Dear St. John’s Norwood,
Happy Summer! My name is Allison Harmon and I am delighted to join your community as a parish intern through February 2026. I will be predominantly working with the Refugee Ministry committee, but I am excited to jump in and get involved with the parish. I will be with you most Sundays and liturgical holidays throughout the next few months and I will be in the parish office or directly working with resettlement families Mondays throgh Wednesdays until mid-August. Then for the fall and winter, through February, I will switch gears to serve the parish in a more traditional capacity during worship services and community activities.
I join you in the midst of my lifelong discernment for ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. I came to the Church in my 20’s and I immediately sensed the movements of the Spirit in the rhythms of prayer and in the inclusive and intentional language of the liturgy. My relationship with Jesus is that of a grounding presence in my life; I pray that I always receive the Eucharist with consistent awe and reverence. I am currently a postulant in the Diocese of Maryland and I am “on loan” to the Diocese of Washington for this portion of my ordination process.
My background: I just finished my first year as the Upper School Chaplain at National Cathedral School in D.C. I have taught religion, history, and philosophy at the middle, high school, and university levels throughout my career. I hold a BA in public history, an MA in Liberal studies concentrating in global history, an MTS in theological studies, and I earned my Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min) from St. Mary's Seminary and University's Ecumenical Institute in Baltimore in 2023. In my free time, my partner Nadira and I enjoy exploring the D.C. area, attending concerts, checking out local breweries, and spending time with family and friends (especially my many God children). We have two cats named Pepper and Nutmeg who we refer to as the “Spice Girls;” I am always happy to show you photos of the cats and the Godchildren.
In the short time that I have lived in Chevy Chase, I have heard wonderful things about the community here at St. John’s Norwood. Earlier in the year, I attended a few services to see if this might be a good fit for me and I was immediately blown away by your commitment to justice and the many facets of lay-led ministry. I cannot wait to meet you and to learn from your lay and clergy leaders and parishioners. I look forward to sharing our journeys of faith over the next few months.
Be well,
Allison Harmon
