Holy Cross Episcopal Church, upon saying goodbye to their interim priest,

The Reverend Mickey Mugan, is delighted to announce The Reverend Robert Ard has accepted the call to become its priest, moving to the area along with his wife, Sharol, and daughter, Genevieve.

“The first reason,” deadpanned Father Ard, when asked what it was about Holy Cross that drew his attention, “is that when I was looking for a new position, this position was open. I’m still waiting for Chaplain at Oxford to open up, but until then…”

Those who have been fortunate enough to witness Father Ard in action, not from behind the pulpit as is traditional during Episcopal sermons, but rather, in the thick of it, standing in the aisle between his congregants, will be the first to tell you that this is a priest who not only has a great reverence for the holiness of the liturgy, but also has a tremendously dynamic delivery laced with exceptional comedic timing.

“Not only is he wonderful,” enthused one congregant, “but I can hear him! All the way in the back!”

Father Ard’s style of sermon is but one side of his ‘can do’ personality, forged, perhaps from the church he left back in the economically depressed side of St. Louis – his first assignment fresh out of seminary.

“It was a church which, back in the 1960s, had a congregation of 600 people,” Father Ard explained, adding that over the decades, as the neighborhood changed, it dwindled to a membership of just 15 when he entered its doors for the first time. “But,” he added, softly, “when I stood inside that building, I could tell people had prayed in that church.”

With absolutely no financial resources or administrative staff whatsoever, thinking ‘outside the box’ was crucial for the church’s survival.

“So I began holding barbecues,” Father Ard said, “Because what can you do when you have no money or staff, right? I thought, ‘Well, hamburgers don’t cost much, and neither do buns and a jug of water, so I brought out a barbecue grill and began inviting the neighborhood, which was mostly Muslim and Baptists and all kinds of other faiths, and simply offered a meal saying, ‘I offer this to you with grace and hope that you receive it with gratitude.’”

Before long, the attendance of the barbecues grew to over 200; neighbors met neighbors for the first time and regular fellowship ensued. And the church membership grew steadily to 60 members.

Holy Cross, with its new HVAC and relatively new roof, along with a congregation of which over 90 percent are involved in some sort of ministry, is a treat for a priest used to financial struggle and very little help, so he is grateful for an opportunity to spend more time pastoring. But Father Ard also recognizes that sort of comfort zone can be dangerous for a church and looks forward to inspiring his new congregation.

“I’m not saying I want to bring in an electric guitar and drums,” he said with a smile, “but I want to breathe even more life into the liturgy so that when people leave church, they feel like, ‘Wow! I’ve really been to church!’”

He also feels strongly that every potential new member that enters the doors should change the congregation, “whether the congregation likes it or not,” because, he added, “the result can be powerful stuff.”

Aware of Holy Cross’ reputation for serving the community with outreach programs that have provided scholarships for local students (regardless if they are or are not members of the church), holding lavish teas to raise funds to bring awareness to and stop sex trafficking in its sister diocese in India, as well as giving assistance to single mothers and their children throughout Polk County, along with the popular backpack program that makes certain that local school children in need go home for the weekend with enough food to see them through until Monday, Father Ard is anxious to extend Christ-inspired good works and fellowship even further, and wondered aloud, amongst other ideas, about engaging the artistic reputation of which Tryon is renowned.

“Because I think ministry is just that,” he said. “When you read Jesus’ parables about feasts and things, it always begs the question, ‘How do we invite the next person so that they can share in the joy that you have? How do you make joy which can sometimes seem only for the privileged, be available for everyone?’”

When asked where he hoped to see Holy Cross in five years, Father Ard thought a moment, then replied, “I hope it’ll be something I could have never imagined, and if I know what it is in five years, then I’ll be disappointed in myself, but man, what if it’s something that we could have never imagined, and are in awe of?”

Those who might like to be a part of this exciting journey and meet Father Ard are invited to join the members of Holy Cross, 150 Melrose Ave, Tryon, as they worship Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

– article submitted by Pam Stone