Collaborative Diocesan Ministries

The Rev. Canon David Forster Sellery

Before joing the staff of the Diocese of North Carolina, Sellery served as priest-in-charge at St. John’s, Salisbury, Connecticut. He successfully opened the doors of St. John’s to the community, particularly to young people and families, through the “WiFi Café” program he hosted every week in the parish hall. As part of his community outreach mission, Sellery actively served as an emergency medical technician with the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service.

In addition to extensive parish work, Sellery served as the director of institutional advancement for two of New York's premier not-for-profit organizations, focusing in the areas of community development and healthcare. While working in portfolio and investment management, he continued his active ministry serving as visiting clergy to parishes in Connecticut and New York and on Long Island. His experience as a commuting executive informs his perspective in serving families in commuter communities. He later returned to full-time parish work to which he brought his enhanced administrative, communications and stewardship skills.

Born in Norwood, Massachusetts, Sellery was educated in public schools in Darien, Connecticut; Malvern, Pennsylvania and Woodland Hills, California. He majored in English Literature and received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut (1989), Masters of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary in New York (1992), and Certificate in Appreciative Transitional Ministry (2013) and Certificate in Appreciative Coaching via The Clergy Leadership Institute (2015). Sellery serves as a director of Nazareth Friends, Inc. a family foundation that owns and operates four homes for people with developmental disabilities in Florida.

Sellery is married to Jane Muir Sellery. They have two sons, Robert and William.

Website: davidsellery.org
Podcast: Fr. Sellery Presents This Week’s Focus