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Letter to the editor

St. Thomas' longtime music director leaves

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published June 24, 2007

The longtime music director and liturgist at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, a prominent Snell Isle congregation, has left his job.

The circumstances of William Sharrow's departure are unclear, but some parishioners are upset and several have left the choir.

News of his leaving came in a letter from the vestry to the congregation dated June 7 that said Sharrow, 60, had submitted his resignation effective that day. The change occurred shortly after the arrival of St. Thomas' new rector, the Rev. Chris Schuller. Though new rectors sometimes hire new staff, Sharrow's sudden departure has unsettled the thriving congregation.

Reached by telephone at his home, Sharrow declined to discuss the matter.

Dodd Disler, the church's senior warden, or head of its governing board, described the situation as "ongoing" and said efforts were being made to resolve the issue with the former choir director.

Schuller, 48, the new priest, also is saying little.

"We don't have anything to hide, " he said. "But generally, out of love and Christian compassion for Bill Sharrow, I'm going to have to decline" to comment.

The priest, whose first Sunday service at the Snell Isle church was June 17, said he had to consider the feelings of both Sharrow and parishioners.

"Bill served St. Thomas' for 22 years, and the great majority of this time was fruitful ministry, " he said.

Dr. William Futch, a member of St. Thomas' for more than 55 years, said he has seen many people come and go, but he will miss the choir director.

"I will miss what he has done for St. Thomas' over the 22 years he has been here. I liked his ability to pick the right tunes for the right thing and just do it right, so far as I am concerned, " Futch said.

Betty Jean Miller, a former St. Petersburg Times reporter, said Sharrow's departure came as a surprise. "It really upset a lot of people, " she said.

"I enjoyed being in the choir with him for 22 years and was on the search committee to find him. He is brilliantly gifted musically. I think he got more out of our little choir than anyone else could have done."

Miller said she heard that Sharrow had been offered the option of resigning by vestry members on June 7. He had talked about leaving in about two or three years for New Zealand, she said.

Waveney Ann Moore can be reached at 727 892-2283 or moore@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 24, 2007, 00:14:35]