The Rev. Dr. Francis Wade will be the keynote speaker at the National Altar Guild Convention in Anaheim. I first heard him in November 2006 at the Annual Convention of the Diocese of Oklahoma. During the two-day convention, he gave a series of three meditations. His subject: �The Issue� i.e. Human Sexuality. Not an easy topic to address then or now. Dr. Wade dealt with this subject in a very straight forward manner, but also with great sensitivity, drawing not only from our traditions of the church but from the cultures of the communities of the world in which we now live. I was so impressed that when Jane began considering possible speakers I immediately suggested him.

The Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade is a graduate of The Citadel and the Virginia Theological Seminary who has served as an Episcopal priest since 1966. After serving congregations in his native West Virginia for seventeen years, he was called as Rector of St. Alban�s Parish on the grounds of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. He served that congregation from 1983 until his retirement in 2005.

His sermons have been published in a variety of anthologies. His meditations as Chaplain to the House of Deputies at the 2000 General Convention of the Episcopal Church were published by Forward Movement Press and recorded by The Episcopal Media Center under the title Jubilee People, Jubilee Lives. A book on tape and CD by Dr. Wade titled The Art of Being Together: Common Sense About Life Long Relationships was released by Episcopal Media Center. The Forward Movement Press edition of the book is in its second printing.

He served as Chair of the Search Committee for the Dean of Washington National Cathedral. The 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be his twelfth as a deputy and he will once again serve as Chaplain to the House of Deputies. After serving on the Special Commission on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, he served as co-chair for the special committee focusing on Episcopal�Anglican relations.

He teaches in the doctoral program at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. In 2007 he joined the faculty of General Theological Seminary in New York as Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology. He has been married to the former Mary Jane Criss since 1963. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Wade and his wife Mary Jane will join us for dinner at the opening banquet on Thursday evening. On Friday morning prior to addressing the group, he will be the celebrant at the Eucharist. We greatly appreciate his taking time away from his General Convention responsibilities to be with us, and I feel certain that all those attending the National Altar Guild Association Convention are in for a big treat.