The Reverend Jay A. Hobbs

The Rev. Jay Alan Hobbs was called to become the 6th Rector of The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and Good Shepherd Episcopal School in 1999.

Jay is a graduate of St. James School, Maryland, and the University of Virginia, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education. He received his Masters of Divinity degree from The Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia.

Jay was ordained in 1972 in the Diocese of Washington. He began his ministry as Curate of Ascension Chapel in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he met his wife Sarah. Jay then served as Chaplain of the Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, and as Assistant Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, also in Lynchburg. Jay and Sarah then moved to Mississippi where Jay served as Vicar of the Leland – Hollandale Missions. Returning to Virginia, Jay became Chaplain of The Boys' Home in Covington, Virigina for three years. Jay and Sarah moved again, this time to New Orleans, Louisiana, where Jay combined parish and school work as Assistant Rector and Chaplain of St. Paul's Church and School. In 1987, Jay became Rector of Good Shepherd Church in Asheboro, North Carolina, a post he held until coming to Good Shepherd in Dallas.

Jay and his wife Sarah have been married for 34 years, and have three adult children and two grandchildren.

The Rev. Herbert R. DeWees

Herb brings us years of ministry experience within the Diocese of Dallas. He has served at Church of the Incarnation, Canterbury House-St. Alban's SMU, Church of the Ascension and, just prior to joining Good Shepherd, as Curate and Assistant Rector at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Following completion of the Diocesan Process for Discernment, Bishop Stanton directed Herb to Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, where he completed his Master of Divinity. Herb completed his Clinical Pastoral Education requirements at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, as Chaplain to the Addiction and Recovery Unit. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of Presbyterian Hospital Attending Clergy Association.

The Rev. Anita M. Slovak, Curate

Anita comes to Good Shepherd after serving 3.5 years at Epiphany in Richardson, as their Director of Christian Education and Women's Minister. Prior to this, Anita was integral in planting St. Philip's in Frisco serving as their Business Manager and Worship Coordinator. Anita is currently the chairperson for the Diocesan Christian Formation Commission and Providence 7 Representative for Christian Formation.

Anita grew up in Johnstown, PA where she completed her Bachelor of Art in Sociology with a minor in Computer Science. She was moved to Texas by her employer, Texas Instruments (TI). Anita completed a Master's in Management at the University of Texas at Dallas while at TI. It was while at TI that Anita felt a strong call to ministry and cut back to part-time employment so that she could pursue a theological degree.

After 24 years of service, Anita retired from her Senior Business Analyst position at TI in 2004 to take the full-time ministry position at Epiphany while she was also attending seminary full-time. In December 2006 Anita completed her Master of Divinity at Perkins School of Theology at SMU. She then served six months as a Chaplain at Parkland Hospital in Dallas to complete the requirements for Clinical Pastoral Education.

Anita was ordained to the transitional Deaconate on January 26, 2008 and began serving Good Shepherd on February 1, 2008 as our curate while she prepares for ordination to the priesthood. Anita is married to Johnny and has two sons, Andrew and Matthew.