The Episcopal Diocese of Utah is delighted to announce the appointment of The Reverend Jeff Stevenson, HoSM, currently serving as Rector of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Sayville, New York, as the new Canon to the Ordinary for The Rt. Rev. Phyllis Spiegel. In this role, Fr. Jeff will act as a key administrative support to Bishop Spiegel, serving as a bridge between the Bishop, committees, clergy, congregations, and ministries.
The Rev. Jeffery Stevenson was born and raised in Salt Lake City, enlisting in the US Navy at the age of 21 where he worked as an intelligence specialist. His military service took him far outside of Utah on various assignments in Venezuela, Turkey, and the US military aircraft carrier the USS Eisenhower. Following the events of 9/11, he was recalled to active duty in Washington, D.C., and upon completion of his service transitioned to a consulting role supporting the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
In 2015 Fr. Jeff felt he could no longer defer a calling to ordained ministry; he attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA, where he earned his Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree. His studies and theological pursuits ranged from a thesis on the overlap of faith and the psychology of war, to focusing on moral injury and PTSD affecting active and veteran service members.
At his current congregation, Fr. Jeff focused on empowering laity in ministry, served in an administrative capacity within his church, and served as a trustee for the Trustees of the Estates Belonging to the Diocese of Long Island. Alongside his role as rector of St. Ann’s, he also served as Vicar of Fire Island, ministering to the historic LGBTQ+ communities of The Pines and Cherry Grove.
Earlier this week the Reverend announced his departure to his congregation; he will begin full-time employment with the Diocese starting February 15th after moving cross-country, and will be appointed as Canon early in his tenure.
The Rt. Rev Phyllis Spiegel shared her enthusiasm for Fr. Jeff’s hiring:
“The process of finding the right person for our diocesan Canon to the Ordinary has been long and intense. Regularly, church members and clergy have assured me of their prayers for this process. Fr. Jeff and I both feel that this call is the answer to those prayers. With his wide range of skills and his knowledge of Utah, not to mention his incredible sense of humor, our new Canon to the Ordinary will be an incredible addition to the ministries and mission of our diocese.”
Beyond his spiritual pursuits, Fr. Jeff enjoys a diverse range of hobbies including science fiction, fantasy, and technical gadgetry. After years of church service in D.C., Virginia, Missouri, and New York, Fr. Jeff—with husband Noah and two dogs Sugar & Annie—is excited to return home to Utah.
The hiring of Fr. Jeff as Canon to the Ordinary comes at an important transition time for the Diocese of Utah as it dives deeper into its mission of congregational vitality in the work of Becoming Beloved Community. The Canon to the Ordinary serves a critical role as we seek to fill gaps in community and institutional support. The Diocese of Utah eagerly awaits Fr. Jeff’s arrival. Until then, you can send Fr. Jeff a welcome message to his new email, jstevenson@episcopal-ut.org.
