A New Priest for Emmanuel
Emmanuel welcomes the Rev. Jon F. Lavelle as priest-in-charge, a half-time position, starting Sept. 1. Jon’s first service will be Sunday, Sept. 5. He will live in the Rectory. Please see more info on Jon below. We are delighted to have him. Please introduce yourself to your new priest and get to know him.
At the same time we welcome Jon, we acknowledge our gratitude to Father Jerry Wichelns for serving us so faithfully and well for six years. Thanks also to the Rev. Wayne Storey and the Rev. Jackie Dowling for their service. Emmanuel is truly blessed by these wonderful servants of God.
Jon taught in the Middle East for 20 years and was ordained by the Rt. Rev. Michael Lewis, Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. He served as Curate of St. Christopher’s Cathedral, Manama, Bahrain from 2014-2016 and then Chaplain at St. Luke’s in Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates from 2016 to 2018. After living in the Arabian Gulf for many years, Jon returned to his hometown of Buffalo, NY in 2018 and was received into the Episcopal Church, USA, by the Rt. Rev. William Franklin. He served as Rector of St. John’s-Grace Episcopal Church, Buffalo, from 2018-2021.
Jon studied theology at St. Michael and All Saints College at Cardiff University, Wales. His church interests include interfaith dialogue, contemporary liturgy, 12-step spirituality, contemplative traditions,
and evangelization.
Jon has a keen interest in criminal justice reform and serves on the New York State Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. He is also an adjunct professor of English for SUNY, teaching in NYS correctional facilities, Watertown Hub. His wife, Karen Caldwell, is from Brockville, Ontario and is Assistant Professor in the Business Department at SUNY Potsdam.
Jon, Karen, and their children John and Carol love hiking and canoeing with their dog, Willy. Carol is a Master’s student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, and is advising Jon and the church on sustaining the honey-bees and other pollinators in the region.
