Our Mission
The mission of St Mary’s is to
Celebrate God’s Rhythm
Delight in God’s Flavor
Unite with God’s Power
Leadership
Rev. Tamra Tucker, Priest-in-Charge (she/her)
Tamra first moved to Boston in 2010. She joined The Crossing as a member while serving in the Episcopal Service Corps as a Life Together fellow. She has served alongside marginalized groups including LGBTQ, imprisoned, and homeless communities. She received her M.Div. at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and was ordained in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. She served at The Crossing for six years before joining St. Mary’s. She sits on the Reparations Subcommittee for the Racial Justice Commission for the diocese and was a founding member of that subcommittee in 2021. She seeks to turn the church outward, pushing it to the margins in order to find Christ and be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.
Tamra lives in Dorchester with her wife and dog. When not priesting, she is napping, swimming with her dog or watching kdramas with her wife, travelling, and/or mixing fun cocktails at her home bar.
The Reverend John H. Finley IV, Associate Priest (he/him)
A graduate of Groton School and Harvard College, the Rev. John H. Finley IV is the co-founder and head of Epiphany School, a tuition-free, independent Episcopal middle school for economically-disadvantaged children and children who have been abused and neglected (www.epiphanyschool.com). Fr. Finley has helped launch several other schools inspired by Epiphany’s example and has also been involved in other initiatives in education including the Nativity Preparatory School in Boston, the Nativity Schools Educational Network, Codman Academy Public Charter School, Esperanza Academy in Lawrence (MA), Urban Achievers, and Boston Scholars.
He serves on several boards including the Harvard College Overseers’ Visiting Committee for the Memorial Church, the Bethany House of Prayer in Belmont (MA), the Open Gate Foundation at Harvard, and Harvard’s Signet Society as well as on the Advisory Board of Forward Movement Publications. He is also a trustee of the Stephen Phillips Scholarship Fund, which awards several million dollars a year in college scholarships. In his vocation as an Episcopal priest, he serves at St. Mary’s Church in Dorchester (MA), and he is also affiliated with the Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill (MA). He lives in downtown Boston with his husband, Stan McGee.
The Reverend Arrington Chambliss, Associate Priest (she/her)
Arrington is currently the director of Episcopal City Mission. Arrington was the co-founder and former Executive Director of Life Together. Ordained to Episcopal Priesthood in 2004, she served five years as Assistant/Associate Rector with the Church of St. Andrew in Marblehead, MA. Prior to ordination, she founded No Ordinary Time, an organization that worked primarily with young activists, artists and faith-based leaders to integrate faith, spirituality and reflective practice into their social justice work. Past work includes the National Community Service field for Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL), a campus organizing project; and Project Leadership Education Employment Opportunities (LEEO), an organization aimed at channeling the leadership skills of gang-affiliated young men. She is particularly interested in the intersection between the inner work of contemplative prayer, reflection and healing and the outer work of nonviolent action, reconciliatory dialogue, and community organizing to bring about social change and with God’s help, grow the kingdom of God on earth.
Arrington was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School. She lives in Jamaica Plain with her partner and seven-year old daughter.
Edmund Fosu, Sexton (he/him)
Isaac Everett, Creche Executive Director (he/him)
Isaac is a passionate believer in intentional community; he co-founded one such community with five collaborators in 2011 and has lived there with his partner ever since, and was a part of the founding team that conceived and created CRECHE. Before joining the CRECHE staff, Isaac served as the Minister of Liturgical Arts at The Crossing, a Boston-based church plant, and had a ten-year career as a session musician in New York City prior to that.
Isaac spends his spare time making music, coaching weightlifters, and playing nerdy board games.
Vestry
Our Vestry Officers
Brenda Burrell — co-warden | Libby Patterson — co-warden
Rosalind James — treasurer | Byron Garcia — clerk
Marveth Cyrus - Angel Figueroa - Ellen Ginman - Isabella Harris - Sharyn Jordan - Patrick Kimm
Our community is forever grateful for the energy these members devote to St Mary’s through their time and attention to the continued vibrancy of our parish! If you have questions, concerns, ideas, or celebrations you wish to share with the vestry, you can reach them at vestry@stmarysdorchester.org.
Membership
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Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church. Baptisms and baptism consultations are welcome! Please contact rev. tamra!
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The Holy Eucharist is the principal act of Christian worship, instituted at the Last Supper when Christ commanded his disciples to “do this” in remembrance of him. Christ’s presence is truly known in the Holy Sacrament and his presence is also truly known in the gathered eucharistic community. The Eucharist, or “Thanksgiving," is the central Christian remembrance of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. All are invited to partake.
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In the course of their Christian development, those baptized at an early age are expected, when they are ready, to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop. Those baptized as adults (unless baptized with the laying on of hands by a bishop) are also expected to make a public affirmation of their faith in the presence of a bishop and to receive the laying on of hands. Confirmation classes and consultations are available on request.
