Amanda Turner ’19: For the last thirty-eight years, the name “Episcopal” has almost been synonymous with Reverend Squire, Head Chaplain. After the announced retirement of Squire, a new Head Chaplain has been named: Tim Gavin, previous Lower School Chaplain. As new Chaplain, Gavin will assume the responsibilities of Squire next year, a seemingly big role to fill from someone so acclaimed at Episcopal.
With this in mind, much of the EA community wondered about the process of choosing Squire’s replacement.
First, Squire described the requirements for the role by saying, “The most important part of my job is making sure the trust is there, because the Head Chaplain handles very delicate situations. Being Head Chaplain is like running the emergency room. You never know what is going to come through the door, and a day will never go they way you think.”
Squire describes the three main responsibilities of the role: maintaining the worship of the school, acting as chair of the religion department for all schools, and being chief pastor of the community. He says, “The Head Chaplain is responsible for the wellbeing of the entire community. In this job, you really have to know what you’re doing, because there is a huge amount of responsibility. The head chaplain must really be someone who is willing to work 24/7 because it is that kind of position. You have to have confidence in your colleagues, and you have to be well connected into the community. That isn’t going to happen it the very beginning; that takes time to do.”
Photo Courtesty of Michael Leslie
Not only does Squire recognize the duties of his role, but also the rest of the community. T.J. Locke, Head of School, describes, “One of the major aspects of the job is to make sure the chapel experience is fantastic. Another huge part is the pastoral care. When people are sick or in need, we need someone who will be there. Reverend Squire has done that beautifully for 38 years.”
With this in mind, the school recognized the role to fill, and set up a rigorous process to determine the best replacement. Tracie Lee, hiring coordinator at the Episcopal Academy, along with a council specifically chosen to look for a new Head Chaplain, narrowed the vast number of excellent applicants to three. She explained, “Losing someone like Reverend Squire is hard. He’s such a big part of who EA is as a whole. But we have to remember all the amazing experiences and wisdom he has brought to Episcopal, while looking forward to the future of EA.”
All three candidates, including Ophelia Laughlin, Tim Morehouse, and Tim Gavin, spoke to both Upper and Middle School students in Chapel. Their speeches ranged in topics, covering the devastation of Hurricane Sandy to the importance of love.
Alyssa Sheffy ‘19 said, “It was really unique how [Laughlin] incorporated the idea of coming together into her speech. Her glass half full look on life would be beneficial to any school.” Anna Lee ‘20 also said “[Morehouse’s] humorous stories really kept everyone listening. That’s a really important quality for a Chaplain; every other day we have chapel so captivating and engaging qualities are really important for this job.”
Reverend Squire also commented on the candidates. He said, “Reverend Morehouse basically does what I do, but at Trinity. My role at Episcopal is extremely similar to his.” Lee also said, “I’ve grown up with Reverend Gavin. He’s such a big part of everyone’s beginning at Episcopal. I think all Lower School students benefit immensely from him, as would the Middle and Upper School students too.”
After Gavin was chosen as Squire’s replacement, Locke sent a letter to the community, announcing the news. He wrote, “We had an extremely strong candidate pool, and we believe that [Gavin] is the best person to continue to build upon the unique legacy of Episcopal’s head chaplaincy.”
Gavin says, “I am truly humbled and honored to serve the role of Head Chaplain. I look forward to continuing to help our students and all members of our community form their own unique, spiritual identities, and in creating a safe and loving space for our own entire community to gather through our Chapel program.”