Official announcement was made Sunday, March 31, at both services that the Rev. Molly Payne-Hardin has accepted the call to be Trinity’s next rector.
A passionate follower of Jesus in the Episcopal Church, the Rev. Molly Payne-Hardin empowers congregations to spread the good news of Christ by serving as active and engaged disciples beyond their doors. Raised in the Episcopal tradition, Mother Molly seeded a range of ministries before being ordained a priest in 2017.
Her passions for serving Jesus include fostering faith development of all ages, ministry with the poor and marginalized, healing ministries, and connecting newcomers to meaningful ministry.
Currently, she serves St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Panama City, Fla., as associate rector and curate. Working collaboratively with the congregation of St. Andrew’s, they have begun a laundry ministry, grown children and youth ministries, reinvigorated small-group and teaching ministries, navigated the church’s recent recovery from Hurricane Michael, and established the church’s social media presence. Before attending seminary, she worked for nearly 20 years in public service as a communications director and trainer in public health, community redevelopment, and disaster response. Her professional roles have included deputy press secretary, director of marketing, training coordinator, and disaster preparedness manager.
Born and raised in the south, but frequently choosing the northeast for vacation or spiritual retreat, she and her husband are excited to make a life in the north. Molly earned a bachelor of arts in English in 1991 and a master of science in education in 2000 from Florida State University. She earned a masters in divinity from The University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., in 2017. She and her husband, Michael Hardin, have been in fellowship with the Society of Saint John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Mass., since 2007. They are both proud, native Floridians – she from Miami and Michael from Pensacola.
Mother Molly’s time with us begins June 1.