The Rev. Dr. Jim Watson: [EMAIL: frjim@smaalongview.org]

Jim Watson serves as the Bi-Vocational Priest for our parish. He and his spouse, Sarah, have worshipped at St. Michael's since 1993. Jim teaches English at LeTourneau University. Before coming to Longview in 1992 he served for nine years as Academic Dean at Providence Theological Seminary in Canada. His pilgrimage has shown him the richness of God's wider Church. Having grown up, been formed, and served as a pastor in the Bible Church movement he values the study of Scripture as a primary guide to life. In Canada the Watson's fellowshipped and served as lay leaders in the Evangelical Mennonite Church. There the lessons of living in community and the values of simplicity and service became more real. Now, coming to the Anglican faith relatively late in life, he and Sarah find it difficult to imagine what worship and service would be like without our church's liturgy and commitment to spirituality.

The Rev. Janice Watson [EMAIL: janice@smaalongview.org]

The Rev. Janice Watson was ordained in February of 2008 and serves as St. Michaels' first deacon. She and her husband, Tom, have been members of St. Michaels' for twenty- two years. They have one grown daughter, Sarah, married to Timothy Bell. The two households boast a menagerie of beloved pets: Charlie and Luke, the dogs and the cats, Josie and Sadie. Janice is a lifelong Episcopalian who is convinced that even in the times when she might feel away from God, God is never away from her. "He is my own next breath."

"I am so thankful for my family and friends. Everyday I wake up in anticipation of living my life interwoven with theirs. I also wake up everyday with the desire to reach out to those who may not know the love of family and friends, or God; those who, for whatever reason, feel separated or alone. I learned many years ago while going through an education program called Bethel that we are 'blessed to be a blessing' and I have wanted to live out that call ever since."

For that reason, Janice entered the Iona School for Ministry three years ago in preparation and study to be a deacon in the Episcopal Church. She believes her ministry to be threefold; to help people discover their own God given gifts for ministry, to guide them into knowledge of how God wants to use them in their ministry and to encourage them to reach out to others who desperately need to know the unconditional love of God.

Jeff Richardson: [EMAIL: jeff@smaalongview.org]
Jeff was born in Tyler and raised in Longview, graduating from Longview High School in 1981. Going straight to Baylor University in Waco, he majored in religion and Greek. After ten years, which Jeff calls "the decade of non-excellence" Jeff graduated from Baylor. In the meantime he had wandered into a career as a radio D.J. in Waco and Corpus Christi. During this time, Jeff married Lesa and aquired an instant family with four year old Tito. Lesa passed away in 1994 after an 18 month illness.

In 1995 Jeff and Tito moved from Waco back to Longview (back for Jeff, first time for Tito). Jeff began as the weekend keyboardist for St. Michael's in December of 1996. The then current rector, The Rev. Ellis Brust, soon hired Jeff as half time music director and half time office worker. Jeff worked to update the computer system and office procedures as well as the worship music at St. Michael's. In 2002, Jeff married Donna, his beautiful bride he met at St. Michael's.

After more than 10 years at St. Michael's, Jeff's greatest joy is still leading the worship music on Sunday mornings. Jeff has written original worship music that the community of St. Michael's loves and sings with joy. He continues to oversee the computers, network, printing, advertising and various other things around St. Michael's. He's frantically learning HTML coding in order to publish this web site!

Jeff's favorite pasttime is fishing. He will drive four hours to fish in the Gulf of Mexico, on his day off! He organizes a Men's Fishing Trip every October where the men of St. Michael's go to fish and relax. And, by the way, Tito graduated from Baylor in 2007 and is doing well in Ft. Worth, Texas!

Kim Salerno: [EMAIL: kim@smaalongview.org]

Kim is the reason that St. Michael's has any semblance of organization. Kim serves as the Treasurer of St. Michael's. She does all of the bookeeping for St. Michael's as well as report to the Vestry on the financial situation of the church.

With her unique gifts, Kim also keeps St. Michael's clean and presentable. She oversees the cleaning of all buildings and keeps the office completely organized.

Even though Kim grew up in Chicago, she has adapted well to Texas. She spent many years as an assistant in the dental field in Corpus Christi and Longview before becoming Treasurer and bookeeper at St. Michael's. In addition to all of this Kim is a member of the Altar Guild.