregation that he brought together in merger. He is licensed as a priest in the Central Florida Diocese to serve at St. Richard’s and is canonically resident in the Florida Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  

     Dale lives in Orlando and teaches at Valencia College and the University of Central Florida. Dale serves as Assisting Priest at St. Richards and sings in the St. Richard’s Schola. He enjoys travel, cooking and has done a bit of home remodeling. 

The Rev. Joe Obrochta

Deacon

The Rev. Joe Obrochta has served the St. Richard's faith community as its Deacon since 2022. Previously, Joe was Deacon of Trinity Episcopal Church in Covington, KY, where he served since his ordination in 2016. Joe was active in the lives of his diocese (Diocese of Lexington) and his community, having assisted on the Diocesan Executive Council (as its Vice President), Finance Commission (as Co-Chair), and Commission on Racial Reconciliation (as Co-Chair). Joe also completed 35 years as a volunteer and part-time firefighter/paramedic. Currently, Joe is an Associate of the Community of the Transfiguration. Joe has spent his working life since college as a commercial banker. It is his job as a portfolio manager with a major national bank that relocated him to Orlando from northern Kentucky/Cincinnati in February 2020. Joe received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Vincent College and a Master of Business Administration from Waynesburg University. Joe did post-graduate studies at West Virginia University. Joe was also awarded an Associate Degree in Paramedic Studies from the University of Cincinnati. Joe grew up Roman Catholic in his native Pennsylvania, and it was here where his love of liturgy and service was fostered by his family, the Benedictine monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey and the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. In 2010, Joe was received into the Episcopal Church, finding his spiritual home among those seeking to serve Christ in all persons. It is living out this respect for the dignity of every human being that brought Joe to Saint Richard’s. Joe is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan and enjoys the fun-in-the-sun lifestyle central Florida has to offer. He and his husband David live in Ocoee with their two Basset Hounds, Lucas and Chapo.

The Rev. Amanda March

Assisting Priest

The Rev. Amanda March is an Episcopal priest and a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. A fifth-generation Floridian and cradle Episcopalian, whose relatives came directly from Ireland to Florida via Ellis Island in 1836, Amanda raised her three sons in Central Florida. Amanda's career began as an early childhood educator. Following her call into the vocation of spiritual care, she has served in Florida and Massachusetts as an interfaith healthcare chaplain in various settings, providing spiritual care in contexts including hospitals, prisons, hospice, as well as within the unhoused and economically marginalized communities of inner city Boston. In 2011, she migrated north to attend Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and she received her Master of Divinity there in 2014. In 2015 she received her national board certification as a professional healthcare chaplain. In January of 2018 Amanda was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Massachusetts and returned to Orlando later that same year to work as a hospice chaplain full time. Disability necessitated Amanda’s retirement from hospice chaplaincy in 2021. She is married to Jennifer Dasher and finds her deepest joy in her three adult sons, daughters-in-law, and two granddaughters, all of whom live close by.  

The Rev. Timothy Hoppe

Assisting Priest

I am a priest in the Community of Saint Thomas the Apostle. I attended Seabury Western Theological Seminary as a resident student for two years, and the remainder of my theological education has been in the Department of Religion, Western Michigan University, in the graduate Department of Far Eastern Languages and Literatures, the University of Michigan, and in independent study with my bishop. I have a BA from Kalamazoo College in Psychology, and additional studies in clinical psychology in the graduate school, Western Michigan University.

     I was a clinical social worker and patient care representative at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, where I developed the patient advocacy program and wrote the handbook on the rights of patients and their care. I also worked in administration at Boston University. Saint Richard’s is my spiritual home: I was ordained here four years ago; a fellow priest was ordained here; our bishop and mentor was buried from here last autumn. I am so very thankful to be part of this wonderful and vital community.  

The Rev. Liz Williams

Assisting Priest

A life-long Episcopalian, the Rev. Williams attended Christ Episcopal Day School in Ontario, California. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources and Small Business Management from Cal Poly Pomona, a Master of Teaching with Elementary emphasis from Chapman University, and a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology jointly with The Episcopal Theological School at Claremont (ETSC). Prior to becoming an ordained priest, Liz worked as an accountant for dairymen, a small business consultant at an accounting firm, as the bursar and finance lead of the PeopleSoft implementation at Cal State San Bernardino, as the Director of Administrative Services at a wastewater authority, and as a teacher at a Catholic school. Liz has served in Episcopal/ELCA joint congregations in Barstow and Yucaipa, California; as an interim pastor for a ELCA congregation in Victorville; and as a fifth grade math and religion teacher along with implementation of a new math curriculum for K-3 at St. James, Los Angeles. Just prior to her retirement, Liz served as Associate Rector at St. Paul's, Ventura, California. Before discerning her call to priesthood, Liz completed EfM, a four-year theological education program. Liz is married to Enoch and lives in New Smyrna Beach. Between them, Liz and Enoch have six children, eleven grandchildren, and one great-grandson. 

The Rev. Gerad Flynn

Assisting Priest

My name is Gerad Flynn and I am 59 years old. I began my spiritual journey as a Roman Catholic and eventually entered the Jesuits. There I studied theology and spirituality. I left the Jesuits in 1985 and joined the Episcopal Church. I moved to New Zealand in 2003, finished my studies and was ordained first a deacon, and then a priest in 2006. I served at St. Peter’s Church until my mother’s poor health forced me to return to the USA. Once back in California, I joined the team at Trinity Cathedral San Jose and eventually took over the mission to serve the Villages San Jose, where I worked for more than five years. Throughout this time (since 1985) I have worked as a teacher, teaching all grades but happiest teaching middle school. In 2022, I retired from my school district and moved from California to Mount Dora where my partner Ron and I have a wonderful house next to a pond.