About Us

As a young altar boy serving at his family’s conservative Roman Catholic parish in Northern Virginia, Richard remembers thinking he would have to atone for his sin of being gay by becoming a Catholic priest. Thankfully, he went on to come to terms with–and celebrate–his sexuality. He studied music in college as a classical singer and led non-profit organizations as a young adult in Washington for more than a decade before ultimately discerning a call to the priesthood (this time in the fully welcoming and affirming denomination of the Episcopal Church, where he learned that God loves and celebrates LGBTQ people just as they are).

As rector of St. Margaret’s, Richard serves our parish as senior pastor, priest, and administrator. Building on a long-standing legacy of social justice, his ministry is marked by the sharing of the liberating Gospel of Christ; caring for a diverse and inclusive community; and stewarding the work of St. Margaret’s cardinal program for neighbors experiencing homelessness, Charlie’s Place.

Fluent in Spanish as a second language, Richard has worked with Latino congregations in D.C., Atlanta, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. While serving at Washington National Cathedral, Richard also led outreach with the LGBTQ community, founding the Cathedral Congregation’s LGBT ministry group and serving an instrumental role in the Cathedral’s public witness in support of marriage and transgender equality.

Diana’s childhood memories are of regular conversations with God on the windy beaches of Massachusetts. Despite an occasionally austere early education, she has sought out God at the limits of experience, She was baptized in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington as an infant and has been a serious student of Judaism and Tibetan meditation.

She loves language and studied English and French at Johns Hopkins University. Through all these things, her joy comes in helping others find new and old ways to talk to God. As Associate Rector, Diana serves the people of St. Margaret’s in the areas of formation, pastoral care and anti-racism development. She loves to preach, and would love to chat with you about your spiritual life or St. Margaret’s.

Prior to her ordination as a priest, Diana was a print and new media journalist. She has a daughter who works in Hollywood and a son who is a linguist in Sweden. She and her husband Tom live with their little dog Lola in Cleveland Park.

Anne wanted to be a priest ever since she was a child, but didn’t think it was possible. 42 years later, Bishop John Walker ordained the Reverend Dr. Anne Gavin Ritchie a priest at our cathedral. And, she’s been pioneering new ground ever since.

Anne served as the first woman associate at two parishes in our diocese: St. Mark’s, Capitol Hill, and St. John’s, Lafayette Square. Being the first woman priest to have a baby, she helped St. Mark’s parish establish maternity leave policies.

Anne served 16 years as the rector of the Church of the Resurrection in the Diocese of Virginia and wrote her doctoral thesis as a counterpoint to the groundbreaking book, Spiritual but Not Religious. She surveyed and examined non-churchgoers’ attitudes toward religion. Reading the voluminous responses from people who experienced abiding hurt and pain spurred a change. She resolved her parish would actively present themselves as they were, a welcoming and inclusive faith community.

Following her retirement in 2011, Anne and her wife Gail found a church home here at St. Margaret’s. As an adjunct priest, Anne joyfully shares in the leadership of St. Margaret’s worship services and helps provide pastoral care to members of our community.

Rachelle was raised in Baptist churches and nurtured by a grandmother who would often recount stories of baptisms in the Neches River and ask her to listen for God after rainstorms; a background that shaped her deep sense of spirituality.

It is little wonder that attending an Easter Vigil and getting sprinkled with the waters from the baptismal font drew her into the Episcopal tradition. Rachelle’s calling to be a priest grew out of her formative experiences teaching and working with students in Episcopal schools.

She currently serves as the Associate Dean of Strategic Implementation and Priorities at Virginia Theological Seminary and adjunct priest at St. Margaret’s. She helps lead worship services and overall pastoral care. Rachelle lives with her family in Alexandria, VA.

The Reverend Julie A. Petersmeyer was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Mariann Budde in September of 2017. As a deacon, Julie serves as a bridge between the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world and the Church. In her ministry at St. Margaret’s Julie serves as a pastoral presence to guests of our homeless outreach ministry, Charlie’s Place, in addition to serving two Sundays a month in our worship life.

Julie has been involved in prison ministry for 17 years and has served as a chaplain volunteer at the DC Jail for the past 10 years. Getting close to and learning about the lived experience of returning citizens has informed Julie’s commitment to criminal justice reform.

Julie and her husband Gregg live in Bethesda and have four adult children and six glorious grandchildren.

A Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance, Timothy Duhr serves as St. Margaret’s Music Minister. With an extensive background in organ performance, teaching, and sacred musical composition, he leads the worship ministry with passion and talent. Timothy also serves as choirmaster, nurturing St. Margaret’s staff and volunteer choir singers.

Additionally, he serves the parish by updating the website, managing all church communications and volunteers. He has been with St. Margaret’s since 2017 and lives in Washington DC.

Growing up the son of a Southern Baptist pastor, Matt spent all of his early life in church and has fond memories of coming to know the Bible and his abiding hope in Jesus. He eventually left the church for several years, wrestling with how his faith and sexuality intertwined. It was when he found the Episcopal Church that he realized that God accepts and loves him as he is, both as a Christian and gay man.

Matt went on to deepen his faith in contemplative spiritual practices and found a home with the Christian Mystical mothers and fathers, Julian of Norwich in particular. After finding a tradition that accepted and celebrated him for all of who he is, he began to follow a call to ministry that had begun when he was younger.

Professionally, Matt taught high school theater and speech for many years and earned a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Arkansas State University. Most recently he taught Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking at a community college in North Carolina. In the Fall of 2021, Matt began attending Virginia Theological Seminary where he is in his second year. He is excited to be joining St. Margaret’s on this journey of faith and looking forward to growing together.

The very first time Reggie walked through the doors of Charlie’s Place it was as a client having recently lost a long time job and experiencing homelessness for the first time ever in his life in 2013.

He knew right away this was a special place as it was infectiously welcoming. Reggie knew he wanted to be a part of it. First starting as a volunteer, he eventually joined the staff as floor manager and then grew to program manager. Today, he serves as the Executive Director.

Charlie’s Place energizes him because serving others is an amazing and rewarding experience. He especially loves working with the guests who always express gratitude and are so appreciative of the work at Charlie’s Place.

Reggie currently resides in Northwest Washington D.C.

Damon Clements has been the St. Margaret’s Sexton for nearly 8 years; he has been a faithful member of the parish for more than 20 years. As Sexton, Damon cares for the overall maintenance of the church, providing knowledge and direction to all on-site projects. One of the characteristics he appreciates most about the parish community is how people genuinely care about one another and are willing to help others. He is a source of encouragement to everyone who steps into St. Margaret’s.

Damon was confirmed at the Washington National Cathedral in 2021. While a Pittsburgh native, Damon has resided in Washington DC for 42 years. He currently lives in Northeast DC.

Rev. Francisco de Jesús Serrano was ordained a Deacon by Bishop Mariann Budde on November 12, 2022 at the Washington National Cathedral.

Francisco was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States in 1998. Raised as a Roman Catholic, he was received into the Episcopal Church in 2006 after congregating at St. Mateo/St. Mathew’s in Hyattsville. It was under the leadership of Rev. Vidal Rivas that Francisco discerned a call to the ordained ministry.

Rev. Francisco serves as a pastoral presence at St. Margaret’s Charlie’s Place homeless program and leads Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan homeless outreach, as well as regularly serving in Sunday worship. And currently he works 8 hours a day at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School as Faculty & Staff, and he does everything for the Glory of GOD and the good of others.