“11 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me; O LORD, be my helper. 12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy. 13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; O LORD my God, I will give you thanks for ever.”  — Psalm 30:11-13

To our Sisters and Brothers in Christ at Redeemer,

Greetings on behalf of the Vestry in the Name of Christ! With a heart full of joy while giving thanks and praise to God we are pleased to announce The Reverend Canon Victoria Heard as our Sixth Rector. The Vestry voted unanimously to call Canon Victoria at a Special Meeting on July 25th. We know this process has been filled with anxiety and lasted longer than anyone expected. We share that anxiety and are tired too; but now it’s time to take the next steps. Canon Victoria will be joining us for her first Sunday on Aug 28th; we hope you all will be in attendance to show her a warm welcome.  Canon Victoria spent many years on the Diocesan staff working to plant and grow churches and we believe she is the ideal candidate to move us further into Christ’s kingdom doing the good work He has commanded us to go and do.

The Vestry wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to Fr Mike and Susan. Fr Mike has faithfully lead us during a difficult transitional period and provided dedicated service to us in our time of need. We wish he and Susan the absolute best on their next adventure.  Please be on the lookout for how we’ll celebrate their time with us and send them off in true Redeemer fashion.

We’re very excited about the next chapter here at Redeemer and pray you are too. We hope to see you all on Aug 28th.

In Christ,

Roger Hogle, Senior Warden

Daniel Donalson, Vestry Search Chair

The Reverend Canon Victoria Heard

The Rev. Cn. Victoria Heard was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and Virginia.  A graduate of the University of Virginia (where she met her future husband, then a graduate student) and the Virginia Theological Seminary, she was baptized, confirmed, married and ordained at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia.

Her first call following graduation from seminary and ordination was as Assistant Rector at St. James, Leesburg, Virginia. Later serving there as Acting Rector, she reopened Christ Church, Lucketts, Virginia, an experience that led to her interest in church planting and development. While a curate at Pohick Church, Lorton, she also served on the Virginia diocesan staff, and in 1989, Ms Heard planted St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn, Virginia.

Shortly thereafter, she accompanied her husband, David Ridgely, who had accepted a position as a civilian attorney with the U.S. Army in Vicenza, Italy and Frankfurt, Germany.  During this time, she served as Canon in Europe for the Bishop of the Armed Forces. Returning some four years later to Virginia, she became Associate Rector and then Interim Rector at St. George’s in Arlington, Virginia.  In 1997, Ms Heard was called by David Jones, Bishop Suffragan of Virginia as full-time Missioner for Church Planting in the diocese.  In 2006, she accepted an offer from James Stanton, Bishop of Dallas, to serve as diocesan Canon for Church Planting and Congregational Development. She concluded that ministry last September.   

Canon Heard has served six times as delegate to General Convention.  She is delighted to have accepted the call from Church of the Redeemer, Irving, Texas to serve as their sixth rector.

Victoria and her husband, David have three children: their elder son, Edward, lives in San Francisco and is a principle in a Silicon Valley start-up; their younger son, David Jr. will soon be beginning his sophomore year at Richland College in North Dallas and their daughter, Elizabeth, will be in her final year at Notre Dame School in Dallas.

Two aging cats and a yellow Labrador round out the family circle.  Victoria enjoys travel, walking and swimming, is an avid reader and, to her husband’s dismay, a reluctant recycler of books.