Christopher Sammond was raised Episcopalian but left the church at 14. After much seeking, including years as a practicing Zen Buddhist, he came to Friends as a Christophobic “Universalist.” A series of encounters with Jesus over many years have gradually made him a Christ–centered Friend. He graduated from United Theological Seminary in 2001 and carries a concern for faithfulness. He lives with his wife, Barbara, in the Central Finger Lakes Region of New York and serves New York Yearly Meeting as its General Secretary.