Barbara has served as treasurer for St. Paul’s, Seattle, for six years now, but this barely begins to describe her faithful leadership of the parish. Over the course of those six years, she has transformed financial procedures at St. Paul’s and deepened trust parishwide in the financial integrity of the parish. Over the last several years, she has also served as volunteer (full-time equivalent) project manager for St. Paul’s $2.7 million capital improvement project.

Even while she was leading the capital campaign, her offerings continued. She has led the Uptown Neighborhood Action and Stewardship ministries; she has provided pastoral care alongside rectors, but also in the absence of rectors; she literally crawled under St. Paul’s building in her leadership of their rat-abatement efforts; she has led discernment in countless matters, from discerners for holy orders to staff hires to material choices for countless capital projects. She has been St. Paul’s de facto compliance officer and chancellor.

But her heart is what leads and evangelizes to St. Paul’s, and evangelizes us: this astrophysicist with a brilliant mind is also the beating heart of our community. She is tireless. She is ingenious. She finds life-saving housing and medical care for unhoused neighbors. She is known on the city council and by neighborhood organizations for her skillful work. She is considered the strongest and most resourceful Christian faith leader known to St. Paul’s. Her wit, passion, and clever planning has contributed more than anyone to their growth in size and health over these past three years. She organizes receptions. She records Godly Play videos. She has terrific shoes. Barbara literally rescued St. Paul’s through many hard years of transition, and in the rector’s own words, “I am confident I will never know anyone in my ministry as wondrous and inspiring as Barbara.”

It is with great pleasure that I present the Bishop’s Cross award to Barbara Potgieter.