Alan Neale, Wedding Officiant (outdoors, reception site, church)

General information

Alan Neale
Ordained Minister, Wedding Officiant and Relationship Advisor, Writer
Transition Coach, Parish Life Consultant

Alan Neale is a pastor, educator, spiritual workshop leader, and parish life consultant with more than 30 years of experience in building, nurturing, and leading Episcopal Church congregations both in the United States and England. An expert on pastoral leadership and parish administration and development, he is currently Rector of The Church of the Holy Trinity in Center City, Philadelphia, a historically significant church in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square with a rich cultural and spiritual heritage dating back to the days of the Civil War.

Alan’s commitment to the importance of wedding ministry is unchallenged and well-proven. Though venues have varied, though expectations have differed, Alan’s calling to be a wise and sensitive friend to hundreds of couples is established. Alan is resoundingly affirmative and inclusive and welcomes the opportunity to officiate at the weddings and civil unions of same-sex and inter-faith couples.

Over the course of an 11-year career as CHT’s Rector (2004 – 2014) Alan has successfully overseen the growth of the congregation (increasing weekly church attendance and annual pledging units), expanded church services and programs to parishioners, extended the church’s outreach to the surrounding community, and oversaw a major renovation of the church’s historic, 160-year-old sanctuary.

As Rector, his chief areas of focus included stabilizing the church’s finances at a difficult time in the church’s history, refocusing the church’s mission to center on the needs of local Philadelphia neighborhoods, introducing strategic planning to ensure preservation of the church’s endowment and aging physical plant, and appointing Philadelphia’s first openly gay priest to serve as a parish staff member and as Missioner to Philadelphia’s growing LGBTQ population.

Besides bringing strong executive leadership to his congregation at a pivotal point in the church’s history, Alan is known for delivering powerful and timely sermons, and making “teaching and preaching” the focal point of CHT’s parish life. He has always believed that pursuing a “teaching ministry” through strong communication of God’s word and the offering of robust adult education programs, is the best way to connect everyday people to the full meaning and significance of the Gospel, especially in these times of ever-increasing secularity and social change.

Looking to the next stage of his life with Wendy, Alan looks forward to serving as an assistant priest, consultant to Episcopal parishes with special emphasis pastoral counseling, occasional preaching, denominational/parish consulting, one-on-one coaching of clergy, and on writing and speaking on issues related to spiritual growth, parish life and church leadership.

Alan was born in London, England and received his first degree from the London School of Economics, followed by a second degree in Theology from Oxford University. Ordained in Exeter Cathedral, he served in the city-centre church St. Andrew of Plymouth, Devon; The University of Christ Church, Southampton; and St. Andrew, Stanstead Abbots, Hertfordshire. In 1988, with his wife Wendy and three children, he moved to the United States to serve churches in Brookings, South Dakota and Middletown, Rhode Island, before being called as Rector of Holy Trinity in June, 2004.

Alan helps couples by:

• Helping with preliminary conversations about plans for weddings and commitment services
• Facilitating healthy, honest and productive conversations in preparation for life together
• Assisting with creating a wedding service authentic and profound, fun and celebratory
• Serving as an officiant with intent to provide a sense of unique and profound occasion

Alan helps parishes and parishioners by:

• Serving as a part-time assistant and “on call” priest and consultant to parishes, as needed
• Serving as a guest (or part-time) preacher when requested
• Performing weddings, as requested
• Providing pastoral and spiritual counseling services to individuals and groups
• Advising and consulting to vestries and Diocesan/parish leaders on leadership, administrative, staff development, and operational matters
• Developing and leading adult education programs

Areas of Interest and Expertise:

• Building inclusive, diverse, and growing faith communities
• Congregational revitalization
• Part-time Preaching
• Pastoral Counseling (pre-marital, couples & individuals)
• Spiritual Direction
• Adult Education
• Design and leadership of spiritual retreats
• Staff recruitment and development
• One-on-one coaching of clergy
• Programmatic development in parish settings

Training:

• Adult Education
• Spiritual Direction
• Self-Care in Ministry
• Interim Ministry
• Lakota/Dakota Spirituality

For more information contact: Alan Neale.
c. 215-510-1518, e. [email protected] w. www.alan-neale.com