The Rev. Dr. Tim Mitchell, Rector

A native Louisvillian, Fr. Tim was installed in 2008 as the 12th rector of Advent since the parish’s founding in 1874.  He loves being back home in Louisville to serve God, Church and the local community.  He enjoys living in the Highlands, working at our village church in the heart of Louisville, and building upon the interconnectedness in our lives on this sacred earth. He dreams about transformed hearts, lives and communities.

Fr. Tim served for thirteen years on the Board of Trustees for the Episcopal Church Pension Fund (www.cpg.org), which provides pensions and other benefits and services to the Church and its employees. Before returning to full time parish ministry, he worked for twelve years as Investment Advisor and Regional Director (San Francisco office) of an investment advisory firm in socially responsible investing, and before that as a corporate banker in Mexico City. He has served on the Investment Committee of the Diocese of Kentucky for over 15 years, currently as Chair, and last year was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Church Home Foundation Board.

Fr. Tim holds the following degrees: Doctor of Ministry from Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA; Master of Divinity from University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, IL; Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.; Graduate Diplomas from University of Salamanca and Colegio de España, Spain (Rotary Foundation Fellowship); Bachelor of Arts (Phi Beta Kappa) from University of Notre Dame.  And to the famous question in Louisville, “Where’d you go to school? St. X.”

Email Fr. | FrTim@adventky.org

The Rev. Dr. Karl Ruttan, Priest-in-Residence | Spiritual Director

Karl Ruttan has ministered as an Episcopal priest for over thirty years serving parishes in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Central Africa. He is a trained and skilled spiritual director, has an office for spiritual direction on the lower level in the parish office, and has an interest in male spirituality and retreat leadership. Karl is married to the wonderful Mary Barkalow; they have two adult children and one grandson.  Feel free to e-mail Fr. Karl if you may be interested in learning more about spiritual direction.

Email Fr. Karl | KarlRuttan@gmail.com

The Rev. Barbara Merrick, Deacon

Barbara has been a deacon for 6 years.  She was originally from St. Paul’s, Louisville where she was a lay leader for 37 years.  After becoming a deacon, she was assigned to St. Peter’s, Louisville.  She has been serving St. Peter’s for the 6 years before coming to Advent.

Barbara lives in Lexington with cantankerous cat, Tiger.  She has two sons, Christopher who works on the American Duchess on the Mississippi River, and Tommy who lives in Lexington and is a math assistant professor at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati.  Tommy has a beautiful wife, Angela, and two fabulous children, Odessa (11) and Evariste (5).  

For hobbies, Barbara bakes cookies with her sister Nancy and sews and reads.  She spends as much time as possible with her 2 grandkids in Lexington.

Email Deacon Barbara | deaconbarbara@adventky.com

Nelson Jackson, Parish Administrator

Nelson Jackson has been a member of Advent since 2010. He has served on the Vestry three different times. He also trains all Acolytes and is a Lector. Currently, Nelson serves on Trustees and Council and The Standing Committee for the Diocese of KY.

Nelson has a B.S. in Secondary Education. He is also the head football coach and boys & girls tennis coach at Southern High School.

Nelson’s favorite things to do are baking, gardening, and riding his bicycle. The joy of his life is his grandson, Avery.

Email Nelson | nelson@adventky.org

James Layton, Organist-Choirmaster

James Layton is a cradle Episcopalian and homegrown in the Diocese of Kentucky; he was baptized at St. Paul’s, Hikes Point, confirmed at St. Luke’s, Anchorage where his family has held membership since 2005, and spent two years singing as a Choral Scholar at St. Francis in the Fields, Harrods Creek. James has been studying the organ privately with Lisa Lewis (Organist/Choirmaster at St. Luke’s) since 2016 and has been singing in choirs since early childhood, beginning in the Angel Choir at St. Luke’s. He attended the Youth Performing Arts School and the University of Louisville School of Music, completing his bachelor’s degree in music education in 2023 and his master’s degree in choral conducting in 2025. James sings locally with the Louisville Chamber Choir and internationally with the RSCM America National Choir, which frequently travels to the United Kingdom for residencies in great cathedrals. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the Association of Anglican Musicians, and was the winner of AAM’s Raymond Glover Grant for Episcopal Liturgical Music in 2025. James also works part time as a substitute music teacher in Jefferson County Public Schools.

Mrs. Marti Taber, Bookkeeper

Marti wears many hats.  In addition to part-time bookkeeping duties for Advent and St. Thomas Episcopal Churches, Marti is the Office Manager/Christian Education Director at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.  Questions regarding your pledge statements should be directed to Marti at the email address below.  Marti is married and has three daughters and one grandson.

Email Marti Taber | bookkeeper@adventky.org