Meet the Staff of St. Philip's Episcopal Church
Rev. Andrew T. Green
REctor
The Rev. Andrew T. Green answered the call to be the next rector of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in August 2021. He joined St. Philip’s with his wife, Suzanna Green.
Andrew serves as pastor and priest to the Church. He also serves as chaplain to St. Philip’s Episcopal School.
Andrew is currently the co-chair of the Diocesan Bishop’s Youth Commission, Chaplain to the Verger’s Guild, and co-chair of the Diocesan Nominating committee.
Previously, Andrew served as Curate at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in San Antonio, TX, seminary intern at St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church in Round Rock, TX, and youth minister/ministry intern at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Buda, TX.
Andrew received a Bachelor of Arts from Texas State University in 2011 and a Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest in 2018. He was ordained to the priesthood on January 13, 2019.
Isabel Thompson, Administrative Assistant
Isabel serves as the Church’s Administrative Assistant. She has worked in the secretarial field all of her life, and now is blessed to be at St. Philip’s. She has one daughter, “Sally” and son-in-law Mat, two grandsons, Tyler and Korbin, and two step-grandsons, Codi and Cash. They all live, work and play in Corpus Christi, Texas. Isabel stays very active with her family, with her church, and with a community choir.
Tony Rivas,
Sexton
Tony was born in Beeville, Texas, on September 21, 1970. He is married to Linda Mae Rivas. They have six children, four boys and two girls: Tony Jr.(29), Joel (24), Nicole (22), Victoria (18), John (16), and Christian (13). Tony graduated from AC Jones High School in June of 1990. He then entered the US Army on August 6, 1991, where he served for 20 years and retired on November 30, 2011. He and his wife will be celebrating 30 years of marriage on Nov 26, 2017. Tony began working at St. Philip’s on May 19, 2014, working for both the church and the school. Tony’s hobbies include listening to music and maintain his car.
Rev. John l Blackburn,
Guest Organist
John formerly was the Organist and Choirmaster at St. Philip’s. He is now serving as Deacon in the Episcopal Church and is serving at St. Christopher by the Sea in Portland, Texas. He still assists St. Philip’s by recording the weekly hymns for Sunday services.
John previously served as Director of Music for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Organist for Temple Rodef Shalom, both in Waco. John graduated Baylor University with a Bachelor degree in Church Music with Organ Emphasis and later a Master of Music in Church Music degree. He is a member of the American Guild of Organist, Organ Historical Society, Pi Kappa Lamba, The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, and The Royal School of Church Musicians.
John has also participated in the Doctorate of Musical Arts program from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Judith and Gerre Hancock. During his undergraduate years at Baylor University, John served two seasons as Organist for the Baylor University Concert Choir as well as organist for several different University events.
As a musician for sacred service, John has excelled at the Art of Improvisation. He has sat as a board member for Baylor University’s Center for Christian Music Studies. As a hymn writer, Blackburn’s hymns have been sung around Texas and the Southeast, including at a National Convention of the Organ Historical Society in Washington, D.C. in July of 2011.
He has also serve the American Guild of Organists by serving the Central Texas Chapter first as Dean, and later as Secretary and has served on the board of Schola Cantorum of Texas, a professional choir based in Fort Worth. He has served as a lecturer, teacher and performer for several Pipe Organ Encounters, a national effort to teach both youth and adults how to play the organ.
John is active in the community. He is a member of Rotary International, serves as president of the school board of St. Philip’s School, and aids various organizations through charity concerts including Habitat for Humanity, the Beeville Vineyard, The Texas Water Mission and Rotary International’s “End Polio Now” Campaign.
Alan Lenz,
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Mr. Lenz began his career in 1997 as a physical education teacher and coach at St. Alban’s Episcopal School in Arlington, Texas. After time spent in the classromm, Mr. Lenz moved into an administrative role in 2000, working in a variety of administrative roles for the school including Admissions Director, Marketing Director and Assistant Head of School.
In 2007, Mr. Lenz moved to North Carolina and served as Head of Lower School at Charlotte Preparatory School. He worked in collaboration with the school faculty and staff to strengthen the curriculum and integrate more science, technology, engineering and math activities for the students.
As a sixth generation Texan on both his mother’s and father’s sides, Mr. Lenz is proud of his Texas heritage. In 2014, Mr. Lenz made the decision to move his family back to the Lone Star State. He was named the Head of Lower School at St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas. As the Head of Lower School, he managed the day-to-day operations of the lower school, which included 400 students. Mr. Lenz formalized the division’s character development program and revamped the school’s learning support activities.
Mr. Lenz and his wife, Allison, have been married for twenty-two years and have two sons, Wray (18) and Robbie (15). They enjoy spending time outdoors camping, hunting and fishing.