St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, at the corner of Winter and Summer streets in Edgartown, is happy to announce the calling of its new rector, the Rev. Vincent Gerald (Chip) Seadale. The parish is enthusiastic that Fr. Chip will first preach and celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 9 a.m., which is the beginning of Advent, the start of a new church year, and the annual St. Andrew’s Day celebration. There is one service that day (instead of the usual 8 and 10 a.m. services), and it is followed by a brunch.

After graduating from high school in Westport, Conn., Fr. Chip went on to graduate from Colgate University and received a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He began his law career as a law clerk at the Connecticut Appellate Court in Hartford and then worked as a lawyer in Connecticut. He finally received his true calling as a priest and graduated from Yale Divinity School in 2004. After being ordained, he began as associate rector for youth and young families at Christ Episcopal Church, a 6,000-member parish in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He went on to serve as rector at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Jacksonville, Fla.

Fr. Chip comes to the Island with his wife of 26 years, Colleen, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist. They have three children: Caitlin Grace is 22 and plans to go to Yale Divinity School; Bridget Leigh is 20 and plans to become a missionary; and James Vincent is 18 and a college freshman. Fr. Chip has many interests, including following the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins, playing tennis and golf, swimming and reading. Fr. Chip and Colleen are looking forward to being part of Island life and will live in the St. Andrew’s rectory in Edgartown’s Bold Meadow.

The prior rector at St. Andrew’s was the Rev. Robert D. Edmunds, who resigned in June 2008 to be the chaplain to the Anglican bishop in Jerusalem.