Rector resigns from St. Paul’s Church

By KATIE WORRALL

The Rev. John R. Francis has resigned as rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Chestnut Hill. Francis, who has been the spiritual leader of the church since 1997, will leave in early January. There will be a celebration of Francis’ ministry following the 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist on Sunday, January 4.

His decision, which was announced to the parish at services on December 7, came after a meeting with the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison Jr., bishop of Pennsylvania, and the vestry.

In his homilies on December 7, Francis said that there are times to change direction and make a fresh start. “The best description of Christianity I’ve ever heard is that we are on a journey. It means we are always moving. The last seven years, you and I have been on a journey, arm in arm, and I have thoroughly enjoyed that,” he said.

In his homilies, he likened his future, and that of the parish, to what Jesus faced in the wilderness after his baptism. Francis said that while much about the future was unknown, both his and the parish’s futures would be secure.

During his years at St. Paul’s, Francis’ contributions included increasing the number of programs and providing outstanding spiritual leadership, according to Stewart Graham, the vestry’s parishioners’ warden.

Graham said that Francis has accomplished the goals he had for his ministry at St. Paul’s when he arrived. “He created a lot of programs for the lay ministry. We will benefit from that for years to come,” Graham said. ”In terms of spiritual leadership, he has a deep spirit and he embodies that. The programs are oriented to spiritual formation, like ‘Listening Hearts.’ They helped to create things that allowed the church to move forward rather than get bogged down in personal disputes.”

Graham said in a press release from the church that “ We are absolutely convinced that this move, as sad it is for all of us on the vestry and in the parish, is the right one for all parties. Between now and January 5 we will be celebrating John’s time with us and the significant legacy in educational and spiritual enrichment programs he will leave St. Paul’s. His enthusiasm, energy and commitment have left St. Paul’s in a stronger position to move into the next phase of our history.”

Before coming to St. Paul’s, Francis was the rector at Christ Church, Media, for seven years. The Syracuse, N.Y. native grew up in Baltimore, studied at the University of Maine and earned a B.S. in environmental sciences at New Jersey’s Richard Stockton College. After several years as a teacher and youth minister, he entered General Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity degree in 1986.

He earned a master’s degree in pastoral care and counseling from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1991, and served as curate at St. John’s, Salem, N.J., and as vicar at Trinity Church, Swedesboro, N.J., before relocating to Media.

He was appointed chair of the Diocese of Pennsylvania’s Christian Education Commission, served as an elected vice president of the Swedesboro/Woolwich Public School of Education, and currently serves as the elected chair of the Diocese of Pennsylvania’s Committee on Pensions and Health Benefits.

Graham said that an interim rector would be named in January and that a parish profile would be done before a search committee is formed. The process could take 18-24 months.