08/05/2026
Our preacher for August 9 is The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane.
Rev. Melanie serves as our diocesan transition minister, supporting and guiding our congregations, clergy, and lay leaders through periods of transition in leadership and ministry. As part of the Congregations Team, the transition minister provides essential resources, consultation, and process-facilitation to ensure smooth and effective calls to ministry in the diocese, whether in the search for new clergy, the discernment of vocational calls, or in the reimagining of church leadership roles.
Melanie is a lifelong Episcopalian, growing up at Grace Episcopal Church in St. Louis, MO. Her nomadic spirit and love of Jesus led her to serve as a missionary in the Philippines as part of The Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Service Corps.
Since her ordination to the priesthood in 2013, Melanie has served three congregations: Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C., Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves, Missouri, and the Church of the Redeemer in Hyde Park, Cincinnati. From 2020-2025, Melanie also served the Diocese of Southern Ohio as the ecumenical and interfaith relations officer, connecting our churches to a number of state-wide and church-wide networks and organizations.
She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Missouri and an M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary. Melanie is married to the Rev. Christopher Slane, an Episcopal priest, Ph.D. student, and professional soccer referee. Chris currently serves as priest-in-charge of St. Andrew’s, Evanston. They live in Cincinnati with their two young sons, and they love to travel, play sports, and make music together as a family.
