The Rev. Joseph “Joe” Rose became Rector of St. Francis in October 2025. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Joe is a former investigative journalist with a Master of Divinity from Yale and a diploma in Anglican studies from Berkeley Divinity School. He first experienced God’s presence in the orchards, forests, and rivers of his youth. Before St. Francis, he served parishes in West Hartford, CT, and Atlanta, GA, and worked at Trinity Church NYC’s retreat center, overseeing a farm and founding a sanctuary for rescued donkeys. Joe is active in Episcopal agrarian and creation care ministries, interfaith and social justice initiatives, and has served on the Camp Washington board and the diocese’s Standing Committee.
Joe and his wife, Heidi, have two grown daughters. His interests include hiking, biking, camping, collecting and listening to vinyl records, reading, watching movies and doing puzzles with Heidi, and waiting for the Seattle Mariners to eventually make it to the World Series!
Given St. Francis' commitment to diversity and the variety of religious voices available in the Stamford community, we often invite guest preachers to provide their spiritual perspective. Rabbi Jay TelRav and Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Baptist ministers, Dawn Snell and Michael Hyman, as well as The Rev. Winton Hill and Deacon Edrice Veichweg are a few of those who have shared their wisdom with St. Francis. These diverse offerings provide spiritual 'food' for the congregation's soul, they encourage our growth, and we are blessed by their messages!
The vestry is the leadership board of the parish, with representation of the church community. Meetings are monthly, beginning with a reflective prayer service, and focus on committee reports, projects and budget.
Current Vestry members are: Nancy Bisset and Aleta Shipley, Wardens; John Coff, Treasurer; Dawn Randall, Clerk; , Joe Bilotti, Tim Butler, Joan Carty, Joseph Cornacchia, Anne Leonhardt, Patricia Lydon, Andrea Martinez, Terry Murphy, Cathy Ostuw, Anthony Pramberger, and Joseph SanFilippo.