Who Was St. Paul?

Saul was a Jewish Talmudic student, a Pharisee, and made tents for a living. Saul hated and persecuted Christians, even holding the coats of others at the stoning of Saint Stephen the Martyr. One day, on his way to Damascus to arrest a group of them, he was knocked to the ground, struck blind by a heavenly light, and given the message that in persecuting Christians, he was persecuting Christ. The experience had a profound spiritual effect on him, causing him to accept Jesus as the Messiah. He was baptized and began traveling and preaching. Scripture tells us that Saul also went by a Greek name, Paulos, which is Paul in English. In his work among the Gentiles, Paul began to primarily use his Greek name, which is how we remember him. Paul wrote or inspired many of the letters that were later collected in the New Testament.

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  • The Rev’d Andrew Cannan

    Rector

    The Rev’d Andrew Cannan

    Rector

    Andrew appreciates the diversity of the journeys that bring people to find a home at St. Paul’s. He was baptized a Methodist, majored in religious studies at a Baptist university, married a Presbyterian, received a Master of Divinity as a Devil (the blue, basketball-crazed variety), and was ordained in a congregationalist church prior to finding his way as an Episcopal priest. “I was drawn to this strange Church that accepted the messiness of life and embraced it with grace and dignity. That sounded like a place where I could learn to live with God. That and I was always wanted to dress like Johny Cash.” In their downtime, Andrew and his wife, Ashley, enjoy East Carolina evenings in the backyard with their sons. On days off, he likely won’t be found fishing a remote section of the Eastern Pamlico that he is reluctant to disclose.

  • The Rev’d Josiah Daniels

    Associate Rector

    The Rev’d Josiah Daniels

    Associate Rector

    Josiah was raised as a pastor’s kid in the Church of the Nazarene. Sensing a call to ministry early on, he studied theology, philosophy, and Greek at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. He received his Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2015; joined the Episcopal church at St. Peter’s (Charlotte) in 2016; and received his diploma of Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2022. He was drawn to the Episcopal Church’s liturgy and its commitment to including those who are often excluded from the fullness of the Church’s life. Josiah and his wife, Riley Beetner, love listening to live music, spending time outside, and debating how many treats their 10-year-old rescue pup, Nilla, deserves.

  • The Rev’d Deacon Bobby Weatherly

    Deacon

    The Rev’d Deacon Bobby Weatherly

    Deacon

    Bobby Weatherly was born and baptized Presbyterian in Pontotoc Mississippi and lived in Mississippi for his first 71 years. After leaving Mississippi, St Paul’s found him wandering around Greenville looking for a spiritual home. He majored in business and finance at Mississippi State University and worked for an electric utility company serving western MS, moving 7 times in 13 years when his wife Dannie said, “enough moving”. Bobby and Dannie are likely the only couple to move to Port Gibson, MS twice. In 1981, Bobby began a new career of financial planning and investment advisory services located in Vicksburg, MS where Dannie and Bobby lived until moving to Greenville in June 2017. They love spending time with their daughter, grandson, son, and daughter-in-law exploring North Carolina, especially the outer banks. Bobby’s recreational interests include swimming and fly fishing when not spending too much time playing online bridge. On Jan. 4, 2003, he was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Mississippi for the work of servant ministry with all the baptized in this crazy church and beyond.

“Whoever you are, wherever you are on your spiritual journey, and whatever else it is that you seek in a Church community, it is our sincere hope that you find God’s gracious welcome with us at St. Paul’s. In so many ways, we do not all look alike, think alike, or even act alike here. But in one thing we are certain that we are all the same: God graciously welcomes us all.”