The Rev. Bob Gross will be installed as priest-in-charge at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Hurst, at 7 pm Monday, April 18. St. Stephen’s is at 463 West Harwood Road, Hurst, TX 76054. The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer will celebrate and the Rev. Karen Calafat will preach at this celebration of a new ministry..
Gross was ordained a priest on December 6, 2008, in the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande. In the fall of 2014, he moved to the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth from the Rio Grande diocese, where he served most recently as priest in charge at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Fort Stockton. Prior to that, he was rector of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, El Paso, from 2008 until his retirement in 2014. He is a brother in the Franciscan Order of Celi De.
Prior to ordination he was parish administrator at All Saints Episcopal Church, El Paso. In the Rio Grande diocese, Gross was involved as an officer in the deanery, as a member of the Diocesan Council, and a local ministerial alliance. He served on the board of the Rio Grande Borderland Ministries.
He graduated with a BA in Music Education from New Mexico State University in 1965, and got a Masters in Music Education from NMSU in 1971. From 1966 to 1969, he served as bandsman/drum major/supply sergeant in the 62nd Army Band at Fort Bliss.
He worked as band director at several high schools, as a graduate assistant and associate director at NMSU, Las Cruces; and was chairman of the Department of Music and band director at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell. He became certified in information technology instruction and worked as a technology coordinator and computer teacher at Ysleta and Socorro school districts, both in El Paso.
He received a Master of Divinity from Laud Hall Seminary in 2004, and completed Anglican Studies, Diocese of the Rio Grande School for Ministry 2007 – 2008.