It is with great joy and gratitude that we announce the transition of The Rev. Noah Van Niel from Priest-in-Charge to Rector of Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, effective immediately.
Fr. Noah has been with us as Priest-in-Charge for a little longer than a year. During that time, he has wisely and thoughtfully carried on the legacy of inspiring liturgy, tireless commitment to caring for our parishioners, and championing an aggressive vision for the long-term health of our church and parish.
Fr. Noah came to our church as Priest-in-Charge under an initial agreement that he, the Vestry, and the congregation would have an opportunity to work together as long as necessary to determine whether his leadership, pastoral abilities, theological ethos, and liturgical style were a good fit for us, and that Christ & St. Luke’s was a good fit for him and his family. It did not take long to determine that the answer to those questions is a resounding “Yes” in each case. We have had a truly exciting, inspiring, and faith-reaffirming year together!
Your Vestry has voted unanimously in support of Fr. Noah’s transition to Rector, and Bishop Susan Haynes approved the appointment. Fr. Noah was gracious to accept.
This transition marks the conclusion of our period of discernment. It is a happy day! We have a permanent Rector! We could not be more pleased and excited, and we know that Fr. Noah feels the same way, telling the Vestry this past Sunday,
“It is with great joy and humility that I wholeheartedly accept the call to serve as Rector of this remarkable parish. Over the course of this past year, the Holy Spirit has continued to affirm that amorphous but all important sense of fit not just for me but for our whole family. This is a place we want to be, to live, to love, to serve, all in the name of Christ as together we bring Christ & St. Luke’s into its exciting next chapter as a church. We’ve only just begun! And we can’t wait to continue on in this journey with you all.”
In celebration, we will have a special coffee hour this coming Sunday, April 30, right after the 10:15 service. Please take a moment to enjoy a goodie and to congratulate Fr. Noah.
Blessings,
Kim Montalvo, Sr. Warden
Dave Cass, Jr. Warden
