[Trinity Wall Street press release] The Parish of Trinity Wall Street has called the Very Rev. Dr. William Lupfer, the dean of the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, as its next rector. Lupfer was named at the vestry’s June 11 meeting.

Lupfer will succeed the Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper to become the 18th rector of the historical Episcopal parish, chartered in 1697.

“Early in the Call process, a rector from another church advised us to seek someone ‘who loves the people.’ We believe we have found such a person in Dr. Lupfer. The Visitation team that went to see him at Trinity Cathedral in Portland was struck by the palpable affection that seemed to flow within that Congregation and between the Congregation and their Dean. We have faith in the Holy Spirit that as the steward of Trinity Wall Street, Dr. Lupfer will be a profound leader who will forge a strong and pastoral bond with the members of our parish and engage the diverse viewpoints of our community and our world,” said Church-Warden Christopher McCrudden.

“I am humbled and blessed by the opportunity to follow the extraordinary spiritual leaders whose presence has graced, guided, and sustained this historic and vibrant parish for more than three centuries” said Lupfer. “The ministry of Trinity Wall Street echoes for the ages, a faith community whose mission work throughout the Anglican Communion, from Lower Manhattan to the Global South, is both broad and personal and rich with promise. I am honored to dedicate myself to its ministry and future. With the help of the Holy Spirit, together we will seek the betterment of human life according to God’s vision, for a world of good.”

Lupfer is dean of the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Oregon, an urban congregation of 1,800 members from the greater Portland area. He is also active ecumenically with other leaders around the country.

He joined Trinity Cathedral in 2003. Before coming to Trinity Cathedral, Lupfer served parishes in Kenilworth, Illinois and Plymouth, Michigan. He has also spent time serving campus ministries in Evanston, Illinois and Baltimore, Maryland, and as a prison chaplain in Connecticut.

He was a vice president of the Psychological Studies and Clergy Consultation Program and served on the Commission on Ministry in Michigan. In Oregon, he was on the board of directors of Legacy Health, the largest nonprofit, locally owned health system in the Portland-Vancouver area and also served as co-chair of the Companion Diocese Committee.

Lupfer earned his bachelor’s degree in Comparative Religions from the University of Colorado (1983), and his Master of Divinity degree from Yale University (1987). He was awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (2003), completing his dissertation, “The Rector as Parish Leader: Leveraging Vestry Leadership for Spiritual Formation.”

Lupfer was ordained deacon in 1993 and priest in 1994.

He and his wife, Kimiko Koga Lupfer, married in 1990. They are the parents of teenagers, their daughter, Sarah, and their son, Kyle.

“Trinity was honored and blessed by the caliber of candidates in the call process. Each one has a special gift they bring to the Church. In Dr. Lupfer, we found a priest who embodies the bright future of Trinity as a spiritual leader, inspiring preacher, talented teacher and communicator. We see the future in Dr. Lupfer’s strong capacity to bring people together in the service of God, and as a parish we are tremendously excited to support him in his ministry at Trinity,’ said Church-Warden Joseph E. Hakim.

Cooper had announced previously that he would retire in early 2015 after serving for 11 years at Trinity Wall Street.

“Dr. Cooper has served our congregation and the church’s mission here and abroad with devotion and distinction. Under his leadership, Trinity’s congregation has grown, its ministries have thrived and its traditions have been enriched,” said Church-Warden McCrudden.

In 1698, services commenced at the first Trinity Church to stand at the head of Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. The third Trinity Church, circa 1846, stands there today.