Rev. Keith Giblin 'Comes Home' to St. Mark's

Coming Home: Father Keith Giblin shared the following letter with the parish on 7/5/2024.

I remember it like it was yesterday, even though it was fifty years ago. My hands were sweating, my heart was pounding, and I didn’t know what to expect. I was visiting St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for the very first time. You see, my parents were the most attentive, loving parents that a boy could ever ask for. But we rarely attended church as a family. Daddy worked several jobs to make ends meet and Momma was busy raising four kids. As a teenager, I always felt like I needed to attend church, but just didn’t know how to go about it. And then, over five decades ago, I decided to visit St. Mark’s. 

I remember how beautiful the church was. I remember how glorious the organ sounded. And I remember how friendly the congregation was. I sat up in the balcony and soaked it all in. The priest’s words touched my heart. I was baptized and confirmed in that beautiful church and spent the next several years worshipping in that holy place.

When my children reached school age, we naturally decided to send them to All Saints’ Episcopal School. Since they attended chapel every morning at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, we made the difficult decision to transfer our church membership from St. Mark’s to St. Stephen’s. However, a big part of my heart remained at St. Mark’s. Somehow, I knew that one day, in the future, I would be back at my first church home.

Years later, Judge Wendell Radford, a long-time member of St. Mark’s, called me into his office at the federal courthouse. He looked me in the eye and said “You’re going to be a priest one day.” I was stunned. I hadn’t felt “the call.” I had a family, a full-time job, and a million other responsibilities. There was no way that that could happen and there was no way that I would let that happen. But, through the years, God called louder and louder. And I answered the call. I graduated from seminary and became a bi-vocational priest, serving for almost ten years at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Orange. But, in my heart, I still felt a call. A call to come home to the church that washed me in the waters of baptism, taught me how to be a disciple, and showered me with love. A call to come home to St. Mark’s.

My brothers and sisters, you made that call a reality. When Father James asked me to serve at St. Mark’s as an Assisting Priest, my heart jumped with joy. I am honored to be able to serve with Father James and Deacon Tracie who are like family to me. And I am honored to help lead a congregation that goes out into the world and does the work that God has given us to do. 

In conclusion, I am so blessed to be called home and to be part of your church family. I love each of you and will see you on Sunday.

Blessings,

Keith +