St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma announced the call of their new Rector yesterday, the Rev. Nick Phares.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma announced the call of their new Rector yesterday, the Rev. Nick Phares.
Fr. Nick has been serving as Associate Rector at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Pensacola, Florida for the past four years. He was awarded The Episcopal Church Creation Care Grant last year in which he developed the Muscogee Cultural Continuation Project in response to environmental racism. He is also one of the first people to graduate from the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta, GA.
Fr. Nick received his Master of Divinity from the School of Theology at University of the South in Sewanee. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2017. He will be joined by his wife Teresa, who is the Director of Training Operations for the Godly Play Foundation. The Phares have three children (Morgan, freshman at University of the South, Alexis, high school sophomore, and Paxton, 3rd grader).
Fr. Nick states, “My family feels particularly called to St. Luke’s because they are a community who knows themselves well and who are not afraid to live authentically and vulnerably - with arms wide open.”
Senior Warden Dan Droege adds, “I cannot express to you in words, how blessed we as a vestry feel about how God has led us – and our next Rector – over the last several months. We know you will quickly grow to love our new Rector as much as we do.”
In his free time, Fr. Nick enjoys reading, biking and traveling with his family.
Fr. Nick will begin his new tenure with St. Luke’s sometime in mid to late January 2021.