We are a brotherhood of like-minded men who follow St. Francis’ example as a discipline in service to God. We are an order that exists apostolically: our brothers are embedded in the world with normal lives, rather than enclosed in a monastery. We live in different parts of the world, each with our own individual ministry, based upon the needs of our respective local communities and parishes.
The Rt. Rev. Greg H. Rickel
Bishop Visitor
Bishop Greg Rickel is the 8th Bishop of Olympia. The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia is geographically made up of the western third of Washington state running from the peaks of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean and from Canada to Oregon.
Br. Zane Young, OSF
Minister General
Brother Zane resides in the Pacific Northwest. He is employed as a Research Coordinator at Texas Tech University, working in air quality research, and he also teaches Geography online for Cameron University. Br Zane was made Minister General in 2009.
Life Professed
Br. Rich Atkinson, OSF
Brother Rich lives in San Rafael, California, which was founded by Franciscans in 1817. He is a member of the Redeemer Episcopal Church, where he is a Eucharistic Minister. His other ministries Include: working at a free dining hall, offering regular services to residents at a local nursing home, and street chaplaincy for the homeless.
Br. John Huebner, OSF
Brother John is missioner at the Church of the Advocate, a worshipping community of the Diocese of Western North Carolina. The mission offers a place of community and hope for the homeless, marginalized, and working poor of Asheville, NC. At the mission, John leads a lectio divina group, gathers and organizes supplies, and is involved in the ministry of healing. A highlight of his previous formation as a religious brother was a year spent as a co-worker with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity.
Br. Chuck Hannan, OSF
Brother Chuck lives in Tucson, Arizona and is a member of Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church where he serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, is a member of the Social Services Ministry and the Pastoral Care Team. Br. Chuck also volunteers at the St. Andrew's Children's Clinic, a free medical clinic for very poor children living in Mexico, and cooks lunch and practices the "Ministry of Presence" at Tucson Poverello House, a daytime respite center for homeless men that was founded by Franciscan friars.
Br. Les Roberts, OSF
Secretary General
Brother Les resides in Lutherville Timonium, MD and is a deacon in the Diocese of Maryland assigned to St. Mark's on the Hill, Pikesville, MD. Br. Les' ministry passion is working with those who are recently released from prison or jail transition back into society. He is the Executive Director of the Baltimore Area Aftercare Program (BAAP) a non-profit organization that assists returning citizens.
Br. John Ryan, OSF
Director of Ministries
Brother John is on staff at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Shoreline, WA, serving as the Pastoral Associate of the Congregation, and worship leader, serves in healing prayer ministry and feeding the hungry program. He is a former member of O.F.M. and founder of The Order of the Community of the Paraclete. John holds a degree in Philosophy with an additional three years of theological study. He is a Certified Body, Mind and Spirit Healing Specialist, a practitioner of Therapeutic Touch, and an active member of the American Academy of Bereavement. He is also a spiritual counselor.
Br. Sam Hawk, OSF
Br. Sam devotes his time to both the death ministry and healing ministry with focus on eastern medicine and nature based healing. Being a lover and companion with animals, his spiritual practices incorporate and interact extensively with animal spiritual medicine. He also spends his time working on off-grid homesteading, renewable energy technologies, and has a passion for quantum physics. Br. Sam lives in Italy with his spouse, Morgan.
Br. Paul Dahlke, OSF
Brother Paul lives in downtown Seattle, WA with his wife Mary Mac. He attends St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church and numerous other downtown parishes. He is currently serving as an Usher, Crucifer, and visiting Eucharistic Minister in his parish. He is also a Software Tester, and has worked for numerous technology companies, both large and small, throughout the years. He holds a BS in Computer Science from Washington State University. Paul also keeps busy supporting his family members with their activities in education and the arts, and he often works with the elderly and companions with people on the streets outside his front door.
Br. Billy Isenor, OSF
Br. Billy resides in Edmonton, Alberta with his family. He serves as chaplain at the Edmonton Institution (men's maximum security prison). He is an ordained priest and a Métis citizen. His passions include passing on indigenous teachings, the theology of St. Bonaventure and Duns Scotus, bead work, learning Michif and print making. When not working hard, he takes time to cook traditional Métis foods.
Br. Alan Spurgeon, OSF
Director of Communications
Brother Alan resides in Bonney Lake, WA, and is active within his parish of St. George, Maple Valley as a Eucharistic Minister, Worship Leader and is on the Altar Guild. His calling to serve includes working with the elderly, assisting homeless, helping the food bank, support for animal companions and raising two adopted sons.
Br. Bill Bales, OSF
Brother Bill lives in Ohio and is a deacon in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. He is happily married and likes to cook.
Professed
Br. Scotland Gallo, OSF
Brother Scotland calls Charlotte, NC his home where he lives with his dearest friend Elizabeth and their frisky, formerly feral felines. He attends The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter where he is a Eucharistic minister & visitor, lector and host. He teaches elementary school full time, and assists with various homeless, cold-weather and feeding ministries.
Br. Sam Kincaide, OSF
Brother Sam attends Christ Church Cathedral in Downtown St Louis. He helps serve at Miss Carol's Breakfast on Saturday mornings and leads Saturday Morning Prayer. He serves as an Acolyte and a Eucharistic Minister. He serves on the Communications Committee and handles the Cathedral Facebook page.
Br. Brian Sadler, OSF
Brother Brian Sadler lives in St. Louis, MO most of the time and in Poplar Bluff, MO when he can. He was raised in Poplar Bluff, MO and still has many ties to this area. He attends Christ Church Cathedral when in St. Louis and Holy Cross Episcopal Church when in Poplar Bluff. He volunteers his time feeding those that are hungry and assisting the unhoused neighbors in his community. He works professionally in Criminal Justice Information Systems and has an active role in helping those that are struggling with technology. He considers this to be part of his ministry as he finds Technology an easy subject his whole life and a way he can help others. He makes himself available to pray with anyone that wants prayer or just someone to hear their story. He is currently learning American Sign Language from brother Andrew Jones. He hopes to open a small sabbatical retreat center that will be on some land that God has given him use of. The retreat will double as shelter for those that need it.
Br. Matthew Ryder, OSF
Brother Matthew was born and raised in Maine where he raised his daughter Brenna. He now resides in Virginia where he attends The Church of the Ascension and Sand Saint Agnes in Washington D.C. and serves as a Volunteer Chaplain at a local hospital. Matthew has worked professionally as a singer, actor and theatre director/educator. He loves singing at assisted living and memory care communities.
Br. Duncan Eyre, OSF
Brother Duncan spends his time between Newarkm, NJ and San Bruno, CA. He attends Grace Church and helps out with food pantry and whatever is needed. Duncan has a street ministry and greeting ministry. "I speak with the poor and homeless and give what joy and peace I can. Sometimes it’s helping people get an ID or find a meal. A lot of it is just listening and letting people know God loves them and they matter and are worthy."
Br. Charles-Paul Sowinski, OSF
Brother Charles-Paul attends Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix Arizona, where he was ordained a deacon in 2014. His ministries include assisting people living in transitional housing to include veterans, native american connections, seniors with disabilities, and those with mental issues.
Br. Andrew Jones, OSF
Brother Andrew lives in New York city with his husband and attends St John in the Village. He works with St. Ann's Church for the Deaf organizing the weekly liturgy, interpreting the scriptures, and leading classes on the various parts of the liturgy. St. Ann's Church for the Deaf is the oldest and first church for the Deaf in the United States, established to serve the Deaf in their own language - American Sign Language (ASL). Br. Andrew is also a mentor in the Education for Ministry (EfM) program, and serves in his parish as an acolyte, reader and Licensed Eucharistic Visitor.
Br. Michael Rudman, OSF
Brother Michael, was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, where he has been a member of Saint Thomas's Anglican Church for over forty years. He assists with the Friday Food Ministry, and is a member of the Meditation Prayer Group. He volunteers at the Drop-In in a neighboring Anglican Church, helping to prepare food. He is also a composer, one of the organists at a downtown Roman Catholic Church and, though semi-retired, still teach a few advanced music students.
Br. Allen White, OSF
A native Houstonian, Brother Allen is the Executive Director of Hope Center Houston where he is called to serve as the lead advocate for those experiencing homelessness in Houston, Texas, and beyond. He is also the Founder and Director of the Saint Francis of Assisi Research Library that maintains a world-class catalog of more than 2,000 books, journals, archives, media, and art on Saint Francis and all things Franciscan. Allen attends St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church where he is on staff as the Lay Worship and Pastoral Care Associate, and where he and his wife, LeslieAnn, both serve as Stephen Ministers.
Br. Kristofer
Lindh-Payne, OSF
Born and raised in Baltimore, Brother Kristofer serves the church in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and is a co-rector at St. Francis Episcopal Parish & Community Center in Timonium, MD. While there is a wide range of vibrant ministry happening in this community, they have a special focus on work with families that are facing homelessness. He has long felt the pull to follow Jesus in this Franciscan way but (by his description) it has just taken him a while to figure what it means to be a friar, as well as a priest, husband, and father. He counts on his OSF brothers and God’s loving guidance to help him find the way forward, as he stumbles along it.
Novices
Br. Jay Boggs, OSF
Brother Jay was born and raised in Baltimore. He and his wife Ruth recently relocated to the coastal town of Bethany Beach, Delaware. Their two children and families live in Nashville and Boulder. He serves at St Francis Episcopal Parish in Baltimore and St Martha’s Episcopal Church in Bethany Beach. He leads a group of consultants focused on facilitating the adoption of renewable energy in the US. Brother Jay is also the Director of Cornerstone ministries, a collective of missioners committed to helping individuals, families and communities overcome poverty and homelessness through a series of financial literacy initiatives.
Br. David Wigger, OSF
Brother David is retired and lives in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he is a member of the parish at Christ Church Cathedral. He has served in various ecclesial ministries, including multiple positions in local churches, working with students in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam, Davao City, Philippines, and Jakarta, Indonesia, and assisting in a national church development program. Through an extensive self-examination and deep discernment following retirement, Br. David entered the Order of Saint Francis and is engaged in a life of prayer and service, particularly among people experiencing unfortunate limitations. He spends much of his day walking the streets of the central core of Saint Louis, offering himself to serve whomever he meets.
Postulants
Coming soon.
Eternal Order
Br. Nicholas Kis
(1946-2009)
Brother Nicholas passed away on August 3rd, 2009. The Order of St. Francis was founded by Br. Nicholas and he served as Guardian until his death. Originally a Greek Orthodox monk, Br. Nicholas left that order, joined the Episcopal church and became a Franciscan. Through the Order of Saint Francis, he was devoted to ministering to the sick, caring for animals, and he was also active in liturgical roles within his home parish of Christ Church.
Br. Kris Hebble, OSF
(1983-2018)
Brother Kris passed away on March 29, 2018 surrounded by family. Kris attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Elyria, Ohio, where he was a Chorister and a member of the Vestry. He also headed St. Andrew’s Outreach Committee, worked in the parish food pantry, and the community meals program. He held an MA in history from Cleveland State University. Br Kris was made a postulant in 2013, took his professed vows in 2016 and became life professed in 2018.
"My calling is to serve God in any capacity that I am able, and to love all of those with whom I come in contact. In God's mercy, they have allowed me to be on this wonderful path of the OSF, which has helped me not only grow as a person and allowed me to be the true person I am, but also to magnify the love of God within me, so that I am overcome with desire to spread this love. Every interaction, every conversation , I am able to share this love with the world"
"My life is service, and my language is love. I will follow this path in what ever capacity you deem right, my Brothers, you are my guides and companions. God bless you all, and I send my love."
Vicars
The Rev. Michael Roeske
Chaplain
We are honored to have the Rev. Michael Roeske serving as our current chaplain. Father Michael is currently the rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne, IN in the Diocese of Northern Indiana.