From Hawaii-
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Kapolei was looking for a new leader who was young, vibrant and a bit of "a rock star" to draw young people.
Enter Paul K. Klitzke, who at 30 is the youngest priest in the youngest church in the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii. He plays electric guitar in the church band. He sports an earring and tattoos. He zooms about Kapolei on a red motorcycle.
Someone he met here told him he looked more like a biker than a vicar.
(Indeed, he is planning a Blessing of the Bikes service later this year.)
Klitzke came from Wasilla, Alaska, where he served as priest of St. David's Episcopal Church and developed activities for youth the last five years. He arrived in March and will be ceremoniously installed tomorrow by Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick. Established in 2002, the congregation meets at Island Pacific Academy, 909 Haumea St.
"We were looking for ... someone said 'a rock-star priest,' somebody who would draw families, attract a lot of people ... exciting," said Cheryl Chee, a member of the St. Nicholas committee that interviewed Klitzke for the job. "He seemed to fit what we were looking for, his experience and appeal to young people."
More here-
http://www.staradvertiser.com/features/religionstories/20100710_tattoos_motorcycle_distinguish_new_priest.html
No comments:
Post a Comment