New Priest Called to Serve at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

By Heather Poyner, Kenosha News

The Rev. Dave Manley (‘20) is a new priest in every sense of the word. Ordained to the priesthood last June, Manley is answering his first call to full-time parish ministry at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Fr. Manley led his first worship service there on December 12, the third Sunday of Advent. In answering the call to serve at St. Matthew’s, Fr. Manley fulfilled a lifelong intention, he said, in a recent interview with historic downtown Kenosha church.

“I was that kid,” said Fr. Manley. “When the neighborhood kids got together to play and it was my turn to pick, we were playing church. “

A native of southern Ohio, Manley grew up with parents active in the church of the Seventh Day Adventist and attended school run by the SDA through 12th grade. 

“I was a little on the precocious side,” he said. “I preached my first sermon in front of the whole congregation at age 12.” In college he explored spirituality and became an Episcopalian. He attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he received degrees in philosophy and religion. He then studied theology at the The Pontifical International Marian Academy at the University of Dayton, Ohio. But despite his affinity for the church Manley’s road to ordained priesthood was not the first road taken.

As he raised a family in southern Ohio, Manley’s work included faculty positions at colleges, financial strategic planning for nonprofit institutions and work in public sector healthcare helping manage Medicaid.

“But while those jobs were going on I still felt a pull, a call towards ministry, “ Manley said.

Following the death of his parents, he took stock of his life‘s direction and in 2015 spent time at Saint Gregory's Abbey, an Episcopal monastery in Three Rivers, Michigan. “I was looking for that still small voice as they say,” he said.

A spiritual director there suggested he explore a call to ordained ministry in the Episcopal church which led Manley to become a seminary student at Nashotah House. Manley attended Nashotah House from 2017 until graduation 2020. 

“We were the first class in history not to have a graduation ceremony, due to Covid,'' he said. “The class was brought back this year to participate in a combined graduation class of 2020 and 2021.” 

He served as seminarian-in-residence at St. Thomas of Canterbury, Greendale, and later at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Plymouth, as a seminarian, deacon and associate.

Manley has served as a hospice chaplain and did a year-long hospital chaplain residency. Most recently he offered in-home and nursing home hospice for Advocate Aurora patients.

After his ordination to the priesthood in June he sought placement as a full-time parish priest.

“It was about finding the right parish. I took time and was blessed to interview at a number of places.”

St. Matthew’s turned out to be a perfect fit. “In meetings with the folks it was just very clear we were called to journey together,” he said.

“We had some pretty deep conversations and there were so many points of connection. When that energy’s there you know that the spirit is moving. And we all acknowledged that,” Manley said.

Jennifer Meyer, junior warden and church clerk, said, “We are so excited to have Fr.  Dave with us at St. Matthew’s! During the interview process, we were so impressed with his passion for people, our community, and our historical buildings all while being humble and a man of great faith.”

Manley follows a period of transition for the leadership at St. Matthew’s. After Rev. Matthew Buterbaugh left last February, Rev. Gari Green, former priest at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, came out of retirement to lead the parish while it searched for a new full-time priest.

Fr. Manley and his wife Kerrie live in Gurnee,Illinois, and hope to move to Kenosha in the next couple of years.

Although new to full-time parish life, Manley is not new to using technology to deliver worship services online. “It was in my wheelhouse. I had written music and played in bands when I was younger and used a lot of multimedia and AV tech on campus.”

Preaching to parishioners viewing the service online has helped Manley hone his sermon-writing craft as well, he said. “Online sermons are living documents (because they can be re-watched). My sermons now are longer and contain spiritual reflections and a prayer for the week.”

Manley is very optimistic as he looks at sharing the future at St. Matthew’s. “This church has a very strong leadership team that has kept St. Matthew’s around during and throughout the pandemic. We are coming through the pandemic and there is a lot of energy in the congregation. And we all know we’re starting a new chapter moving forward.”

“We are excited to do incredible things together as a part of the Kenosha community,” Meyer said.

The preceding article was first published in Kenosha News on January 8, 2022. To read the original, please visit this link. Do you have news to share about your ministry? We invite you to send to us at chapter@nashotah.edu, and we will share with the Nashotah House Chapter community.