Clergy and Staff

The Rev. Susan Pinkerton joined St. Mike's as Interim Priest in Charge in January 2021, after retiring as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in West Hartford, CT, and relocating to Newport Beach to be near family.

Susan graduated from Berkeley School of Divinity at Yale University and entered ordained ministry in 2009 following a successful career as a trial attorney. She has served on staff at Trinity Wall Street in Manhattan; St. Mark’s on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; the Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, Illinois; and as interim rector at St. Paul’s, Peoria, Illinois, the former Cathedral of the Diocese of Quincy. Susan also serves as a transition consultant for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

A self-proclaimed “military brat” who has lived all over the world, Susan claims Washington, D.C. as her hometown. When time permits, she enjoys being with her three adult daughters and their families, including her three wonderful grandchildren. Traveling, kayaking, and reading are favorite pastimes.

Barbara comes to St. Michael’s after retiring. She has served parishes in Santa Monica and Palos Verdes as an Assistant, and as Rector of St. John the Divine in Costa Mesa. Her ministry at St. John’s included working with Girls’ Friendly Society, ministering to the residents of the senior housing next to the church, and involvement with the parish in a variety of outreach projects.

Barbara has served on the diocesan Commission on Ministry, Diocesan Council, and the Global Partnerships group. In the latter capacity, she has been engaged with the Province of West Africa, the Diocese of El Salvador, and the Dioceses of Mexico and Cuernavaca.

Before her ordination in 1992, Barbara completed a month-long course on The Land of the Bible at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. She has also completed training for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.

Barbara holds a Master of Divinity from Bloy House/School of Theology at Claremont, a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from UCLA.

Susan Caldwell graduated from the of University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in Social Science. Her M.A. in Education/Curriculum and Instruction was completed at Concordia University in Irvine. Susan also holds two California Teaching Credentials, a Multiple and a Single Subject. Her journey at Saint Michael and All Angels began in May of 2012. She has a heart for Christian Education and working with children, youth and adults to build and launch new ministry programs. Susan enjoys Youth Confirmation and teaching Baptism classes for parents, as well as leading the small group study “The Bible Challenge.” She has developed an innovative Vacation Bible School program entitled “Journey with the Saints” which takes place each summer. Susan is in charge of the Acolyte Ministry and oversees the nursery care. In her spare time, Susan enjoys writing, gardening, water-coloring and being near the ocean.

To say Dr. Ray Urwin is an accomplished musician is like saying Chopin was a pretty good pianist.

Ray attended Oberlin College, and earned his Doctorate in Music at Yale University. He is an organist, pianist, harpsichordist, and conductor. Two of his original compositions are in the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church as well as other denominational hymnals and music supplements, and has been commissioned by churches across the country. He was previously music director at St. Francis Church in Palos Verdes and at the Cathedral Church of St. John in Wilmington, Delaware. He is also Accompanist and choir director at Temple Beth Ohr in La Mirada.