Senior Pastor
Father
Austin Mansfield began serving our Lord Jesus Christ at Christ the Redeemer in
October 2009. Prior to that, Fr. Austin
felt the Lord calling him toward spiritual service during a retreat in October
2001, through which the Holy Spirit transformed his life in a powerful
conversion experience. A few months later, in March 2002, Fr. Austin was
officially in the ordination process for Holy Orders and had begun attending
Bethel Seminary in San Diego during evenings and weekends.
Balancing his Navy duties with his
seminarian requirements, Fr. Austin completed his Master of Divinity degree in
four years, graduating Magna Cum Laude in June 2006, and began attending Saint
Anne's Anglican Church in Oceanside, Calif., as part of the Diocese of Bolivia,
in the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.
He was ordained a deacon in January 2007, four days before his
retirement from the Navy following 24 years of service. Three weeks later, the
newly ordained Deacon Austin began a church plant, Holy Faith Anglican Church,
in the South Bay area of San Diego.
Fr. Austin was ordained a priest in
September 2007, again in the Diocese of Bolivia, and continued his training and
education in service and counseling. Working closely with other Anglican clergy
in the region, Fr. Austin was called from San Diego to serve as vicar in a new
leadership model at Christ the Redeemer in Yuma. He was installed as rector
July 1.
Fr. Austin is a Board Certified Pastoral
Counselor, under the auspices of the Board of Christian Professional and
Pastoral Counselors (BCPPC) and the American Association of Christian
Counselors (AACC).He is also certified in Critical Incident Stress Management
and Pastoral Crisis Intervention through the International Critical Incident
Stress Foundation (ICISF). Additionally, Fr. Austin has been trained and
credentialed as a Certified Christian Family Mediator and Professional Life
Coach. Other educational degrees include
a master of science degree in international relations from Troy State
University and a bachelor of science degree (Magna Cum Laude) in management
from University of Maryland.
|