Clergy, Staff & Vestry
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Rector
Our Rector, the Rev. Sara Fischer, was raised on the east coast and baptized as a young adult at Emanuel Church in Boston. She has lived in Portland since 1986 and served as a lay person at St. Stephen’s and then at Grace Memorial before going to General Seminary in 2000, where she earned her M.Div. in 2003. Over the decades her ministries in the wider community have included anti-racism work, baptismal formation, and advocating for the poor and outcast in the public square. In particular, while not an artist herself, she believes that opportunities for creativity are a basic human need and works to bring the arts to those with limited access to creativity. She is a huge fan of the Book of Common Prayer and is nurtured, energized, and renewed by what she calls “good, clean liturgy.”
Ordained in 2003 at Grace Memorial, Portland, Mother Sara brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles as rector at Saints Peter and Paul, Portland; St. Paul, Seattle; Saint David of Wales, Portland, and St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukie. Since April 2024, she has been leading Hope and Bread City Mission, a street church in East Portland dedicated to serving our unhoused neighbors.
Sara is the author of a memoir, Open: Adventures in Radical Hospitality, which reflects on Rahab’s Sisters, a ministry she helped to found in 2003, as well as her own development as a priest. She is working on a second book, about street chaplaincy, and occasionally blogs at sarafischer.substack.com
In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, read, run, hike, and swing kettlebells. Her husband, Mark, is a semi-retired professor of computer engineering at Portland State who, luckily for Sara, loves to cook. The two love to travel around Oregon and overseas. Their adult son, Nathan, lives and works in Northwest Portland.
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Communications and Admin
Tim is an author, freelance writer, father, and husband. His work has appeared in The Los Angeles Review, Emerald City, X-R-A-Y, and Monkey Bicycle among others. His first novel, Rules for Becoming a Legend, is published by Viking Press. His second, The Neighbors We Want, is out now from Crooked Lane.
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Altar Guild
I was attracted to St. Aidan’s because of the warm friendliness of the congregation and being welcomed into the life of the parish. We welcome everyone at St. Aidan’s without regard to race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation or identity, physical or mental abilities, or economic level - no exceptions! At St. Aidan’s we take seriously our baptismal vow to respect the dignity of every human being.
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My family has been Episcopalian since Diane and I were married sixty years ago. When we moved to Oregon a few years ago and began looking for a new church home. St. Aidan's was close to our new home and to our hearts.
"Come to me all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy; and I will give you relief. Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble-hearted; and your souls will find relief. For my yoke is good to bear, my load is light." Matt. 11:28-30
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My Dad and my Mom came to St Aidan’s in 1964/1965. It quickly became our church home. Through all these it has continued to be the church I am proud to be part of. Saint Aidan’s is a place where no matter who you are or where you come from you will be loved and accepted. We are one big family from all walks of life. We welcome all.
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Organist-Choirmaster
Joseph Z. Pettit studied organ and church music (David Dahl), voice (Mira Frohnmayer), harpsichord (Randall McCarty), and choral conducting (Richard Sparks) at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA. He pursued further studies in singing and historical performance practice at the Academy of Ancient Music in Amsterdam under legendary Dutch baritone Max van Egmond.
During his six years living in the Netherlands and working throughout Western Europe, he performed, recorded, and broadcast with many of the world’s leading early music ensembles, including La Chapelle Royale de Paris, Collegium Vocale Gent, and La Petite Bande. He sang fulltime with the Netherlands Broadcasting Choir for three years, the house choir for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He debuted at the Netherlands Opera under Mstislav Rostropovich in 1992, in the world premiere of Alfred Schnittke’s Life with an Idiot. He has recorded on various international classical labels, including Sony, Virgin Classics, and Harmonia Mundi.
He moved to Norway in 1994, first to Målselv-Øverbygd parish above the Arctic Circle, and then became Kantor of UNESCO World Heritage Site Røros Kirke, with its Baroque organ from 1740. In 1997 Pettit was the featured Bach performer on the newly restored 1742 Wagner organ in Trondheim’s medieval Nidaros Cathedral, the national shrine of Norway, in celebration of the city’s millennium.
In 1997 he moved around the world to Honolulu, where he was Organ Scholar at St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, and then spent four years as principal organist of Central Union Church, at the time the largest United Church of Christ (Congregational) in the West. (Fun fact: during his seven years in Hawaii, Joe played five thousand Japanese weddings.)
He returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2005 to be music director at Trinity Lutheran Church, next door to his alma mater PLU, where he worked for six years. Thereafter he was organist-choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church, Gig Harbor. Pettit has been Organist-Choirmaster at St. Aidan’s since the beginning of 2022.
He frequently appeared as organist and harpsichordist with the Honolulu Symphony and Chorus, and several times as organist with the Seattle Symphony. He has been adjunct music faculty at Pacific Lutheran University, the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University of Honolulu, and St. Andrew's Priory School. Pettit is multilingual and has done graduate studies in linguistics. He now lives less than a mile from St. Aidan's here in Rockwood, with his spouse Andrew and dogs Prairie and Powder.
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Sr. Warden
Families and children are what drew me to St. Aidan's during the 1970's when my children were of school age. I wanted Sunday school activities for them. St. Aidan's is a warm and friendly parish with beautiful grounds. The outdoors is my passion.
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Communications
What first drew me to St. Aidan’s was simply the people. Such a welcoming and warm group of parishioners. After our first visit I knew I had found my church home and was here to stay.
The world should know that St. Aidan’s welcomes everyone. And when I say everyone I mean everyone. There is no other way to say it other than simply “St. Aidan’s truly welcomes all”. I think it is one of our greatest attributes.
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I was initially attracted to St. Aidan’s because of the beauty of the campus, and the respectful and traditional worship services. I want everyone to know that we have a fantastic music program!
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My sister Carolyn and her new husband started going to St . Aidan’s back in the late 60’s. They asked if I would like to go with them and I agreed to try it. I was welcomed by Fr. Jim and many others and I knew right then I wanted to become a part of this community. I’d like the world (or the Wilkes East/Rockwood community) to know that the “Church in the Woods ” is here for you. Jesus has commanded us to “Feed my Sheep.” Please come and break bread with us.
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Children’s Ministries Developer
Mackenzie grew up in Tucson, Arizona before attending the University of Oregon. She has worked with kids for over 10 years as a preschool teacher, camp leader, and nanny, and is currently finishing her Master of Social Work so that she can become a child therapist. Outside of work, she loves camping, hiking, and spending time with her dog. She aims to create a welcoming space at St. Aidan’s where children can grow and play.
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Clerk
We loved the rector who was here when we came, the inspiring music from the organist and choir, and the beauty and dignity of the worship service. The congregation is very friendly and welcoming and focused on helping those in need. It is not a large congregation, but it seems there is always someone who has the knowledge, skills, and willingness to do whatever needs to be done. And, we have great coffee hours.
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Junior Warden
I came to St. Aidan’s when my mother was attending . I liked the people and the worship services.
I would like the world to know that we truly care about those we come in contact with, and want to share with them what we have here.
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What drew me to St Aidan's was first the immediate welcome even before I had moved to Portland and services were still on Zoom. That welcome continued when I was physically here. Also I was drawn by the emphasis on the Celtic side of our heritage and our labyrinth.
I think the world should know that St Aidan's is made up of people who are active in their faith and in their parish. Visitors and those searching for a church home are welcomed and included. And let's not forget that we have really tasty things to eat at "coffee hour."