Rev. Nicholas I. Phares – Rector
Rev. Nick Phares (pronounced “farris”) joined St. Luke’s as rector on January 16, 2021. 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.
Fr. Nick is married to Teresa and they have three children, Morgan, Alexis, and Paxton. Teresa serves the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma as Children & Youth Coordinator.
Before coming to St. Luke’s, Fr. Nick had been serving as Associate Rector at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Pensacola, Florida, where he had been awarded the Episcopal Church Creation Care Grant for this leadership in the Muscogee Cultural Continuation Project. He is also one of the first people to graduate from the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta, GA.
Fr. Nick states, “My family felt 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.”
In his free time, Fr. Nick enjoys reading, biking and traveling with his family.
Here is the slide show that was shown to the congregation on Sunday, November 22, to introduce Fr. Nick and the Phares family.