October 9, 2025
Dear Friends in Christ,
As most of you know, I’m inviting you all to answer a few storytelling related questions for this year’s stewardship project. In some cases, I answered separately for the separate parishes. I hope reading these responses can help you formulate your own answers.
Who introduced you to Jesus? The most obvious answer is my clergy parents, but the real answer that comes to mind is three Sunday school teachers: Ms. Lynn, Ms. Diane, and Ms. Sue. They did a fantastic job of teaching the Biblical stories and about what it meant to follow Jesus. There are a few lessons that stand out. In one they made a timeline of human history that wrapped around the walls of the whole classroom that went all the way into the future reign of God. We were invited to fill in as many historical events as we could and ended by adding all of our birthdays to see where we fit in the grand scheme.
What is your favorite Bible story and why? I love the story in 1 Kings of Elijah hiding in the cave and watching fires, storms, and earthquakes occur and saying that God was in none of them before hearing the still small voice of God in the silence that followed. When I’m going through something tough I remember that it did not necessarily come from God, but that I will eventually find God somewhere beyond the storm. It becomes an encouragement to me to pause and seek God’s voice in chaotic times.
How did you join Good Shepherd/St. Bart’s? Good Shepherd: I was called to serve as Deacon-in-Charge of Good Shepherd in August of 2019. These six years have seen so many changes! An ordination, some huge family events, a pandemic, and a restructuring of Good Shepherd’s relationship to clergy have all shaped our time together in profound ways. St. Bart’s: I came on as half-time Priest-in-Charge at St. Bart’s in February of 2023. It felt extremely unconventional at the time to start off at a new church while maintaining the other and it was more of a delicate balancing act than I expected at first! I was more settled with personal life matters when I came on here, but curveballs kept coming and I was always glad to have another supportive community.
Can you tell about a time when you were very aware of God’s presence with you? Once in the middle of January I hit a nasty patch of ice on the highway and spun a full 360 degrees. Thankfully, there were no other cars nearby and I ended up on the shoulder of the opposite side from where I’d been driving. One of the calming techniques I frequently use is singing Taize hymns in my head several times and inviting the peace and stillness they embody, so after coming to a stop I took a deep breath and prepared myself to sing my old standby, “Bless the Lord, My Soul,” but there was another hymn I couldn’t get out of my head, so I gave over and started: “Let your servant now go in peace, O Lord. Now go in peace according to your word.” Far more quickly than usual, especially given the circumstances, I felt the sense of peace completely fill me, and I continued my drive. It was though someone was with me in the car assuring me that I was safe and could go on.
Or about a time you when you felt truly blessed to be part of this community? Good Shepherd: I’ll never forget the annual meeting just before the shared-priest agreement began. It ended with prayers for me embarking on something new, but it was palpably about the way our relationship was going to change. It was a sign to me of support for everyone in what would be a mostly unprecedented transition that played out over the following years. St. Bart’s: The first Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans service I presided at in 2023 was wild! I’ve never preached in front of so many people and the reception—complete with dancing, singing, piping, and delicious food—felt like two mostly separate communities sharing space and culture together in a way that felt very Gospel-centered.
What do you wish people knew about our church family? What hopes do you have for the future of Good Shepherd/St. Bart’s? I have two hopes to share that apply to both parishes. I hope we can use the shared-priest arrangement as an encouraging model for exploring newer ways to be the Church. Innovative new ideas build energy and make us more appealing to our neighbors. And I hope we find new ways of doing things together, both for socialization and for ministry, while still maintaining our unique identities, because we’re always stronger with more numbers.
Blessings,
Fr. Steve
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-11
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
