Community Corner
Rector Values Relationships, Relevance
Father Jamie Stutler embraces Episcopal traditions and contemporary worship in his Canton church.
Jamie Stutler grew up in a very traditional church background – a formal worship experience typical among Episcopalians. Quiet and contemplative, he enjoys retreating with members of the Cistercian monastic order, taking walks, hiking and spending time outdoors.
Yet inspiration to start a contemporary service at in Canton, where he’s been the rector since 2004, came from a rather lively group: the 50-70 kids who attend Vacation Bible School each year.
"I added another service since we have so many kids, young families and people not initially Episcopalian who wanted something different," said the pastor. "It grew right out of VBS. I saw the excitement going on with the kids and thought I could translate that to Sunday morning."
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Relationships, whether with VBS participants or his St. Clement’s parishioners, are a major focus of his ministry. One of his strongest accomplishments at the Canton church is developing ministry for children and families.
The Charleston, SC, native said he spent "an inordinate amount of time getting educated in Sewanee (Tennessee)." He attended an Episcopal boarding school at nearby St. Andrew's, earned an undergraduate degree from The University of the South in 1979, and then returned to Sewanee for a Masters in Divinity after leaving Tennessee long enough to earn a law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.
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He highlights John 15:15 as a verse that lately has caught his attention, devotion, study and reflection.
"No longer do I call you servants ... but I have called you friends ..."
Stutler stated that Jesus seemed to be raising the bar on friendship by calling his disciples friends. That relationship, in which love is expressed and received, is a model worth noting – both in the church and beyond.
"When friendship is mutually joined in Christ, we have a wonderful potential for not only deep relationships, but also a valuable vehicle for a shared spiritual journey."
ABOUT ST. CLEMENT'S
St. Clement's Episcopal offers an 8 a.m. early Holy Eucharist service without music, a 9 a.m. family contemporary Holy Eucharist and an 11 a.m. traditional Choral Eucharist.
For more information, call 770-345-6722 or go to www.stclementscanton.og.
