The Rev. Joel J. Morsch Installed as 33rd Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
The Rev. Joel J. Morsch was installed as the 33rd rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, February 16, by The Rt. Rev. Daniel Martins, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield at a Celebration of New Ministry service.
Fr. Joel was selected by the Mission Leadership Team to lead the church. He officiated at his first service at St. Andrew’s on December 16. Previously, Fr. Morsch was Rector of Christ Church, Bradenton, Florida for twelve years. He is married to Barbara and has three grown daughters and five grandchildren. Two of his daughters live in Bloomington, Illinois and the third lives in John’s Creek, Georgia.
Fr. Joel lived, worked and volunteered in St. Charles, Illinois for many years before hearing God’s call to the priesthood. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1997. He graduated from Nashotah House Theological Seminary in 1998.
After ordination, he went to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Naperville, Illinois as Associate Rector from 1998 until 2002. In 2002, he was called to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Franklin, Tennessee as Rector. He was in Franklin, Tennessee until 2006 then became Rector at Christ Church.
St. Andrew’s is located at 406 Hillsboro Avenue in downtown Edwardsville. It was established in 1841 under its first rector, The Reverend Joseph Darrow. The present site has been occupied by St. Andrew’s since the early 1870s.For more information, visit the church’s website at standrews-edwardsville.com.
Contact: Marian Smithson, Communications, 618.656.5726
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
standrewsepisc1@sbcglobal.net or msmiths@siue.edu
