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Bio - The Rev. Dr. James W. Hunter

The son of Drs. Harold W. and Nadene (nee Denison) Hunter, Jim earned a B.A. from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1976. He was commissioned in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps the day before graduation. While on active duty in San Diego, California, in 1978 Jim was called by the Lord to enter the ordained ministry to become a Navy Chaplain. In 1984, Jim graduated from the Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia, and began parish ministry in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, after being ordained a deacon in 1985. Jim was ordained a priest in August 1985 while working as the curate at Holy Trinity Parish, Clemson, South Carolina. He maintained his affiliation with the Navy and in February 1989, returned to active duty to test his sense of calling as a Navy Chaplain. While on active duty, he served on the USS Biddle (CG-34), a guided missile cruiser stationed at NOB Norfolk, during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. During this time (1991), Jim was awarded the literary prize named The Polly Bond Award of Excellence, first-place for his article entitled “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” This article was published in the newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester, New York The Chronicle. In April 1991, Jim began serving with the Amphibious Navy at the Little Creek Base in Virginia Beach, Virginia, as the Chaplain of Amphibious Beach Group 2 with over 1,500 sailors and their families. In February 1992, due to the down-sizing of the Navy, Jim returned to parish life. Upon returning to civilian life, he served parishes in Newton, North Carolina; Morgantown, North Carolina; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. On October 1, 2000, Jim joined Good News Jail & Prison Ministry as the Chaplain for the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata, Maryland. Jim simultaneously served as the part-time Priest-in-Charge of All Faith Episcopal Church, Charlotte Hall, Maryland, from 2003 to December 31, 2007, and for the last year before leaving Maryland, served as the Calvert County Detention Center Chaplain in addition to the La Plata Detention Center. Jim married Jeannine Margaret Macomber on June 12, 2001in Virginia Beach. Jim was called to be the rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October 2007 and began ministry there on January 1, 2008. From June 2013 to May 2019 Jim worked on and earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania, with a focus on evangelism and the catechism. Upon retirement on February 1, 2020, Jim and Jeannine moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia on March 28, 2020. Jim has done Sunday supply work at St. Peter’s, Norfolk, Virginia; St. Bride’s, Chesapeake, Virginia; Westminster-Canterbury, Virginia Beach; St. Thomas; Chesapeake, Virginia; St. Stephen’s, Norfolk; Church of the Advent, Norfolk; and the Church of the Ascension, Norfolk. In April 2021, Jim and Jeannine formally established the Rev. Dr. James W. and Jeannine M. Hunter Fund for Evangelism at Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania.