Leadership

The Reverend Shireen Baker, Rector

The Rev. Shireen Baker has a Master’s of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary.  She was ordained to the Priesthood in January of 2014.  Prior to becoming the rector at Church of Our Saviour, Mo. Shireen served for 2 years as Assistant Rector of Saint Clement’s by the Sea in San Clemente California. Before becoming a priest Mo. Shireen attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in both New York and Los Angeles, and received her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from UCLA.  Mo. Shireen is passionate about liturgy, pastoral care and outreach.  She believes in an inclusive and outward focused church. She loves creating things, traveling, and learning something new.​

​Bro. Nathanael Rahm, BSG, Organist and Choir Master

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Like many of us at Church of Our Saviour, Br. Nathanael was not raised in the Episcopal Church. He grew up playing the organ in United Methodist Churches in West Tennessee and also in Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches before his move to Chicago. Arriving in Chicago in 1984, he began attending The Church of the Atonement, just two doors down the street from his residence. He was confirmed at The Atonement on Pentecost 1985 by Bishop Frank T. Griswold III. After a short time as the 9 a.m. organist there, in 1986 he was hired as the assistant organist and director of the girls’ choir at St. Luke’s, Evanston. He then spent five years at Church of the Holy Nativity, Clarendon Hill, IL. Finally,  after over 22 years at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Chicago, Br. Nathanael joined our COS community in September 2015 as our organist and choir director. Nathanael attempts to choose hymns and anthems to complement the Church Liturgical Year and the Sunday Eucharistic readings. He says, “If I play the Gospel and the congregation sings the Gospel and the preacher proclaims the Gospel we all come out together in the end.” 

A Life Professed Brother, Nathanael has been a member of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory since 2002, living a life bound by Love and Service. He recently celebrated 17 years of profession.

 Most Sunday mornings, he takes two “L” trains and a bus to travel to COS for Sunday services. And, every Sunday, the COS congregation is thankful as he fills the church with beautiful music and leads us in songs of praise!

​The Reverend Don Judson, Priest Associate, RIP

​Fr. Don graduated from the Episcopal Divinity School in Boston.  He served parishes in New York State and Ohio, and was a campus minister in Ohio for seven years.  He then came to Chicago to pursue further study in divinity and social services.  In the 1970s he realized his calling was to minister in social services while assisting parishes on weekends.  Prior to his retirement he served twelve years for the State of Illinois, working to protect the treatment rights of persons with disabilities.  He has been with the Church of Our Saviour since 2003, assisting with Sunday Eucharists and leading Bible Study and Readers Group.  He has been married to Jean for almost 40 years, has two sons and one grandson.

Vestry

Angie McPhillips Sr. Warden
Mary Straka Jr. Warden
Pat Prine Clerk
Emmy Johnston Treasurer
Judy Greaves Vestry
Stephanie Morrill Vestry
Susan Bush Vestry