Introducing New ADOTS Rectors

When did you first feel the call to pastor your new church? Tell us about the process of answering this calling for you and your family.

I have served as an Active-Duty military chaplain for over 13 years. During the early days of pursuing chaplaincy ministry, I had always sensed that I was on loan from the parish to serve the military, and I knew that one day I would return to serve in parochial ministry.

In the fall of 2021, while serving at Naval Station Norfolk (Norfolk, Virginia), I sensed God was urgently preparing and calling me into a new season of ministry at the local church. One evening, I had taken my kids to see the new “Clifford the Big Red Dog” movie and found myself perusing the ACNA’s job opening webpage in search of the All Saints’ rector position. I suddenly remembered hearing that they had recently started a rector search. That was the first time that I read the rector and parish profile. I was impressed and intrigued, and my heart was stirred.

My wife, Ashley, was raised as a Preacher’s kid and was more hesitant to return to Parish ministry. But when I texted her the link to the profile, she said, “I think that we should put the fleece out.” That was all I needed, just a gentle nudge. So, we took the leap of faith, applied, and began the six-month process of discernment. That was the beginning of the Lord truly awakening Ashley and I for this pastorate. We had not been actively looking for me to pastor a church, and neither were we ever inclined to apply to any other churches. The Lord simply drew us to All Saints, and the more we prayed for them, the more we fell in love with this flock.

A few weeks later, I deployed in response to the Ukraine invasion and learned that my wife was pregnant with our fourth child. It was a crazy season in our life, but throughout this very busy season, the Lord gave Ashley and I an abiding peace to keep walking forward. We received almost daily signs from the Lord to strengthen our faith and give us the necessary courage to walk obediently toward this new season of pastoral ministry. There were many steps to complete and challenges to overcome, but the Lord prevailed in opening every door.

What are some of the needs and challenges in your city that you hope to meet through ministries, programs, etc.?

I am convinced that Springfield is a city that needs healing. Despite being in an area that has largely been catechized in the faith, I believe that All Saints has a significant role in bringing about healing, renewal, and rest. Each Sunday, as people enter the nave for worship, they walk past Rembrandt’s famous painting of the prodigal son and receive their service booklets that say, “Calling Prodigals Home.” All Saints is a church that is calling the reckless and resentful to rest in the most loving Father’s arms.

I am not from Springfield or even Missouri, so I have much to learn regarding this area of the Ozarks. However, there are a couple of factors to consider:

First, this area seems to be an area that has been saturated in the Faith. Despite there being nearly a church on every street corner, All Saints is one of only two Anglican churches in this area; and the other church is a church that All Saints has planted. So, I think that there is a great need for a gospel liturgy—especially in an environment where it is evident that many have suffered from traumatic church experiences and are in need of godly renewal and rest. I believe that All Saints can play a critical role in the healing process of this city. There is much in the character of Anglicanism that predisposes it to assist in the healing process—whether it is its gospel liturgy, rhythmic beauty, or well-ordered corporate worship.

Second, this region has a culture of commuting. We have several individuals and families who travel over 40 minutes to worship at All Saints. Naturally, this creates significant challenges for parish life, but it is also a great opportunity to provide creative ministry. Currently, we are intentionally seeking to strengthen our congregational life—through our recently launched Neighborhood Gatherings (i.e., a home group where we share a meal and evening prayer), weekly pastoral visitations, emerging missions, and through common life partnerships—like that with Headington Hill Classical Academy (https://headingtonhill.academy).

All Saints has been concentrating its efforts on catechesis (Word) and community (Spirit). In the process of doing this, the Lord is increasing our love for him and each other. An outcome of this has been a revival of covenantal relationships so that we are partnering with others on both the inside and outside of the parish. The “light of Christ” has been a clarion call for All Saints since its first beginnings. Through catechesis and community, we are seeing the covenantal life emerge and the “light of Christ” shine locally and abroad.

Where are you in the life of your church? What’s on the horizon?

2024 will mark All Saints’ twentieth anniversary. Though a beloved church that began from a bible study, All Saints has emerged as a quiet leader in the mid-southwest region. Despite her short existence, All Saints has already had a significant role in this area and in the planting of at least two churches. As she enters her adult years, I see All Saints serving as a mature parish not only in this region but also in the diocese. It is my prayer that All Saints will lean into its namesake and emerge into adulthood. This year All Saints has established two staff programs, an internship and a curacy program. Additionally, All Saints is partnering with Headington Hill Classical Academy to provide K-7 Christian education, relaunching robust catechesis programs, and starting Neighborhood Gatherings, which are community groups that meet weekly for a shared meal and evening prayer.

All Saints is entering into a season of stability, where less is more. By focusing on sacramental rhythms and covenantal alignment, I am hopeful that All Saints will continue to grow as a faithful and fruitful parish.

All Saints has also suffered a variety of losses and challenges over the past few years. Having gone through these difficult years, I believe that All Saints is entering into a season of celebration. While this season will have its challenges, I am confident that it will be a time of renewal, healing, and rest. We are starting over, but are receiving the torch from the saints who have gone before.

How can we Pray for you?

I would ask that you pray that I serve the Lord faithfully; that I keep the majors the majors; that I will love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength; and that I will serve my family and this flock fruitfully.

When did you first feel the call to pastor your new church? Tell us about the process of answering this calling for you and your family.

 About 20 years ago, just prior to heading to seminary, I planted an Anglican Church in Jacksonville, FL. At the same time, Christ the King was being planted in Hiawassee, GA, by the Rev. Don O’Malley. We shared the same bishop at the time. I’m no stranger to the North Georgia Mountains as I’ve been frequenting the North Georgia Mountains my whole life; it has been a lifelong dream to live in this area. I worshipped at CTK a few times in the early years and even spent some time with Don+ once while I was in seminary, telling him, “If you ever need assistance, or, if you ever retire, please keep my name in mind.” I’m not sure whether Don+ remembers that conversation or not. Just about 7 years ago, I left my last pastoral position in Spartanburg, SC. I had a son in college and a daughter in high school at the time, so I wasn’t interested in moving them again at those critical junctures. So, I started a turf application business (fertilizer, weed control, pest control, mosquito abatement). 

About a year ago, I was quite content with the business and suspected I would do that until I retired; however, my daughter was nearing graduation from college, and I remember praying, “Lord, if you want me back in ministry, I’m very open. But, I need the job you want for me to find me.” And he did. About 18 months ago, the phone range. My mother was in the North Georgia Mountains and happened to be worshipping at CTK on the day that Don+ announced his retirement. While there, she spoke with the head of the search committee, and she said they were starting to take applications. So, I applied.

The process was about a year long. They had a ton of applicants. In June of 2022, Don+ had fully retired, so I did some pulpit supplies for the church while they were in the process. In the fall of 2022, CTK offered me the position. I was thrilled. In many ways, a lot of the desires of my heart converged. I would be back in pastoral ministry, in a church that I had desired for about 20 years, I would get to live where I always wanted to live and minister to people who very much share the same passions I do. It was the most humbling experience I’ve ever had. I cannot stop praising and thanking God for all of this.

What are some of the needs and challenges in your city that you hope to meet through ministries, programs, etc.?

We are in a rural area facing many of the rural problems found around the country: Young, single mothers and mothers-to-be, a high abortion rate, lots of drugs, poverty, and are located in the county with the highest teen suicide rate in the state. We give and serve a lot at multiple women’s centers, run a thrift store to provide low-cost home furnishing (all proceeds go to other ministries in the area), give generously to other non-profits serving those who have needs and are starting to discuss how we might have an impact among the younger generations, particularly on the suicide rate. We’ve always been a church for semi-retired and retired transplants and probably will always be given the average age of the city. Finding a way to serve and impact in the younger generations is perhaps our biggest challenge at the moment.

Where are you in the life of your church? What’s on the horizon?

I am so very fortunate to have followed Don+. The church was in fantastic shape when I arrived. The leadership here, and all the laity, have done an amazing job of creating and maintaining a very active, generous, warm, inviting, and deep community of faith. We are slowly working to upgrade a lot of our technology, including our video and audio streaming capabilities. Many of our people travel, not a few are homebound, and the online presence seems to be our best way to be in front of new people moving to the area. We are blessed with a pretty good visitor flow. We are mindful that we never get a second chance to make a first impression, so along with the audio/video upgrades, we are refreshing the outside of our building, our memorial garden, and repainting the sanctuary. In the coming year, we will go through an extensive process that allows us to articulate our core values, clarify our mission statement, and start to set some 3, 5, and 10-year goals; the whole congregation will get to participate.

How can we Pray for you?

As you can imagine, selling a home, selling a business, starting a new job at the beginning of Advent, moving out of our rental here and moving into a home we just purchased in May, graduating a daughter and moving her from college to her new town, and a son that is engaged and moving to Florida, we’ve been extraordinarily busy all around. We are trying to find a rhythm to our life that is a bit more “normal” and not so hurried and urgent. So prayers in that regard are appreciated. For the church, please pray for the health and well-being of our parishioners, that we would find a way to meet more needs of the surrounding community, that we would continue to be faithful with all that God blesses us with, and that we could clearly articulate God’s vision for our church for the years to come.

When did you first feel the call to pastor your new church? Tell us about the process of answering this calling for you and your family. 

I accepted the call to serve as the Rector of St. Mark’s directly out of seminary. Like most seminarians, my senior year was devoted in large part to discerning where God was calling me and my family to minister after graduation. As a former Naval Officer, I entered the ordination process through the ACNA’s Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) while I was still on Active Duty. Because the JAFC is not a traditional diocese, the “where” of post-seminary ministry is very open-ended. Having grown up in North Carolina, I was hoping to return to the South East, so I made a habit of networking and checking the ACNA’s job postings for parishes in the South. All the while, God worked on my type-A personality, refining my spiritual discipline of trusting as our family waited for him to provide when the time was right. Ultimately, a friend of mine who is an ADOTS priest shared the St. Mark’s opening with me. When my wife, Emelie, and I read the parish profile, it matched our ministerial passions and calling in so many ways. The call process was incredibly smooth; both St. Mark’s and I were looking to serve God in the same ways and it was clear that God had prepared both myself and the parish for this pairing. However, St. Mark’s did take a rather significant step of faith – they extended the call to me 7 months before I graduated from seminary, and in order to care for the parish during this time of transition, their wonderful interim rector, Fr. Steven Saul, graciously extended his time in order to allow me the time to finish my studies at Nashotah House.  

What are some of the needs and challenges in your city that you hope to meet through ministries, programs, etc.? 

Moultrie is a growing, but small, town in the rural south. Within our parish, one of the areas where we have seen some growth recently – which is echoed by other priests in similar demographics – is among blue-collar families. As a historic and established parish, the traditional demographic had been mostly (although certainly not exclusively) white-collar families. This subtle shift toward the working class has been welcomed by the congregation and presents great opportunities for ministry in what is often an overlooked demographic. 

One of the greatest needs in the community is among the Hispanic population. Home to the annual Sunbelt Agricultural Expo, Colquitt County is one of the primary agricultural centers in the state of Georgia, which has led to explosive growth in the Hispanic community over the past twenty years. Currently, St. Mark’s has no direct ministry to this community, but one of my goals in the next 5-10 years is to learn basic Spanish myself and work toward a variety of ESL ministries. If there is anyone reading this who feels called to this type of ministry, I would love to connect!  

Where are you in the life of your church? What’s on the horizon?

St. Mark’s was founded over 100 years ago as St. John’s Episcopal Church; as such, the church experienced decades of natural ebb and flow before my arrival. We are currently in a season of growth, predicated by many years of devotion, where the congregation grew in depth rather than in numbers. This faithful congregation courageously and unanimously voted to leave The Episcopal Church and their 100-year-old building; a year later – thanks be to God – they were able to purchase back their church building. We are now welcoming a number of young families into the church and are excited to be using parish spaces to build an Atrium for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to serve the young members of our congregation beginning this fall. We are also beginning a Children’s Chapel during the Sunday sermon time and a new iteration of youth ministry with our church’s teens. The horizon ahead of us is bright, but only because of paths trod by generations of prayerful parishioners.

How can we pray for you? 

As a new priest and rector, I would most especially appreciate prayers that God would give me understanding and discernment, that I might rightly steward the call he has set before me.

When did you first feel the call to pastor your new church? Tell us about the process of answering this calling for you and your family. 

I feel that my call to Resurrection is very similar to what Jesus says to the disciples in John 4:38: “I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

My call to Woodstock began when Canon Greg Goebel connected me with Fr. Gene Prince, who was at that time looking for a part-time Associate he could train to eventually succeed him. Father Gene and I connected in our first phone call. After a visit, first by myself and then later with my fiance (now wife), Jane, we felt confident that Resurrection was the place to which God was calling us. Father Gene has not been a boss but a friend, and he and his wife Carol have been parental figures to Jane and me in a new city where we do not have family. I feel like I am simply entering into the labor of the faithful people at Resurrection like Gene.

What are some of the needs and challenges in your city that you hope to meet through ministries, programs, etc.? 

Woodstock is one of the fastest-growing cities in Georgia. This growth is not only because Atlanta continues to further extend its reach but also because Cherokee County has a vibrant arts and filmmaking scene that attracts many young professionals. 

Woodstock is a place where I believe people are longing for something more: we have busy, achievement-oriented people who need to be slowed down through the ancient rhythms of the historic church; we have many lonely people who are in need of community in the body of Christ; we have unchurched skeptics who need a safe space to ask questions and know that Jesus has the answers; and we have frankly many churched people from a entertainment-oriented form of watered-down Christianity.

The beauty of historic Christian theology and historic Christian worship that our Anglican heritage provides really fills this need.

Where are you in the life of your church? What’s on the horizon?

One thing I am really looking forward to is hosting our first Arts Night at Resurrection on Friday, August 11th. My wife (Jane) has been organizing this event, and I think it will be the best thing our church will do this year. Twenty-six local artists, both from within our church and within our local community, will be showcasing their work in a gallery and live event, and Cody Curtis — the founder of the band Psallos — will be our keynote speaker. I am excited about how this event will build community among our artists and reach out to the creators in our surrounding community. (And I am proud of my wife.)

How can we pray for you? 

Simply that I may grow in wisdom, holiness, and love for Jesus.

When did you first feel the call to pastor your new church? Tell us about the process of answering this call for you and your family. 

I remember it was Palm Sunday when I first felt the Holy Spirit nudge both myself and my wife to consider what was next for us as a family beyond where we were serving at the time. I recall I was celebrating holy communion, and as I prayed the Prayers of Consecration, I felt the Lord release me from where we were serving at the time. As the tears welled up in my own eyes, I looked over to where my wife was sitting, and I noticed she was crying as well, and I knew she had felt the same release. So, with tears in both our eyes and many confused looks from the parishioners, we knew we had to follow the Lord’s leading.

In the following days, as we processed what this meant, we sought the council of godly leaders and mentors who began to enter into a period of discernment with us. By God’s grace, they felt, just as we had, that we truly had been released from St. Timothy’s, and that we were to search for our next church home.

So, my wife and I sat down and made a short list of cities that we, just off the top of our heads, would like to live in. We didn’t say any prayer, but we were both honest about what we wanted. At the top of both of our lists was Memphis. We had recently just returned from a vacation to see family in Memphis and had commented about how much we liked the area. Both of us commented about how we could easily see ourselves serving God’s Kingdom in the city as we raised our children.

At the time, though, there were no openings in Memphis, so Rachel and I did our best to see where we might serve elsewhere. Time and time again though, our hearts kept returning to Bluff City, so when we heard there was an opening, we eagerly threw our names into the ring.

Since then, it has been humbling how good the Lord has been to us. The people at Faith Anglican Church have loved not only myself, but my family as well (they even bought gifts for our children!). I recall on my visit to the church, during the interview process, I went to their communion table, and in a beautiful chiastic moment, felt the Lord’s presence there just as I had all those Palm Sundays ago. However, instead of releasing me from a church, he was calling me home to one.

Gratefully, the people of Faith Anglican Church agreed, and I received the call to be their next rector on Father’s Day. After a quick period of prayer for both me and my wife, we eagerly agreed that we felt called to Memphis, and the people at Faith Anglican Church.

What are some of the needs and challenges in your city that you hope to meet through ministries, programs, etc.? 

I don’t pretend to be an expert on the City of Memphis quite yet, but I know that everyone yearns for community. I hope that Faith Anglican Church can be that community for as many people as the Lord deems fit to bring to us. In a world that is so connected, nothing can replace in-person, local, intimate community.

As such, I am a big believer in the small group/house church model of community. While each person is different, I have met enough people who have told me that they are less intimated to go to a small gathering if invited as opposed to Sunday worship. Especially if there are friends, they already know in that small group.

I also have a strong background in youth ministry, and it is my firm belief that the next generation of church leaders are right now in junior high and high school. We, as the church, have an obligation to love and shepherd this amazing group of young men and women as they grow into the gift the Lord has given them.

Where are you in the life of your church? What’s on the horizon?

As of the writing of this article, my family and I are still trying to sell our house and move on up to Memphis. I am eager to, in God’s good timing, begin entering into the life at Faith Anglican Church headfirst.

So, what’s on the horizon? That’s a great question. All I know is that there is a wonderful group of men and women in Memphis right now who are all doing their best to serve Christ and his Kingdom. I am blessed to join them in discerning where the Lord will be leading all of us.

How can we pray for you? 

Moves are hard, and there are a lot of details that have to be sorted. Please pray for peace, patience, and for as swift of a move as possible.