Bishop Price, with the consent of the Wardens and Vestry, has appointed the Reverend Dr. Stephen H. Applegate to be our Interim Priest-in-Charge for a two-year period beginning August 1. In addition to his specialized role as an intentional interim, Stephen will be responsible for all the typical duties of a parish rector: worship, preaching, pastoral care, and leading the staff.

Prior to serving Trinity, Stephen was Interim Rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Chicago where he served for sixteen and a half months following the election of their 27-year rector, the Reverend Bonnie Perry who was ordained Bishop of Michigan in February of 2020.  From 2019-2020 he was Transition Priest-in-Charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Worthington. From 2017-2019, he was Interim Rector of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Carmel, IN, a large suburban parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis. Trinity will be the fourth congregation he has served as an interim since 2017, and the fifth overall.

Ordained in 1980, Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, the Master of Divinity degree cum laude from The General Theological Seminary in New York City, and the Doctor of Ministry degree in Congregational Development from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. He has additional specialized training through the Interim Ministry Network and is a member of that organization.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Stephen is married to Terry, a first-grade teacher in Granville where he and Terry make their home. He takes great pride in his family which includes seven adult children (three of whom married into the family), and four grandchildren.

On many days, visitors to the office will meet Stephen’s eight-year-old black Labrador Retriever, Bernie, who has special gifts for pastoral care and friendship.