From the Rector…
This Sunday we will celebrate Drew+ as he begins a new adventure as Rector of St. Joseph’s on the Mountain in Mentone, Alabama. Drew+ has served with us for five years, arriving in June 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. On his first Sunday, he preached to an empty church as we were still social distancing, and church was online only at the time. Other than a couple of choir members, Becky, Clark Waggoner behind the camera, and myself everyone else welcomed him from home.
To make things even more unusual, that first sermon wasn’t delivered live—it was pre-recorded. At the time, social media platforms struggled to handle the flood of Sunday livestreams from churches around the world. To ensure our service streamed smoothly, we recorded on Friday mornings. Laura Walter would then spend all day Saturday uploading the service so it could be released Sunday morning. Though we wrestled with this decision as it was not an ideal situation, it wasn’t until Steve Frazer told me that the only reason he stayed tuned was because I was his wife, otherwise, he would have given up on trying to stream the service.
Pre-recording services also meant we didn’t have to be in Montgomery on Sundays. So, on Drew’s first Sunday “with us,” he was actually still in Austin, Texas, finishing preparations for his and Allison’s move. After the service aired, we held a Zoom coffee hour in which someone asked how Drew+ was enjoying Montgomery. Drew+ confessed he was still in Texas. There was more than a little surprise, but those were the strange realities of ministry in the early COVID days.
Over the past five years, Drew+ has been a faithful partner in ministry—helping guide Ascension through the challenges of COVID and the joyful work of rebuilding the full life of our parish. He has shared in our celebrations and sorrows, offering wisdom, perspective, and prayer at every turn.
During his tenure, Drew+ has strengthened our ministry in countless ways. He designed and implemented our Lay Eucharistic Visiting ministry, enabling trained lay ministers to bring the sacrament to the sick and homebound each week. He has mentored and empowered our acolytes, encouraging them to grow as leaders at the altar. He expanded our mission reach, introducing our youth to ministry in Navajoland and advancing racial reconciliation efforts—particularly through his work with the Seminary of the Southwest and the Jonathan Daniels Pilgrimage. And, of course, he has poured himself into preaching, teaching, pastoral care, and building fellowship within our community.
Although Drew+ begins his ministry at St. Joseph’s in September, his final Sunday with us will be August 17. We will mark the occasion with a reception in Ascension Hall following the 10:30 a.m. service. I hope you will join us in packing the pews that morning so his last Sunday will be the exact opposite of his first—full to the brim with the faces and voices of those whose lives he has touched. Together, we will send him off with gratitude, joy, and God’s blessing for the journey ahead.
Light and Life,
Candice Frazer+