It is with immense joy that we announce the call of the Seventeenth Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, The Rev’d T.J. Freeman SMMS!
The Rector Search
On Sunday, August 17, the St. Paul’s Rector Search Committee was decommissioned and thanked for their work in calling The Rev’d T.J. Freeman as our rector.
As you know, the process took 14 Search Committee Members, two interim rectors, and over a year of waiting, praying, and discerning. Unless you were a member of the Rector Search Committee (or lived with one!), very few knew the full extent of the love, sweat, and tears poured out during those 12 months. Here are some highlights of the Search Committee’s work:
Search Committee Values
Commitment by the Numbers
Timeline of Events
Summer 2024
Sam Hartwell, Senior Warden, and Susan Quill, Junior Warden, assembled the Rector Search Committee with co-chairs Liz Patterson and Bill Powel leading.
August 2024
Hired Anne Schmidt, Search Consultant, and the Vestry charged the Rector Search Committee
September 8, 2024
Commissioning of the Rector Search Committee
September 15, 2024
Bishop Jeff’s first Sunday at St. Paul’s
October – November 2024
Listening sessions and distribution of the Holy Cow survey (Church Assessment Tool/CAT)
December 2024
Review of CAT results
January 12, 2025
Bishop Jeff’s last Sunday at St. Paul’s
January 26, 2025
The Rev. Dr. Applegate’s first Sunday at St. Paul’s
January – February 2025
Parish Profile and Office for Transition Ministry Portfolio developed and published
March – April 2025
Applications received; Diocese conducted red flag checks on applicants
May – July 2025
Candidate interviews, site visits, committee discernment
July 11, 2025
Finalist determined
July 21, 2025
Search Committee presented recommended candidate; Vestry affirms
July 31, 2025
St. Paul’s clergy and staff informed; announcement to Parish scheduled
August 1, 2025
The Rev’d T.J. Freeman announced as the 17th Rector of St. Paul’s
August 17, 2025
Search Committee decommissioned; Stephen Applegate’s last Sunday
August 25, 2025
T.J.’s official start date as Rector
September 2, 2025
T.J. begins onsite office hours
September 7, 2025
Kick-Off Sunday; T.J.’s first Sunday in worship
Choosing a Finalist
When reviewing several candidates, applications can start to blur together. These are just a few things about T.J.’s professional experience that stood out to the Rector Search Committee:
- A preacher who can inspire and challenge us to hear and follow a call to live out our baptismal covenant
- Is an Oracle—Holy Spirit is truly embodied
- Radiates layers of messages to be received by all
- Inclusivity in all forms
- Believes a sermon should always offer an opportunity to see Jesus
- Gifted communicator
- Builds community with staff
- Warm, relatable, authentic, kind
- Generous of time
- Grew young adult ministry from six to over 100
- Grounded in faith
- Captivates the room
In His Words
We will hear from T.J. for his first time as St. Paul’s Rector on Sunday, September 7. Until then, here are a few quotes that capture T.J.’s sentiment for this new journey together:
“Earlier this year, a friend texted to ask if I would prayerfully consider the opportunity to become the next Rector of Saint Paul’s. From the moment I began to read your parish profile, something was stirring in my heart. Over the intervening months of prayer, conversation, and discernment, I have fallen in love with Saint Paul’s and with your mission of Seeking. Serving. Loving. Together.”
“There is so much more to say, but that will have to wait for now. I will close by reiterating how much of an honor and a privilege it is for me to have been chosen to be your next Rector. My deepest prayer is that our ministry together will be a time of worship, learning, and play where we fall ever more deeply in love with Jesus, with our neighbors, and with one another.”
Gratitude for the Committee
Their work is now complete! Please continue to keep the members of the decommissioned Rector Search Committee in your prayers, now in gratitude for their service to St. Paul’s!
Liz Patterson, Co-Chair
Bill Powel, Co-Chair
Diane Banyard
Brett Barkley
Kristen Busa
Tom Nobbe
Liz Rodems
Emma Quill
Akua Saunders
Peter Scriven
Andrea Turner, Vestry Liaison
Amy Zipp
Anne Schmidt, Consultant
The Rev. Rose Anne Lonsway, Chaplain
The Rev’d T.J. Freeman and family were in Cleveland Heights on August 1 to take a family tour of St. Paul’s and go house hunting. Since then, their offer on a home was accepted, Ellie and Jack have attended school orientations, and T.J. has begun setting up his office!
“Without love, nothing is valid in the Church because nothing is possible.”
— Alexander Schmemann