Rev. Dr. Helen Roberts Beasley

Helen Roberts Beasley grew up in Roanoke where her father, the Rev. Dr. Richard Beasley, was the Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, The Cathedral Church of the Diocese, for 22 years. He and her brother both went to Virginia Episcopal School here in Lynchburg. Her father was born in Lynchburg, as was his father, William Beasley. Her mother, Carrie Mae Beasley, was a concert-level pianist who taught piano in the rectory in Roanoke and occasionally performed.

Many years ago, Helen’s former husband, presently retired Bishop of the Armed Forces, USA, came with her and their oldest daughter to live in Lynchburg right out of Virginia Seminary to serve as Associate Rector of St. Paul’s. At the time, Helen worked for the Lynchburg Museum producing their newsletter late at night after her daughter was asleep. Prior to her marriage, Helen was a reporter for the Richmond Times Dispatch and the Atlanta Constitution, so producing the newsletter was a familiar experience.

Years later, when her older daughter was six, the family lived in the rectory of Christ Church, Martinsville, where her husband was Rector. After attending a healing prayer retreat at Duke, Helen came home and later was able to have a second child. The retreat awoke in Helen the desire to pursue an accredited two-year course in Spiritual Direction in Rye, New York, and then seminary education at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan. Interested in developing varied ministry skills, it took Helen five years to complete the master’s degree in systematic theology and psychiatry and religion. During that period, she also worked at General Seminary’s Center for Christian Spirituality where she gave spiritual direction to visitors and students of the seminary and at Cabrini Medical Center Hospice, Manhattan, where she provided pastoral care to the dying.

The healing retreat, the birth of her second child, the call to ministry, the experiences of praying for the dying, and giving spiritual direction to a variety of persons, led Helen to write a master’s thesis addressing the dying experience of a seven-year-old at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York in which she sought out the  presence of Jesus Christ with the child as he died. The thesis received distinction.

Helen has been the Rector of five churches over thirty years of ministry in the Diocese of New York and the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. In her last church, Good Shepherd, Highland County, Virginia, for thirteen years she led a public/church study group which allowed her to help participants develop the life of the Spirit within themselves and understand various areas of human life, as well as grow in understanding of Jesus Christ. Earlier in New York, Helen designed and directed Project Hope, a 240-member center for those with HIV/AIDS. Her clients were mainly rehabilitated addicts who had picked up the virus through needle sharing. During their time together, through a number of therapies and programs, her men, women and sometimes child clients developed an unusual level of community cohesiveness. Project Hope was awarded a level of distinction as a model program for community development in the New York area by the Ryan White Foundation and the New York Aids Institute. Helen started six HIV/AIDS programs in New York City and Westchester County. She directed the Diocese of New York AIDS Committee, working with others to spread education about the disease throughout the churches, and offering various infected persons healing prayer services in churches and at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The Rev. Dr. Helen Roberts Beasley has been cited by The Bishop of New York as “Chaplain of the Diocese” for her work in outreach. She became certified as a Chaplain of the Armed Forces after appearing before the recent Bishop of the Armed Forces’ Discernment Committee.

Helen loves to lead groups of people who are interested in developing their understanding of their spirituality, who Christ is to them, what literature, theology, and Scripture have to offer these understandings, and what human life and experience also contribute. Additional understanding has come through healing ministries which Helen has conducted.

Lastly, Helen says, “What would I do without my daughters!” Cleary Roberts Packard is a head tennis coach in Rye, New York. Helen’s older daughter, Helen Christine Packard, “Tene,” is director of staff education at a New York pharmaceutical advertising company.

Helen is thrilled and thankful to be at WC. Be sure to give her a warm welcome when you meet her.