The Rector

The Reverend Kyle Tomlin became rector of Church of the Messiah on January 16, 2015. Father Kyle was born and raised in Millville, NJ. After earning a BA in Psychology from The Richard Stockton College of NJ, Fr. Kyle worked for eight years as a psychiatric social worker at Family Service Association in Atlantic County, NJ. In this vocation he counseled and educated people suffering from a host of psychological disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia, Personality Disorders, and substance abuse issues.

In 2005, after ten years of wrestling with a call to ordained ministry, Fr. Kyle began studying for an MDiv (Masters of Divinity) degree at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA and began the process of ordination to the Priesthood through the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. He completed his MDiv degree in May 2009. He was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate through the Episcopal Diocese of Albany by The Rt. Rev. William Love in December 2009 and was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Love at the Church of St. Alban in Roxborough (Philadelphia, PA) on June 21, 2010, where he took up his first call as a Rector.

Fr. Kyle is a traditional, Christ-centered, Reformational, Anglican Christian, who believes the Bible to be the inspired and authoritative word of God and a living testimony to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He also holds The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion in the Book of Common Prayer, as well as the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the three historical Creeds, and the Lord's Prayer, to be his confession of faith.

Fr. Kyle is married to his wife of 20 years, Holly, and together they have a daughter, Evangeline. In addition to enjoying spending time with his family, in his free time Fr. Kyle enjoys reading the works of Martin Luther and the Church Fathers and many, many, many comic books. He previously co-hosted a podcast called, “God and Comics,” along with two priests, that explored the intersection of Christianity and the comic book medium. Fr. Kyle also holds a third-degree black belt in Okinawan Goju-Ryu, is an avid fan of classic rock music, and a lover of fine stouts, scotch, and coffees.