Meet our priests!

The Reverend Wm. Marc Burnette began his ministry as Rector of St. Andrew's in Birmingham in early 2001.  He came to St. Andrew's after leaving his post as Curate at Trinity Church in Florence, Alabama.  

Marc was born in Atlanta and raised in Mississippi.  He is 39 years old and was ordained to the priesthood on November 23, 1999.  He attended The General Theological Seminary in New York City. His wife, Jennifer Roth Burnette, is a New York University doctoral candidate in musicology. Before entering seminary, Marc studied at the University of Alabama. As an undergraduate he majored in Psychology and he then earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. He was an instructor in the English Department, and taught at the University of North Alabama, as well.

Marc and Jennifer enjoy working together at St. Andrew’s. As Rector and Choir Master/ Organist they make a good liturgical “tag-team.” Sharing in worship in this way is a deepening joy to them.

Their first son, Jacob, was born with a congenital heart defect (Tetrology of Fallot); and it is through the grace of God that, through Jacob’s illness, Marc and Jennifer came to be part of St. Andrew’s, attending services and coming to know St. Andrew's during Jacob's post-surgical hospitalizations at UAB.  When Jacob died, during open heart surgery, in October 2001, the grief was enormous, as was the grace to experience resurrection. There was Good Friday and there was Easter Sunday, though it was October.

Marc and Jennifer have been blessed with two additional children.

Isaac, their five year old son, is learning to swim, is jumping off diving boards, is a professional computer game player, loves rock and roll, and is thinking hard about being a vegetarian. Eve, their one year old daughter, is in love with their cats, is not a vegetarian, also loves rock and roll, and has, currently, seven teeth.

The Burnettes have blessed St. Andrew’s with their wealth of talents and energy. They have enhanced the richness of our liturgy and our congregation has grown and been invigorated through their presence. Our parish has been blessed in our times of individual and collective need by the grace of God through Father Marc’s pastoral care.

 

The Reverend Roy Drayden Wells, Priest Associate
The Reverend Peter Kiama, Priest Associate

The Reverend Gerri Aston, Deacon