Leadership
The Most Rev. Dr. Ray R. Sutton
Bishop Ray serves as the Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) and the Ordinary of the Diocese of Mid America. He is also the Dean of the Province and Ecumenical Affairs of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), of which the Reformed Episcopal Church is a founding member and special jurisdiction. Bishop Sutton often lectures at ACNA and Reformed Episcopal Seminaries.
A native of Kentucky and a Dallas resident since he was 13, Bishop Sutton received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Southern Methodist University and his Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. From 1976 to 1991, he served as a parish minister. Following this, he pursued doctoral studies in sacramental theology in an associated research program at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University with Coventry University, from which he received his Ph.D.
He became the Dean and Professor of New Testament at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia, and continues as an adjunct professor today. Later, Bishop Sutton functioned as Dean and Professor of Theology at Cranmer Theological House, where he continues to teach. In 1999 he was consecrated a bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mid America. He served as a Bishop Suffragan, assisting the Most Rev. Royal U. Grote. Later he was elected bishop co-adjutor until he became the Ordinary of the Diocese 2016, upon Bishop Grote’s passing. In 2017 he was elected the Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal church.
Bishop Sutton is married to Susan Jean, and they have seven children and seven grandchildren. The Suttons live in Dallas where the Cathedral Church of the Holy Communion is located, the Diocesan See of the Diocese of Mid America.
Rev Steven Rutt, Ph.D.
Rev. Dr. Steven Rutt has forty-seven (47) years of experience as a pastor, church planter, missionary, published author, and international teacher in biblical, theological, and intercultural studies within fourteen countries. He has taught at undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate theological colleges and seminaries in New Zealand, Lithuania, England, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Arizona. Since 1993 he has served as founder and president of Covenant Renewal Ministries, Inc.—a non-profit missionary organization—which has enabled him to function as a conference speaker and lecturer in Europe and the United Kingdom. He remains a lecturer in missiology for the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (Oxford, England) and a professor for Cranmer Theological House—a seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church, the denomination where he serves as Vicar for a new church plant—Saint Andrew’s REC—as well as Dean of the Western Convocation/Deanery of the Diocese of Mid America. He is also a member of The Society of Anglican Theologians. He continues to serve as an Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Arizona Christian University (ACU). He has taught courses at ACU in Historical Theology; Systematic Theology; Hermeneutics; St. Paul’s Life, Teachings and Mission; Ancient Israel and its Literature; Early Christianity and its Literature; Second Century Christianity; Early Christian Creeds and Church Councils; Church History; Mission Studies (Missiology); Anglican Studies; and various books of the Bible for the past ten years. Rev. Dr. Rutt has been married to his college sweetheart, Sue, for forty-seven years, and have four wonderful children and their children married Christian spouses and have given them twelve delightful grandchildren.
Rev Mark Shields
After retiring from the Post Office, Mark moved to Arizona to attend Andrewes Hall Seminary in Phoenix AZ. Graduating with a Bachelor of Theology. After graduating Mark was ordained as a Deacon in the Reformed Episcopal Church in 2010.
Mark was then ordained a Presbyter in 2018. Mark has served at St. Andrew's REC since before his ordination, and as of 2022 has served at St. Andrew's for over 16 years. Mark has been married to Brenda (his high school sweetheart) for 46 years and they have three grown children and six grandchildren.
Rev Deacon James Allen
James Allen has been joyfully married to his wife, Jackie, for 17 years. Together, they are raising their daughter, Cadence. James came into the Reformed Episcopal Church in 2021 from a Reformed background, joining St. Andrew’s and serving in its church plant ever since.
He holds degrees in Religious Studies and Applied Ethics, and Political Science from Arizona State University and began his theological studies at Cranmer Theological House in 2023.
James has a diverse background in politics, talk radio, and marketing, and currently serves as the Investor Relations Manager at Century 21 Northwest. He is passionate about supporting church planters, enjoys long-distance running, and has recently taken up cold plunging as a daily discipline.
Our Mission
To multiply faithful servants of Christ; who will commit themselves to the worship and doctrines of the Anglican way, and who will work by God's grace and for His glory to disciple the nations through the ministry of the Church.
