A letter from our Senior Warden (July 3, 2024):
On behalf of the Vestry and the Discernment Committee I wish to introduce you to The Reverend E. Weston Mathews, the St Francis Episcopal Church, Great Falls, Priest-In-Charge effective September 2, 2024. Fr Weston (Weston or Fr Weston preferred in that order) is currently serving the congregation at Grace Episcopal Church, The Plains, Va. Weston grew up in Winchester, Va and Warren County, attended St Georges High School in Newport RI. He is a lifelong Episcopalian. Weston graduated from The College of William and Mary with a BA in History in 2004. He then continued his education in Williamsburg receiving a Master of Arts in Education in 2005. He taught at Nelson County High School where he also coached tennis. It was there that he heard his calling and entered the Virginia Theological Seminary where he graduated in 2014.
Weston’s clerical experience began as a Seminarian at St. Mark’s Episcopal in Capitol Hill. After graduation from Seminary, he was an Assistant Rector for 3 years at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA. Weston participated in all aspects of pastoring a church during his time at the 5,000-member church and in July of 2017 he was called to be Rector at Grace Church.
Weston is married to Loriana Mathews, a Foreign Service Officer. No children, but they do have cats named Camille and Noel.
Weston’s first day in the office will be September 3 and his first Sunday leading us in prayer will be September 8. There will be a welcome reception following the 10:00 service for you to meet The Reverend and Mrs E. Weston Mathews.
We give thanks to God for the time, talent, and work of Discernment Committee: Mike Shuler, chair; Kathy Ditmore; Scott Perkins; Joe Reynolds; Cate Riihimaki and Jack Shafran. The Reverend Shirley Smith Graham, Transition Minister, The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, provided invaluable assistance.
Finally, we give thanks to Fr David Lucey for his service to our Lord and God and to this congregation. We will gather on September 1 for Fr Lucey’s final St Francis service at 10:00. Immediately after we will commemorate his service to God with a reception in Millen Hall.
Rick Larson
Senior Warden
Father Weston’s Bio:
Weston was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and earned a B.A. in history and an M.A.Ed from William and Mary. Weston served as a high school history teacher and coach in Nelson County, VA, before seminary.
Weston was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood in 2014, after receiving his M.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary and served as a seminarian at St. Mark’s on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. He served St. Stephen’s Church in Richmond, VA as an associate rector from 2014 to 2017. Weston led Grace Church in The Plains, VA as rector from 2017-2024.
During his years in The Plains, Weston supported clergy colleagues and their families as Dean of the Northern Piedmont Region, founded Grace Montessori School for young families, expanded parish and community programs in the performing arts and sacred music, led a successful capital campaign, and helped Grace grow in average Sunday attendance. In the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget of Grace doubled, annual giving grew by 75%, and Grace developed a successfully food ministry program and LGBTQ+ grants program. In 2020, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia recognized Weston with its annual “Meet Me In Galilee” award for reconciliation in honor of his work as co-Director of the Interfaith Alliance for Climate Justice. From 2018-2022, this organization distributed more than $1 million dollars in mutual aid to frontline communities and activists around Virginia in order to stop fossil gas infrastructure including the now defunct Atlantic Coast Pipeline and a compressor station in Charles City County.
In September 2024, Weston begins his ministry with Saint Francis as our Priest-in-Charge. He currently serves on the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Standing Committee as an advisor to Bishop Mark Stevenson. Weston lives in Falls Church with his wife, Loriana, and their two cats Noel and Camille. In his spare time he likes to travel, play tennis, and enjoys reading.
