A New Rector for St. Martin's

St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

Keller, Texas

June 23, 2021

Dear Parish Family,

It is with great pleasure that I announce that the Vestry has elected the candidate recommended by the Search Committee, The Rev. Canon Alan D. Bentrup, as the new Rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.

Father Alan is a native Texan who grew up in west Fort Worth and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington. After a ten-year career as a marketing consultant in Dallas and Houston, Alan and his family moved to Alexandria, Va., where he attended Virginia Theological Seminary.

Following graduation from seminary, Alan served as Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas, and in 2018 was called to serve as Canon for Evangelism and Mission in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina. He serves in numerous leadership positions across the Episcopal Church, including the Voorhees College Board of Trustees and Episcopal Relief & Development’s Council of Advice.

Alan and his wife Elizabeth have two young sons, Walker (11) and Ford (13), and have discerned that they belong back in North Texas while they raise their family. Elizabeth will be teaching third grade at the Episcopal School of Dallas.

We are so fortunate that he has agreed to share his leadership skills and experience with us at St. Martin’s and in the Episcopal Church in North Texas.

We will welcome the family in late July. Please watch for details as soon as the appropriate arrangements can be made. You can send a welcome greeting to the Bentrup's by clicking HERE.

In the meantime, let us offer this prayer each day:

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: We give you thanks for Alan, chosen Rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, for his family, Elizabeth, Ford, and Walker, and for those whose faithful service and prayerful discernment led to his call to come to us. Watch over Alan, his family, and those they leave behind in this transition. Give Alan grace to lead us as a pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us to unite us as Rector and People that we may truly, devoutly, and generously serve you and our neighbor; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

I would like to take a moment to thank the Search Committee for their hard work and tireless effort. They did a wonderful job of finding a new Rector to lead St. Martin-in-the-Fields on the next road of our journey! I would be remiss if I did not say thank you to the members of the congregation for your patience, support and prayers throughout the Search Process. Now let me be among the first to welcome Fr. Alan and his family to St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

Fr. Alan sends his greetings in the video below.

Yours in Christ,

Keen Haynes

Senior Warden