Mother Diana Wilcox

The Rev. Diana Wilcox is the 21st Rector of Christ Episcopal Church, and began serving here in January of 2014.  In addition to her focus on social justice and outreach, Mother Diana is an energetic preacher with experience in developing programs for youth and young adults, as well as spiritual enrichment opportunities for all ages. She is the author of the award winning children’s book “Why Isn’t God A Girl? A Young Girl’s Journey To See The Image Of God In Herself.“

She holds a Masters of Divinity from Drew University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University. You can often catch her walking her dog Lexi, a black lab with three legs that she adopted after her beloved cat, Bogart (the Magnificat), passed away in May of 2017.

Mother Diana also served as the Protestant Chaplain at Montclair State University, from 2010-2017, where she led worship services, provided pastoral care, and developed and led programs for students, staff and faculty.  In her past professional life, she had worked in the Information Technology management field, her last position as the Vice President for Open Systems Engineering and Global Program Management for AIG. Prior to her work at AIG, she was a management consultant for CSC Consulting, working with large multi-nationals.

Mother Diana serves in various positions across the diocese, the Episcopal Church, and in the community.  In the Diocese, she serves on the Standing Committee, as Co-Chair of the Anti-Sexism Task Force, the Ecumenical-Interfaith Commission, the Budget & Finance Committee, and in the past has has been Vice-President of Diocesan Council, served on the Diocesan Disciplinary Board, the Crossroads (Episcopal-Lutheran Camp) board, and other Diocesan organizations.  Within the larger church, Mother Diana currently serves on the Executive Council Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, and has served on the Provincial Court, as a Deputy to General Convention, on the Special Committee on Sexual Harassment & Exploitation, and more.

Though born in Long Island, Mother Diana grew up in Maryland, where most of her family still lives.  Her parents are from West Virginia, and she often spent summers there as a child.

She is a devoted Mets fan, and enjoys painting, golf, good friends, good food, and good humor (no, not the ice cream – although she says that’s good too).  She lives in rural Sussex County (near the PA border) with Lexi, and two cats – Katie and Lauren.

To reach Mother Diana, email her at rector@christchurchepiscopal.org or call her at the office at 973-743-5911, ext. 1.

 

 

 

 

Deacon Jackie McLeod

The Rev. Deacon Jackie McLeod served her field education with us during 2023-2024, and was ordained to the vocational diaconate on April 13, 2024.  

Deacon Jackie served as the Executive Director of Healing Communities Network (HCN) June 2010 to October 1, 2021, when the program merged with Network Support Services, Inc. and she retired. HCN was a prison re-entry program for the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated that addressed issues of trauma and successful re-integration into the community. The program empowered individuals to direct their own rehabilitation in support groups that built self-esteem and a sense of community. HCN operated in six New York State prisons for 40+ years. The program continues under the umbrella of Network Support Services, Inc. Deacon Jackie is a consultant.

Deacon Jackie previously worked for 20 years as a professional fundraiser for national, state and local organizations as Executive Vice President of Financial Development. She held positions at The American Lung Association, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic and A Better Chance and the YWCA of Bergen County. She has effectively developed and implemented programs to meet emerging community needs in health and education. She has taught Health Education courses at St. Francis College, Brooklyn, NY, Montclair University, Montclair, NJ and Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ.

Deacon Jackie has been a member of the Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS) Advisory Board, Sloan Epidemiology Center at Boston University since 1991. BWHS is the largest follow-up study of black women’s health.  She also was a member of the National Institutes of Health – Heart, Blood and Lung Advisory Council, Bethesda, Maryland for four years, where she was a member of the team that reviewed multi-million – dollar research grants awarded by the United States government.

Deacon Jackie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Education from New York University and a Master’s of Public Health Degree from Columbia University School of Public Health. She has also received numerous certificates in Leadership Development, Program Development, Volunteerism and Organizational Management. Volunteer work includes thirteen years as a Trustee of the National American Lung Association and served as the National President in 1995. Jackie was elected to the Teaneck Board of Education in 1986 and served for six years – two years as Board President. In 1990, Deacon Jackie was re-elected to the Board of Education in the aftermath of the Pannell shooting incident. As Board President she had to navigate the turmoil that surrounded this traumatic community incident. In 1990 after things settled down in Teaneck, Mayor Eleanor Kieliszak and Deacon Jackie approached Governor Florio during his visit to Fairleigh Dickinson University to inquire about grant previously submitted for youth center in Teaneck. Shortly thereafter grant was approved for development of Teaneck High School Forum. In 2001, Jacqueline was asked to serve out the term of a Board Member who had resigned.

In February 2020, Deacon Jackie was honored as one of 8 revered elders in “Tribute to the Elders organized by Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Teaneck, NJ.

Deacon Jackie is the widow of Rev. Dr. Lonnie McLeod and mother of her late daughter Jennifer and grandmother to twins – Ava and Alex Tomlinson, who now attend Teaneck High School. She is an Alumnae Member of the Bergen County NJ Links and the Martin Luther King, Jr Birthday Celebration Committee.