Clergy
Vicar The Rev. Canon Britt Olson
Welcome to St. Luke’s Church in Ballard where we seek to love our neighbors as God loves us all. Our neighborhood is rich in diversity and so are we. Together we are pilgrims on a spiritual journey, growing in faith, hope and love. Here you will find food along the way as well as opportunities to feed others who are hungry. Grow with our garden (the “SLUG”), feed the vulnerable with a daily breakfast and weekly lunch and belong to a community who prays, sings and listens for God each week.
Priest Associates
The Rev. Mary Petty Anderson
The Rev. Mary Petty Anderson comes to St. Luke’s from Bainbridge Island, where she was Associate Priest at Grace for 10 years. Before that, Mary worked as Assistant with Randy Gardner at Emmanuel, Mercer Island.
After seminary at E.T.S.S., Austin, she was ordained in the Diocese of Western Louisiana by Bob Hargrove and was the first woman to serve at the altars and pulpits in that region. Also licensed as a Jungian-oriented professional counselor, Mary showed up in Seattle for a mental health conference in 2003 and never left. In church life, her strengths lie in preaching, liturgy, teaching, and pastoral care. In secular life, her passions include her children and grandchildren, the performing arts, books, searching for beauty in any guise, and finding joy in the unknown.
Mother Hillary Kimsey
The Rev. Hillary B. Kimsey hails originally from South Carolina from a loving Southern Baptist family. After graduating from College of Charleston with Bachelor’s degrees in English and Secondary Education, Hillary spent several years as a high school English teacher before she entered seminary. During her years in seminary, Hillary came to St. Paul’s in Bremerton and later was confirmed into the Episcopal Church. She graduated with her Masters of Divinity from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 2017.
Hillary currently serves as a staff chaplain at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, where she provides spiritual care and emotional support to patients and families of many diverse cultures and backgrounds. When she isn’t working, you might find Hillary chasing around their beloved Corgi named Booster, reading the latest novel or Wonder Woman comic on her list, or picking out a camping spot or road trip destination to explore with her beloved spouse, Tom.
Lynne Markova, Seminarian
Lynne is a postulant for the priesthood in the Diocese of Olympia and is attending the General Theological Seminary’s hybrid MDiv program. She comes to us from Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, where she served in worship, governance, and a variety of other ministries.
Lynne’s “day job” involves providing strategic planning, change management, and other organizational development services. In her space time, she enjoys music, both listening and singing; exercise, reading, and spending time with friends.
Staff
Musician
The Rev. Ivar Hillesland
Ordained in the Lutheran Church (ELCA), Ivar serves as the pastor of Church of the Apostles in Seattle, WA, a joint mission of the Diocese of Olympia and the Northwest Washington Synod. He holds a BA from Pacific Lutheran University, an MDiv from Yale Divinity School and a Certificate of Advanced Theological Studies from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.
Ivar teaches early childhood music at two preschools as well as family-child classes through his Stomping Ground Music Together school. He is also the music leader at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ballard. Ivar is a proud graduate of the College for Congregational Development and is particularly interested in congregational singing, creative worship and Lutheran/Episcopal dialogue.
