Dear St. Matthew’s Community,

 

Your Vestry is delighted to share joyful news: St. Matthew’s has called the Rev. Kerith Harding to be our next rector, and she has warmly and enthusiastically accepted the call. Kerith will begin her ministry with us on October 26th, and her first Sunday preaching will be on All Saints' Day, November 1st - a moment we look forward to with great anticipation. Kerith brings a wide range of experience shaped by service in both Connecticut - as Assistant Rector at Christ and Holy Trinity in Westport and more recently as long-term supply rector at St. John's in North Guilford - and Hawaii, leading congregations through seasons of growth, transition, and renewed mission.

 

To help you get to know her better, we invite you to read a personal note from Kerith below, in which she shares her excitement about joining St. Matthew’s and her hopes for the ministry we will build together. We look forward to Kerith, her wife, Ali, and their two children moving into the rectory within the next few months.​ 

 

This call marks an important and hopeful moment for our parish. Over the past several months, all of us have engaged faithfully and patiently in the search process: praying, discerning, and trusting the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Vestry is deeply grateful for your steadiness, your support, and your commitment to our shared life during this time. We also extend heartfelt thanks to the Rev. John Branson, who has guided St. Matthew’s with wisdom, grace, and good humor for more than a year as our interim rector. John’s leadership has been a true blessing and we look forward to celebrating his ministry in the coming weeks. With gratitude for the journey behind us and great excitement for the journey ahead, we warmly welcome Kerith and her family into this community with open hearts. May this new season bring renewed energy, deeper connection, and joyful hope for all of St. Matthew’s.

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Faithfully, The Vestry of St. Matthew’s

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September 12, 2026

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