The
Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Engle completed eight years as Rector of St. Francis of
Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View on June 30, 2019. Members of the church paid homage to Engle following
the service with a reception and recognition with a plaque and flowers for her
service in the Parish Hall.
Engle
joined St. Francis on July 1, 2011 after a two year stint as Deacon and Priest
with St. Mark's in Beaumont, where she covered all aspects of Parish Ministry
and the implementation of Stephen Ministry. Engle also served as Rector of St.
Paul’s Navasota, concurrently with St. Francis.
As
rector for both churches, Engle brought her experiences in virtually every
aspect of Church life, including officiating, preaching, music ministry, worship
leadership, altar guild, Lay Eucharistic Ministry, acolytes, cross-cultural
outreach with international communities in USA and England working with the
homeless, hospital and chaplaincy. The
members benefitted from the rich experiences which broadened their commitment
to being servants of Christ to the communities at large.
In
parting, Engle stated that while she would have loved to retire from the
Diocese as the rector for the churches, she understands that time brings about
a change and wished the members the best in Christ.
She
began her professional career as a music teacher in Cypress Fairbanks
Independent School District and completed stints with the Corpus Christi
Independent School District, Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word Academy in
Corpus Christi. Her other experiences
include serving as an Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at the Fuller
Theological Seminary Regional Campuses (Texas, California, Colorado, Nevada and
Arizona); Tutorial supervisions in Hebrew grammar and text, Cambridge, UK;
Teaching Assistant, Old Testament and Greek tutorials, Trinity School for
Ministry, Ambridge, PA, teaching at the Philharmonic Summer Workshops in
Laredo. Her other experiences include
stints with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Service in Phoenix, AZ and the Bethlehem Haven Shelter
for Women in Pittsburgh, PA.
Reverend
Engle’s service in the ministry began in 1996 in Arizona where she served as Director
for Ioize Worship Group in the Diocese of Arizona, followed with services as a
Volunteer Lay Chaplain with St. Luke's Medical Center in Phoenix, Pastoral
Assistant, Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, Cave Creek, Director of
Christian Education, Christ Church of the Ascension and Deacon, Christ Church
of the Ascension in Paradise Valley, Arizona. She also completed medical
missions to Diocese of Honduras, Central America.
In 2008,
Reverend Engle returned to Texas and was ordained a Deacon in December 2008 in
the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. She
received her ordination in December 2009
Engle
holds the Bachelor of Music from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi,
Master of Divinity from Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA and the Ph.D.
in Old Testament from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England and
certificates in continuing education in Hebrew Reading from Fuller Seminary
Southwest and Languages from Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona.
She is
the recipient of many awards including academic grants and scholarships from
Trinity in Cambridge and Selwyn College and Faculty of Divinity, University of
Cambridge, Fuller Seminary Southwest and Mercer, the Board of Women Graduates and
the Outstanding Greek Award from Trinity School for Ministry.
As a
musician, she’s enjoyed a lifelong and ongoing freelance musical performances
with Music Societies at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, the Mesa
Symphony, Mesa, AZ, Symphony North Houston, Corpus Christi Symphony, the Laredo
Philharmonic and the Prairie View A&M University Symphonic Band.
Engle
was born in Waco and grew up in Houston. She has a son Brian, who teaches
gymnastics and daughters Christine, a stylist and theatre director, and a
foster daughter Heather Ryland, an artist.
