Matthew Wright Joins St. Andrew's

(Brewster, NY): The Rev. Matthew Wright has joined St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Brewster as its regular priest. Father Wright will be celebrating Holy Eucharist at St. Andrew's at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.

A native of North Carolina, Father Wright lives at Bluestone Farm in Brewster, as a Resident Companion with the Community of the Holy Spirit, an Episcopal religious order of sisters. "One of the exciting things about getting to serve at St. Andrew's is that I feel that I have a ministry in Brewster," he said. "I am excited about getting to know everyone and getting to know Brewster better."

Bluestone Farm and Living Arts Center is an outgrowth of the Community of the Holy Spirit's interest in sustainable agriculture and living. "I've been living here just over a year," Father Wright said. He is working with the community as a priest and on the small farm, as well as helping the order envision its future, which includes the use of what had been the Melrose School.

"We are seeing it as a center for interspiritual  and contemplative work," he said. Bluestone Farm is also a place to do farm work and reconnect with the earth, he added. 

Father Wright, 28, is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. He was ordained as an Episcopal priest in September 2012.

He first felt the call to the priesthood in college and started the discernment process during his senior year of college. He was sponsored for the priesthood by his hometown church, the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Murphy, NC. After college, he joined what is now the Episcopal Service Corps for a year, living in community with eight other young people while working at a day program for adults with mental illness. He stayed on to work at the program for another year before spending some time in Asia.

Father Wright has spent time in India, Nepal, and Tibet. While in India, he spent time at a Roman Catholic ashram. "Interspiritual and interfaith work has been part of my calling and of my own spiritual journey," he said. "It has taken me on some wonderful and wild travels around the world."

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church has been a part of Brewster for more than 130 years. The church's grey stone building on Prospect Street is a local landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is home to the Brewster Theater Company and the Brewster Community Food Pantry.  The parish is a warm and welcoming community.

The regular Sunday service of Holy Eucharist at St. Andrew's is at 9:30 a.m. For more information about St. Andrew's, call the church office at 845-279-4325.