Meet The Rev. Dr. Joy Edith Rogers, Provost

Joy Rogers is a native of Pennsylvania and a life-long Episcopalian. She began her career as a critical care nurse and was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Chicago in 1985. From 1985 to 1995 she served as Associate Rector of St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Illinois, and for a short time as Congregational Missioner for Church of the Holy Family in Lake Villa, Illinois. She has been Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan, since 1995.

Joy earned a Masters of Divinity in Parish Ministry and a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, where she now serves as a trustee. She has taught preaching at seminaries, diocesan deacon schools, and annual preaching conferences for Episcopal seminarians. She lectures on the theology of worship and the meaning of liturgy, and has developed special liturgies for gatherings of diocesan teens.

In the Diocese of Western Michigan, Joy served on the Diocesan Commission on Stewardship and the Commission on Ministry. She has led leadership training in various venues, including national church Stewardship leadership conferences, and founded a faith-based community organizing group in Battle Creek to effect changes in systems that perpetuate poverty and racism in communities.  

Joy has nurtured congregations into new understandings of evangelism and hospitality, into stewardship practices that invigorate a parish’s ministries, into a renewed sense of Gospel mission, and into an appreciation of the spiritual quest of younger generations. She has a special relationship with the Association of Anglican Musicians, having served as preacher for liturgies at three national conferences. In the summer of 2006 she was the preacher at St. James Cathedral Chicago for a service of Morning Prayer for the 2006 American Guild of Organists National Convention. 

Joy's sermons have been published in Sermons That Work (Morehouse Publishing) and The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians (2002). In the early 1990s she made frequent appearances on 30 Good Minutes (WTTW Channel 11 – PBS Chicago) as a commentator, and has been a regular contributor to the Battle Creek Enquirer, writing about faith-based approaches for 21^st Century issues.

Joy is married to Nathaniel (Nat). They are the parents of two adult children, Amy and Jonathan, and a grandchild, Adelle Joy.