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September 18, 2025

Dear Friends in Christ,

I am pleased to announce that I have called the Rev. Dr. Meredith Hawkins as our new Priest Associate. Mother Merdith has a deep and articulate love for Jesus Christ, and she has been called by God as a healer, teacher, and pastor: she is a bi-vocational medical doctor and an Episcopal priest. She will begin at Christ Church this Sunday, September 21.

Mother Meredith is originally from Toronto and has lived in both New York City and in New Rochelle for many years. Many of you may already know Mother Meredith. She was a member at Christ Church for several years more than decade ago and has been a regular attendee for many years prior to ordination. She preached at our Ascension Day Mass in 2024, and most recently she covered one Sunday this summer when I was away. 

Mother Meredith was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in 2022, and she earned her Masters of Divinity cum laude from Wycliffe College in Toronto. After ordination, she served from 2022 to 2025 as Priest Associate at several churches in the Diocese of New York, including the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City. In addition to being on staff at Christ Church, Mother Meredith will also serving as Priest Associate at the Church of Calvary Saint George in New York City with my friend, the Rev. Jacob Smith. Serving two churches will provide her with numerous opportunities to preach, celebrate, and provide pastoral care. 

Dr. Hawkins (as she is known in her other professional world) is Professor of Medicine and Associate Director of the Einstein-Mt. Sinai Regional Diabetes Research Center. She holds the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Medicine. Dr. Hawkins earned her M.D. degree cum laude from the University of Toronto and a Master of Science in Clinical Research Methods cum laude from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Hawkins' long-term research recently culminated in the classification of type five diabetes. She founded and directs Einstein's Global Diabetes Institute, with the goal of building strategic partnerships in medical research and education to combat the burgeoning global diabetes epidemic. 

Mother Meredith will be with us at Christ Church on Sunday mornings twice a month, preaching about one Sunday each month. When her schedule permits, she will cover major services when I am away. She will also join me in our Rota of Sunday evening, weekday, and Holy Day masses which we hope can be offered more regularly because there are two priests rather than one. She will be available by appointment for pastoral counselling, pastoral visits, and sacramental confessions. She is an excellent teacher and is excited to take part and help as she is able with our Adult Christian Learning offerings.

I hope you can join us this Sunday, September 21, to welcome Mother Meredith. This Sunday features the return of our Parish Choir, a Commissioning Blessing for Liam Myers as he begins his new ministry as Director of Children’s & Family Ministries, a Commissioning Blessing of Mother Meredith as she begins her new ministry as Priest Associate at Christ Church, a fantastic celebration after Church catered by Walter’s Hot Dogs, and it is also Saint Matthew’s Day.  It will be a wonderful day that you don’t want to miss. 

Please join me in welcoming Mother Merdith to Christ Church, and please keep her in your prayers as she begins this new call and ministry.

In Christ, 
The Rev. Matthew Hoxsie Mead

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