The Reverend Lisa A. Hoffman, Rector
I was ordained as a Priest in the Diocese of New Jersey on June 30, 2011, following my graduation with a Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary earlier in the spring. Before my ordination, I served as intern at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Red Bank as well as a Seminarian/Deacon at Church of the Ascension in Silver Spring Maryland within the Diocese of Washington, D.C. While serving at Church of the Ascension, I was very active in their many justice ministries including LGBTQ advocacy, racial equality, and prison reform – all ministries which I remain passionate about since leaving the Diocese of Washington, D.C. to return to New Jersey. In addition to my interest in justice and outreach, the teaching ministry is very close to my heart. I have designed several programs on topics such as The History and Development of the Book of Common Prayer, the Parables, and a study of Islam and the Quran.
Before coming to Christ Church, I was the Vicar at St. Barnabas by-the Bay in Villas, New Jersey (just north of Cape May). During my almost 10 years with them, I continued my work in social justice, outreach, and formation. Our food pantry served as the local coordination site for large quantities of relief supplies following Hurricane Sandy, working with other local congregations to move goods up and down the state of New Jersey. With our Deacon, we launched an offsite clothing thrift store in a local strip mall which is now in its sixth year of operation. In my first two years of ministry with St. Barnabas, I served concurrently as the Assistant Rector for Outreach at St. Mary’s in Stone Harbor and was the director of The Branches Outreach Center ministering the underserved and homeless people of Cape May County.
Prior to pursuing my call to the priesthood, I received my Bachelor of Science in Art Education with a Minor in Aesthetic Education and worked in the field of education in the elementary schools teaching art, classroom education and as a special education assistant. After working 17 years in education, I spent 12 years in retail management overseeing merchandising, operations, customer service and human resources.
My husband Jeff and I live in Freehold where we have two active and happy Cairn Terriers to fill our empty nest. We have three adult children who live in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida with their spouses/partners. In the evenings or on my day off, I can be found with a crochet hook in my hand watching old science fiction reruns, reading, or playing puzzle games on my iPad. Our whole family are Disneyphiles and make the trek to Orlando once to twice a year to enjoy some family time together.
I am very happy to be at Christ Church and look forward to meeting all of you in person and working together in ministry to the Toms River community and beyond.
The Reverend José Cantos-Delgado, Associate Rector
I am married to Mercedes, my second wife and I have three children from my first marriage: Laura, Cristina and Alberto and I have four grandchildren. In 1991 I was received as a member of the Anglican communion in Argentina and since that year I have worked for the Anglican church.In 2003, we moved to Barcelona, Spain. On Good Friday of that year we were already participating in our first religious service in the Church of Christ of the Spanish Episcopal Church.
In addition to being a lay leader in Spain, José was the director of an ecumenical center of the Episcopal Church in Salamanca. In addition to voluntary and paid work in the church, we worked in a center for migrants of African origin, a center that helped and guided young people.
In 2014, encouraged by the proposal to exercise an ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church, we returned to Ecuador permanently. José was in charge of two missions in Manta; Iglesia de San Esteban and Iglesia de San José Obrero until he was ordained a transitional deacon in 2016. Working in formation, counseling and pastoral care, the church had significant growth, and programs were created to help the poorest people affected by the earthquake that caused almost 700 victims.
Currently I have been ordained a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, a greater commitment of service to the community, the church and the Kingdom of God.
The Reverend Carolyn Bradley, Deacon
The Rev. Dr. Carolyn Bradley, Dcn was ordained to the vocational diaconate in 2015. As of June, 2024, she serves at Christ Church, Toms River. Dcn Carolyn is excited to be at Christ Church and looks forward to getting to the people of the parish and working with them to serve their needs and the needs of the larger Toms River community. Previously she served for nine years at Trinity Episcopal Church, Asbury Park.
Dcn Carolyn has experience as a Director of Pastoral Care and Adult Formation and coordinating parish LGBTQ+ committees. At the Diocesan level, she serves on the Deacons’ Council, The LGBTQ+ Commission, and the Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Previously, she has served on the Ministry with Older Adults Committee, the Pastoral Response Tam and as a Safe Church Trainer.
Dr. Bradley has a MSW and PhD from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service, NYC. She has been a professional social worker for 40+ years working in a variety of clinical practice settings and in education. Most recently, Dr. Bradley was an Associate Professor and MSW Director for the School of Social Work at Monmouth University. She retired from Monmouth in 2019 but maintains an association with the University as a clinical associate professor and assisting with an ongoing research project on aging in the LGBTQ+ community.
Dcn Carolyn lives in Brick with her wife, Mickey, and their terrier, Maeve. Mickey and Carolyn were married in 2013 at Trinity Church, Asbury Park. They have been together for 34 years.
The Reverend Ted Foley, Deacon (Retired)
I was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of New Jersey on May 5, 2012, and began serving at Christ Church about one month later. Over the next 12 years, I gladly served the people of Christ Church and the community around Toms River until my retirement from Christ Church in January 2024. In addition to my various ministries within the parish, I also had the privilege of leading the Interfaith Clergy Association of Greater Toms River – living into Jesus’s words “that they all may be one”. Additionally, homelessness in Ocean County has been a great concern and I became a founding board member of the Toms River Housing and Homelessness Coalition. The “Coalition” continues to be a presence in the old Parish House on the Christ Church campus partnering with other organizations in providing housing solutions to those who are homeless or housing insecure. In October 2021, I was named Archdeacon in the Diocese of New Jersey and continue to serve Bishop Sally French and the deacons in the diocese in that capacity. Although I have retired from full-time ministry at Christ Church, I will occasionally assist with Sunday services. I love the people at Christ Church. It is a joy to serve them.
The Reverend Lew McCrum, Deacon (Retired)
I accepted my calling to the diaconate from Christ Church and was ordained in 1990. I retired in 2008. I had been involved in particular in the coordination and training of chalice bearers and lay eucharistic ministers. I also shared in the visitation of the sick, shut-ins and hospitalized parishioners. Since retirement I still participate in services when needed.
Our Staff
Nicole Strada
Parish Administrator
Kathy Schott
Financial Assistant
Selena Garcia
Bilingual Office Assistant
Polly Moore
Music Director
Andrew Van Buskirk
Organist
Rosario Lampo
Sexton
Our Vestry
What Your Vestry Does
The vestry of the Episcopal Church is responsible for overseeing parish finances, the buildings, and being leaders of the vestry commissions: evangelism, education, pastoral care, communications, stewardship, outreach, justice, worship, buildings and grounds, and fellowship.
The vestry meets (except during Lent) on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:00PM until often 9:00PM until all issues on the agenda are covered. These meetings are open to the parish to attend.
