Before his time as Interim Rector of St. Paul’s, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Applegate was the Interim Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo. A graduate of Hamilton College, he recently attended his 50th college reunion.

He is a cum laude graduate of The General Theological Seminary in New York City and earned a Doctorate of Ministry in Congregational Development from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. He received interim training through the Interim Ministry Network and is a member of that organization.

In addition to leading congregations, Stephen has served as both secretary and president of the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Southern Ohio and was the president of the Trustees of the Diocese, a team of five that oversaw over $100 million in investments.

Stephen is passionate about congregational life and finds joy in strengthening churches as they prepare to welcome their next rector. In his work, he was aided by his pastoral associate, Bernie, a senior black Labrador retriever, who passed away in 2025. He and his wife, Terry, a retired first grade teacher, make their home in Granville, a small college town (Denison University) not far from Columbus, OH.

We were very pleased to have Stephen aboard our full-time Interim Rector from January 2025 – August 2025