An Exciting New Announcement
Bishop Brown names new Canon to the Ordinary
by Cynde A. Bimbi
While we bid adieu to our beloved Canon Martha Kirkpatrick as she prepares for her well-deserved retirement, it is a great joy to announce that the Rev. Brad Hinton will be joining the team at the Mission Support Office as the new canon to the ordinary, beginning January 2024.
Since 2007, Brad has proudly served the people of St. David’s, Wilmington (Brandywine Hundred) as their rector, chaplain to the day school, and president of the school’s board of directors. He jokes that he has served in this parish so long that people instinctively call him David!
Bishop Brown said, “Through his dedicated service, Brad has demonstrated a unique ability to work in the trenches, nurturing and challenging parishes to reimagine their ministries. His real-world experience in facilitating change and encouraging parishes to break free from the status quo will be invaluable in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of this diocese and the Church as a whole.”
Brad is passionate about serving all congregations no matter shape or size, and his extensive experience spans a diverse range of parishes: small, urban, and suburban. He understands that the context of each congregation is distinct, and his hands-on expertise in these various settings equips him to offer invaluable guidance and support to all congregations.
One of Brad’s most inspiring qualities is his joyful and contagious energy. He approaches ministry with an open-minded creativity that has the power to inspire and
engage others.
Over the years, Brad has gladly served the Episcopal Church in Delaware in a number of ways: vice president of Diocesan Council, chair of the Clergy Life Committee, Safe Church trainer, five-time deputy to General Convention (serving three times as chair/co-chair), as well as a member of the Nominating Committee, Resolutions Committee, and Disciplinary Board. At various General Conventions he was appointed to the Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music Committee (working on a sub-committee to 10/4/2023 address guidelines on the calendar of commemorations in Lesser Feasts and Fasts), as well as the Committee on Governance and Structure (working on sub-committees that received the reports from the Task Force to Reimagine the Episcopal Church). Brad was honored to be appointed to represent Delaware in early church-wide discussions on the rites for blessing same-sex relationships. Closer to home, Brad chaired the task force that created early diocesan guidelines and policies regarding the use of alcoholic beverages at diocesan events as well as treatment guidelines for clergy and diocesan employees. Most recently, Brad served on the COVID-19 task force that helped guide our parishes as we re-opened and is currently on the Standing Committee, completing his second year as president.
His familiarity with our diocese and his standing as a trusted priest within our community will undoubtedly aid in his ministry and his transition into the role of canon to the ordinary.
His spirit of curiosity and a willingness to explore new horizons will certainly enrich our diocese and guide us. Bishop Brown commented, “I have seen, time and again, that
Brad shares with me an eagerness to ask, ‘what if…?’and ‘why not…?’”
Brad hopes that he will be able to serve Bishop Brown, the clergy, and the congregations to equip and build-up the mission and ministries we share:
- Working to facilitate Bishop Brown’s mission and ministry priorities
- Supporting clergy and their families
- Offering contextualized support for congregations in all their variety
- Connecting congregations and helping them access resources
We welcome the Rev. Brad Hinton to this new chapter of our diocesan life and look forward to the many blessings and opportunities that his ministry will bring.
