Clergy and staff

The Reverend Canon John Fergueson, Rector
Father John Fergueson was born in Jackson, Michigan in 1944. He graduated from Albion College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and entered the United States Marine Corps later that year. From 1967 to 1968 he served with the 15th Marine Counterintelligence Team in northern Quang Tri province in Vietnam. In Vietnam, John received his calling to become a priest.

Upon returning home he entered Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, graduating in 1972 with a master’s of divinity degree in theology. He served at a mission church in the Ada-Cascade region of Grand Rapids, MI, then as Dean of the Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Following four years at Emmanuel Parish in Hastings, he came to Church of the Redeemer in 1983.

His vision of Redeemer is a safe place to explore what George Herbert once called “the deep down depths of things.” His personal spiritual journey is shaped by his own experiences of the dark side of life, the Paschal mystery, and a deep, profound belief in the power of liturgy and living into the church year to transform people’s lives.

For the last 15 years John’s non-parochial energies have been devoted to the subject of spirituality and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He has participated in national psychiatric workshops on the topic and works with veterans and others who are experiencing trauma issues on an ongoing basis. With Landy F. Sparr he wrote the chapter “Moral and Spiritual Issues Following Traumatization” for the book Psychiatry and Religion: The Convergence of Mind and Spirit.

John and his wife Ginny live in Bothell, WA and have two children, Susan and Dan. John has a passion for adult education. He enjoys jogging and lifting weights, and reads theology, history, and murder mysteries. His 30 year relationship with his spiritual father, a Trappist monk at Our Lady of the Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri, is a continual source of inspiration and strength to him.

The Reverend Geoffrey Ethelston, Associate Director for Outreach
Father Geoffrey Ethelston emigrated from the UK in 1967 with his wife Jean and four children, having worked in the manufacturing industry as engineer and plant manager for twenty years. A lifelong Anglican, Geoff was ordained in 1980. He has worked at several Eastside churches, as well as forming a new mission at Grace Church, Duvall in 1991. He retired in 1996, when he and Jean joined Redeemer.

As Associate Rector for Outreach, Geoff is working with human service providers and educators to build a stronger community identity for those who live in the cities of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville. He sees this as a way that the church can do outreach beyond the hands-on work already going on at Redeemer, such as its support of the Kenmore Homeless Shelter. Geoff enjoys the arts, especially painting, cross-country skiing in season, and singing in the choir.

Sheila Bristow, Organist and Choirmaster
Sheila began her career as a church musician during her high school years, at her family’s Disciples of Christ church. Since then she has served in a wide variety of denominations.

Prior to her appointment at Redeemer, Sheila was on the music staff at University Unitarian Church in Seattle. Her responsibilities as organist encompassed many aspects of the music program, including the concert series, Dance-in-Worship program, and a term as Interim Director of Music.

In addition to her work at Redeemer, Sheila is currently a pianist at St. Monica Catholic Church and the Music Coordinator for Covenant House, the Episcopal and Lutheran campus ministry at the University of Washingon.

Sheila received her BFA in music composition from Cornish College of the Arts, and continues to write and arrange music for services and concerts. She has conducted choirs ranging from the 5th-grade class of Daniel Bagley Elementary to the Northwest Chamber Chorus. Most recently, she earned her MM in organ performance from the University of Washington, studying church music and performing in many collaborative recitals.

Sheila is delighted to be part of the community at Redeemer and its growing and vital music and arts program.