Don Compier was born in Oklahoma but raised in the Netherlands before becoming a Californian. He married Yolanda Santos of Mexico City 43 years ago. With their only daughter Nancy (now Gall) they returned to the Midwest in 2001, for good (they think). Don and Yola thoroughly enjoy their granddaughters Elise (7) and Clara (almost 3).

              Religiously, Don began Christian life as an active member and minister of Community of Christ. The family joined the Episcopal Church in 1988. Don was ordained priest in 2015. From 2015 to 2017 he was associate priest for the Spanish-speaking congregation of St. Paul Episcopal Church in Kansas City, KS. He enjoys supporting three congregations now, including St. Augustine in Kansas City, MO, the only  remaining historically African-American Episcopal Church in the region.

              Career-wise, Don studied European and Mexican history at University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA), Princeton University, the University of Texas, and El Colegio de Michoacán before completing master’s-level work in religion at Park University and Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. He completed his doctorate in Christian history and theology at Emory University (Atlanta, GA) in 1992. He was a professor of theology and interdisciplinary studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (Episcopal) and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA from 1992 to 2001. Between 2001 and 2014 he was the dean of the new Community of Christ Seminary of Graceland University, leading distance and online international formation programs. While at Graceland he taught in a number of nations around the world (Zambia, India, Ukraine, Spain, Honduras, Bolivia, Brazil, etc.). He was interim academic dean of Saint Paul School of Theology (United Methodist) in 2011 and 2012.

Don has been the dean (hence “the Very Reverend”) of the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry since 2014. BKSM is one of the pioneers of “local” or “diocesan” formation of priests, deacons, and lay ministers. Its students come from Episcopal dioceses in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. Students have also been sent by the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and by the Ecumenical Catholic Church in Colorado.

As administrative duties allow Don continues to be a publishing scholar. Previous publications include the co-edited volume entitled Empire and the Christian Tradition (2007), named as the year’s best reference work by the Academy of Parish Clergy, and Listening to Popular Music (2013), selected as one of the outstanding works in the annual book issue of Christian Century.

Spiritually Don became an associate (oblate) of the Episcopal Benedictine Order of the Holy Cross in 1994. He serves as a guide for persons undertaking the Spiritual Exercises at the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City. He also volunteers at Cherith Brook Catholic Worker Hospitality House in Kansas City and participates in discussions of the Peter Maurin Academy.

Don wishes that he had more time to listen to music, play the guitar, watch films, and visit the extended family in California, Texas, Mexico and the Netherlands.