Letters from the Rector

1 July 2025

Dear Siblings in Christ, 

As June comes to a close, I’ve found myself in a deeply reflective space—grateful, renewed, and full of hope.

Earlier this month, I was blessed to attend Credo, a week-long retreat designed especially for Episcopal clergy. Its purpose is to help us focus on holistic well-being—mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial—and to craft or renew a personal Rule of Life. Through prayer, conversation, and rest, I gained clarity about what truly matters most to me and how I want to live in alignment with those values. My rule includes rhythms of prayer, sabbath, meaningful work, relationships, and play. If you’ve never created a Rule of Life before, I highly commend the practice—it can be a powerful tool for grounding and growth.

In that quiet and spacious week, I also found myself thinking often about you—this beloved community of St. Mary’s-St. Stephen’s—and the ministry we share. This summer marks not only three years since my ordination to the priesthood, but also three years of walking alongside you as your priest. Together, we have navigated joy and sorrow, celebration and challenge. And through it all, Christ has been our companion.

One of the great gifts of the Christian life is that we are never alone. We belong to one another and to God. Each of us has a role in the Body of Christ. And so I invite you to take some time for your own reflection—perhaps using the same questions I was invited to consider at Credo:

Who am I?

Where am I?

Where am I going?

Who is God calling me to be?

How am I responding to God’s call?

Maybe you sense an invitation to serve in a new ministry or a new way here at church. Or maybe life has felt out of rhythm, and you’re longing to reconnect with your deepest values and with God. Whatever the case, I want you to know that I am here—ready to listen, to pray, and to walk alongside you as you discern. I know others in the church are, too. We are one body, many members, each uniquely made and called.

In a time when the world often feels fragmented and uncertain, it is ever more important that we choose connection, courage, and compassion. As Scripture reminds us, “the only thing that counts is faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). We need one another, and the Church needs you—not only within the walls of St. Mary’s–St. Stephen’s, but wherever you find yourself in the world. Whether that means stepping into a new ministry here, living your faith more intentionally at home, at work, or in the community, or simply showing up more fully in your relationships, I pray you’ll consider where God is calling you—and that God will give you the strength and courage to be bold in proclaiming God’s love and mercy for all people.

As our mission reminds us: Bound by Christ’s love and authentically being ourselves, we walk in faith, freely sharing heart, hope, and healing with the world.

After Credo, I also took some time for vacation with my family. That time was joyful and restorative—a reminder that rest and play are not luxuries, but part of the sacred balance God calls us to. I pray you, too, can find moments of sabbath in the season ahead.

With deep gratitude for these first three years among you—and with hopeful anticipation for all that lies ahead—

Blessings and peace,  

Logan C. Lovelace

Rector 

_____

CREDO Prayer

Holy God, be in my mind, that I 

might let go of all that diminishes 

the movement of Your Spirit 

within me. 

Discerning God, be in my eyes, 

that I might see You in the midst of 

all the busyness that fills my life. 

Loving God, be in my heart, that 

I can be open to those I love, to 

those with whom I share ministry 

and to the whole human family. 

Gracious God, be in that grace-

filled silence that lies deep within 

me, that I might live in Christ as 

Christ lives in me.

Amen. 

-written by The Rev. James C. Fenhagen