The Rev. James T. Said (Jim) joined St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church on December 1, 2016. He was installed as the 7th Rector on March 8, 2017 by Bishop Scott Benhase the Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia.
Jim is a graduate of the Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), where he was the recipient of the 2013 Virginia Seminary Ford Chair in recognition of his strong commitment to the community life and mission of the Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station, Texas on January 18, 2014 by his father, the Rt. Rev. John L. Said, retired Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida on behalf of the Rt. Rev. Catherine M. Waynick, the Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis. In addition to serving as Associate Rector at St. Thomas, Jim has served as Chaplain and a member of the Ethics Committee for Baylor Scott & White Hospital, President of the Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network, assisted in teaching a US Civics Class in Spanish, and has served on the Alumni Association Executive Council of the Virginia Theological Seminary.
The Reverend Said is very interested in ministries that provide outreach and real support to those on the margins. He is a board member of the St. Stephen’s Ministry of Augusta, Inc., which is an Episcopal Church Founded organization dedicated to providing housing for persons with HIV/AIDS who are low income or homeless. The mission of this program is to facilitate independence, dignity, and well-being through safe, affordable, and appropriate housing. He is also on the board of the Progressive Religious Coalition of Augusta and the CSRA, which is a group of interfaith clergy and religious leaders committed to socially aware expressions of religious values in this area.
Jim and Kim both love the outdoors and spend a lot of time walking together on the trails in Two State area and in their neighborhood. They both enjoy exploring cities and places they have not been before. Jim is an amateur photographer and enjoys photography. Kim is the Newcomer Inclusion Minister and teaches Invite/Welcome/Connect. She also participates in the StoryBox Ministry. StoryBox is an outreach ministry of St. Augustine’s. The mission of StoryBox is to help local children perform better in school by improving access to quality books and time spent reading. Kim volunteers reading to children at a local school. Kim is also the Yoga Instructor at St. Augustine of Canterbury.
Jim is a lifelong Episcopalian and has a long history of service. In his youth, his parents where Episcopal Missionaries in Brazil, South American. He has a Spanish Degree and a Business Degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Before moving to Alexandria, Virginia to go to seminary, Jim and Kim were residents of Indianapolis, Indiana. Jim had an extensive career in business and most recently was the North American Regional Vice President of Sales for a data technology company.
