Cleric begins ministry at St. Luke Episcopal

By Rob Cullivan

The Gresham Outlook, Jan 18, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

SHANDA TICE

Reverend Jennifer Creswell, left, with her family, including son Liam Creswell, 4, husband Ian Doescher, and son Graham Doescher, 2.

The Rev. Jennifer Creswell describes herself as shy and introverted.

So of course she decided to pursue that most public of jobs, the ordained ministry. Years ago, aware of her daughter’s religious tendencies, her mother told her she might become a priest someday.

“The reason I immediately said it was crazy idea was because I didn’t like public speaking at all,” Creswell says.

To this day, the 28-year-old is still shy but has gotten better at standing in front of a congregation and talking, although she emphasized her sermons were “pretty short.”

“I don’t like the sound of my voice,” she said with a chuckle.

Creswell will have to simply deal with that as she is now the priest-in-charge at St. Luke the Physician Episcopal Church, 120 S.W. Towle Ave. Creswell was welcomed to the church during the Sunday, Jan. 13, service.

Creswell will work at the parish part-time, spending her off-duty hours caring for the two children she shares with her husband, Ian Doescher, who is studying to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church.

Creswell grew up Catholic, and recalls at one time contemplating the monastic life. Her family joined the Episcopal Church after living in England for a year when she was 13, and her interest in religion continued to grow, in part because the church her family attended had a good youth program.

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