A Few Words from our Interim Priest
Dear St. Mary's Family,
My name is the Rev. Kent W. Tarpley and I am a retired priest since 2015. I enjoyed being a parish priest and believe God called me to be one. I served 32 years in parish ministries, 1983–2015, in four parishes: Sheboygan Falls, WI, Kankakee, IL, Belfast, ME, and Wytheville, VA.
Before I became a priest that I did social work and tried the monastic life before I met my wife, Laura. She worked as a financial consultant with a graduate degree from Northwestern. I went to Trinity College, Hartford, for undergraduate and then Seabury-Western Seminary.
Laura and I decided in 2019 to move to Green Cove to be near our son Bob, his wife Jamie, and their four children, ages now 9 to 4. We joined St. Mary’s right before Mother Amy Slater began her ministry.
We have two adult children, Bob, but our daughter Sarah sadly passed away last year and is buried in our Memorial Garden.
I enjoy walking 7000 steps a day, reading books on history and theology, and
watching sports like golf and tennis. You will notice my stutter which I have had
lifelong and have received years of therapy for, but does not go away. I am grateful that it is only moderate so that I can still function as a priest and preacher.
It is a privilege to serve as your interim priest on Sundays. Thank you and thank God.
Father Kent+
Tags: Happenings