Rev. Sanderson celebrates 50 years

WATERFORD (Dec. 27) — Rev. Herbert Sanderson took Christmas off.

Of course, he’s earned it. Sanderson just celebrated the 50th anniversary as an Episcopal priest. So with relatives in from out of town, he asked for Christmas off. It’s only the second or third time he has had Christmas off in his career. Not that he minds.

Rev. Herbert Sanderson, an assistant rector at Grace Church in Waterford, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

Rev. Herbert Sanderson, an assistant rector at Grace Church in Waterford, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

“It’s one of my happiest times,” he said.

He was back to work Sunday. Sanderson — an assistant rector at Grace Church in Waterford since 2002 — filled in for the organist. It’s a role he is familiar with as he is the congregation’s former organist and current music coordinator.

Sanderson’s calling to the priesthood came when he was studying psychology and music in college.

“I knew that’s what God wanted me to do with my adult life,” he said.

But after college the U.S. government had other plans for him. He was drafted. Because of his music background, he was assigned to be a trombonist with an Army band in South Korea. When a chaplain’s assistant assignment came open, he was able to transfer to it.

After being honorably discharged, Sanderson went to graduate school for a year and then earned a master of divinity degree from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University. He was ordained Dec. 19, 1959 at St. Peter’s Church in Lyndonville, Vt., where he began his priesthood career as a vicar.

After that, he was pastor of St. Paul’s Church in Vergennes, Vt., for 5 years and rector of Holy Cross Church in Troy for 12 years.

In addition to his church duties, Sanderson was a psychologist with a private practice in Troy and an adjunct educational psychology professor at Russell Sage. He still sees a few patients in his psychology practice.

“I was very forthright in wanting to work out of both sets of gifts,” he said. “I really enjoy being a priest and very much enjoy being a psychologist.”

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