The Rev. Dr. John S. Adler, Senior Pastor -
jadler@ionahope.org
John Adler has been a priest for nearly 20 years following a legal career in Chicago. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Iona-Hope Episcopal Church in Fort Myers, FL. This is the second congregation he has planted. The first was St Monica’s in Naples and that congregation has now reached parish status. Adler has a Doctor of Ministry degree in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western Seminary and is also involved in consulting in the areas of church planting, church growth and congregational development.
John is married to Wanda and they have two grown children both of whom are married and live in the Sarasota, Florida area.
Prior to being a lawyer in Chicago John and family spent six years in the U.S. Army. John was discharged as a Captain after six years and had been a pilot for several of those years including a tour in Vietnam.
The Rev. Dr. William G. Hurst, Assisting Pastor -
wgh21@aol.com
Born, Butte, MT 1921 ; raised Seattle & Los Angeles; Army & USAF 1939-1966 Command Pilot & Navigator; married 1944-2003, 5 children, 8 grands, 12 great-grands; graduate Episcopal Theological School & priested 1969, Andover Theological School D.Min 1979; canonical resident NH, licensed SWFL; live in Jamaica Bay.
The Rev. Walter Neds, Assisting Pastor -
weneds@comcast.net
He was born in Lima, Ohio on Dec. 1, 1926. He was married to LaDonne Beasley in Dec. 1946 and they had three children – Mark, Peter and Beth. He has four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He became a Registered Architect in Ohio in 1954 and practiced there until he entered Virginia Theological Seminary in 1959. Following his graduation from VTS, he served at St. Thomas Church in Washington, DC (1962 - 1965), and at Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Mi. (1965 - 1972). He then moved to Miami, Fl where he served in several different parishes in the Diocese of Southeast Florida until l979 when he became Canon to the Ordinary for Ministry in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. He served in that position until his retirement in Jan. 1991. He has been associated with Iona-Hope from its beginning in the store front in 1999. He mostly participates in -- and has been an advocate for -- the Saturday evening service of Healing and the Holy Eucharist.
Ms. Deborah Z. Prather, Chaplain to the Senior Pastor -
debprather@comcast.net
Debbie was born and raised in Lansdale, Pennsylvania where she was baptized and confirmed at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. She is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, MA and has a Master’s Degree from the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
She and Tom have been married for 42 years and have two sons, Will and David.
While living in Selinsgrove, PA, Debbie graduated from the School of Christian Studies of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania with the intention of seeking ordination as a Deacon when the opportunity arose to found and partner in a business venture which is now the Prather Family of Theatres - one of which is the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.
In retirement from business, Debbie has dedicated her life to the service of God in this part of God’s kingdom known as Iona-Hope. It is an honor to serve this congregation where we all can expect miracles.
Mr. Loren J. Strickland, Music Director -
stricklandj@hotmail.com
