wood was born in cleveland, ohio and grew up in wickliffe, ohio. he received his b.a. from cleveland state university in 1986 and his m.div. from virginia theological seminary in 1991, after which he was ordained to the priesthood of the episcopal church. wood served at episcopal churches in ohio until being called in 2000 as rector of st. andrew's, mount pleasant, which was then a parish of the episcopal diocese of south carolina.