ESD is pleased to announce that Antoni Luc-Tayengo has accepted the call to become the new Amanda Muse Neuhoff Lower School Chaplain. Chaplain Toni, as she prefers to be called, is the Director of Christian Formation and Children's Minister at St. James Episcopal Church in Dallas. She is excited to join The Episcopal School of Dallas and to be part of the formation of our lower school students as we grow together in faith, hope, and love.
“I have known Toni for nearly two decades in ministry across Dallas and around the world, and she radiates kindness and compassion to every child she meets,” said Father Nate Bostian, Senior Chaplain. “I cannot wait for her to ignite lives of purpose here at ESD!”
Chaplain Toni has been actively involved in Episcopal ministry with children and their families for 26 years. She has enjoyed the challenge of faith formation in multiple contexts, from small congregations to the academic setting to the international mission field. Her passion is helping children understand scripture in their context in a way that encourages a lifelong journey towards God and in service of one another. She has earned two degrees from Southern Methodist University: a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Master of Divinity with a focus on cross-cultural studies from Perkins School of Theology.
She is also a devoted wife and mother. Chaplain Toni’s husband, Albano Tayengo, originally from Angola, is a Methodist minister and a multicultural church planter for the North Texas United Methodist Church. Her children, Elijah and Jillian, are her inspiration and one of the reasons she continues to find ways to encourage and empower children in their spiritual journeys. When not cheering from the sidelines of her kids' soccer teams, she can be found playing highly competitive board games with her family or serving alongside her husband at Misión Esperanza, helping meet the physical and spiritual needs of people in Arlington.
Please join us in welcoming Chaplain Toni. She begins her service to our school and community on Monday.