The Clergy & Staff

Father Rick began his ministry at St. John’s in 2025 after serving 15 years as Rector of St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe, Vermont. Ordained for more than 25 years, Father Rick has dedicated his vocation to building strong, welcoming communities of faith, nurturing spiritual growth, and guiding congregations through times of change with creativity and care.

During his tenure in Vermont, Father Rick helped lead his parish into new models of ministry, including hybrid worship during the COVID-19 pandemic, stewardship renewal, and a revitalized commitment to outreach. His community involvement included co-founding a children’s enrichment fund, supporting the creation of a county-wide emergency shelter, and serving on multiple nonprofit boards. He also spent over a decade as chaplain to the Stowe Mountain Chapel, where he provided pastoral support to residents and visitors alike.

Father Rick’s ministry extends to interfaith engagement, including co-leading a 2023 pilgrimage to the Holy Land with clergy and laity from across denominations. He brings a love for preaching, teaching, and pastoral care, grounded in both scholarship and lived experience. He earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from the Bexley-Seabury Seminary Federation, his Master of Divinity from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, and his Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Studies from California State University, Northridge.

Outside of parish life, Father Rick and his spouse, Tim Heath-Swanson, co-owned and operated the Swanson Inn of Vermont, a bed & breakfast and bakery that became a hub of hospitality in their community. They are joined by their beloved corgi, Kirby. Rick enjoys ice hockey, skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, golf, woodworking, and choral music, and in 2016 he and Tim hiked Vermont’s 272-mile Long Trail, raising nearly $12,000 for youth education grants.

Father Rick brings to St. John’s a deep love of liturgy, a heart for community, and a vision for how the church can be a place of hope, welcome, and renewal in today’s world.

Susan ("Sue") was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in America, now known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In 2011, she was received into the Episcopal Church.

From an early age, Sue felt called by the Holy Spirit to be a beacon of light to all those whose lives she touched. Guided by the Spirit, she served in youth leadership throughout her adolescence and young adulthood. While actively volunteering in the Church, she earned an Associate's Degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, and a Master of Divinity degree.

Sue discerned a call to ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church and completed her theological education with faculty support to continue that process. Although the synod committee did not affirm that call at the time, she continued to deepen her understanding of vocation through pastoral care ministry, including two year-long chaplaincy residencies.

After stepping away from formal ordination discernment, Sue worked in a variety of secular professions. Yet the Spirit continued to lead her toward ordained ministry. Ultimately, that call was affirmed and developed through the vocation of the diaconate.

Sue was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons in June 2019. She brings to her ministry the gifts of a chaplain's listening heart, a compassionate presence, hospitality, servant leadership, mercy, and a deep commitment to justice. She embraces the challenges and opportunities of ministry with faith, trusting God to lead the way.

At her ordination service at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore, Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton announced her appointment to Saint John's Episcopal Church in Hagerstown. The clergy, staff, and parishioners of Saint John's have welcomed her warmly and continue to value her ministry among them.

In her secular vocation, Sue serves with the Maryland Department of Social Services as a frontline caseworker, helping individuals and families access food and other essential assistance. She often describes her ministry as a deacon as a full-time calling empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Sue lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, with her wife, Vicki. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and reading, especially Jack Reacher novels.