Third Rector of St. Thomas of Canterbury (1996- )
Father Payne was ordained Deacon in 1989 and Priest in 1990. He was called as interim Rector in 1995, and elected Rector of St. Thomas of Canterbury in 1996. Prior to his call to St. Thomas he assisted in the planting of several mission churches and taught at St. Nicholas Christian School. He previously was employed in the banking industry for fifteen years prior to his ordination. Fr. Payne holds degrees from Cummins Theological Seminary, located in Charleston, South Carolina, an Institution of the Reformed Episcopal Church, and is also an alumnus of St. George's School of Theology, San Antonio, Texas, (now located in El Paso), the University of Houston, Houston, Texas, and Lon Morris College , located in Jacksonville, Texas.
Fr. Payne has also been awarded a Doctor of Divinty Degree by the Theological Commission of the Reformed Episcopal Church.
In addition to his duties at St. Thomas, Fr. Payne serves as Archdeacon [ a senior assistant to the Bishop] of the Diocese of Mid-America, and as one of the Examining Chaplains for candidates for Holy Orders. Prior to his appointment as Archdeacon, he served as Canon to the Ordinary and Secretary of the Diocese of Mid-America from 2000-2007.
He also serves the Reformed Episcopal Church at the national level as chairman of the Committee on Constitution and Canons. He is a member of the regular faculty at Cranmer Theological House, the diocesan seminary, where he teaches Church History.
Archdeacon Payne has been published in the U.S. Anglican, The Christian Challenge, and DEUS Reformed Episcopalians magazine. He is also the author of "Old Paths Restored" a history of the Episcopate of the Reformed Episcopal Church, has written several published tracts and together with Bishop George Fincke, co-authored "A catechism for Our Children". Fr. Payne and his wife, the former Deborah Ashley have been married for thirty-five years and have two grown children. He is active in Rotary and other civic and heritage organizations.