Shariya has announced that she will retire as Rector of St. Andrew’s with her last day on Sunday, June 14. Please help us say goodbye to her well by joining us at the Parish Picnic on June 14, 2026 after the 10:00 am service. The picnic this year will be at St. Andrew's.
You may read Shariya's beautiful letter to the parish and the wardens' letter by clicking on the links below.
Clergy
The Rev. Shariya Molegoda
The Reverend Shariya Molegoda has served as rector of St. Andrew’s since November 2016.
A graduate of Berkeley/Yale Divinity School, she was ordained in the Diocese of Massachusetts. Prior to her arrival at St. Andrew’s, she served parishes in Massachusetts and Missouri.
Her early formation occurred in her native land – Sri Lanka. She remains an ‘islander’ in both temperament and inclination.
Before entering seminary Shariya studied wildlife ecology and she continues to harbor a particular affection for the species that were the subject of her graduate work – elephants, water buffalo, and feral hogs.
Deacon Ron Steed
The Rev. Ronald Steed serves as an Episcopal Deacon in Southeast Connecticut and as a hospital chaplain at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London. He is also a published author, known for lyrical and heartful reflections that are spiritual, simple, and artful.
Before ordination, Ron served as a Captain in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Submarine Force, where he commanded the USS Jefferson City (SSN 759) and was the Commodore of Submarine Squadron Two. After 26 years of service, he later led UpScope Consulting and worked as Deputy Director of the New London Homeless Hospitality Center, one of the most innovative homeless shelters in New England.
Ron lives in Mystic, CT, with his wife Roxanne, an artist specializing in oil and watercolor journal paintings of landscapes of New England and Europe.
Church Staff
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St. Andrew's Episcopal Church