New Church Leader Takes Long Journey to Farmington

The journey that brought Rev. George Roberts to the doors of was long, varied and under the wisdom of God, he said Wednesday at the church.

Roberts, who will serve as rector, arrived in Farmington in July to take over leadership of the church, which had been under the interim care of Rev. Hope Eakins for two years. The former rector had to leave in 2009 due to health issues.

The congregation is excited to welcome him; while the search for a new rector has been long, Roberts’ path has stretched over decades.

Raised as a Catholic in North Carolina, Roberts wanted to go to seminary as a young man, he said.

“I felt a very special call to the ordained ministry and when I was 22, I came very close to going to seminary,” Roberts said.

But he got cold feet and instead got married, had a child and began a career as a social worker, helping at-risk youth in North Carolina and Florida.

“In my view, God’s wisdom knew I was way too immature and probably would not have made it through Catholic seminary,” he said.

And while he loved the kids he worked with, Roberts said it became difficult to see so few of them succeed despite his efforts.

He went back to school and received his Master’s of Fine Arts in Theatre at the University of Mississippi in 1997. With that degree, he acted, founded a Shakespearean theater company in Missouri and taught theater classes at colleges and universities. He spent four years at the University of South Carolina.

But then Roberts felt the call to ordination again. This time he was ready.

“It was 20 years, almost to the day, when I was supposed to enter seminary that I began Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA,” Roberts said.

He became a “late-life priest” and served a rector assistant at a church in South Carolina for three years. Then, he came to Farmington.

As the church’s new rector, Roberts sees his himself not so much as in charge but as responsible for helping others along their path.

“I see my role as facilitating spiritual growth and deepening the relationship with God and in doing so, helping people to see how they might grow into what God’s calling them to be,” Roberts said.

He is guided by something the Bishop said during his ordination, Roberts explained.

“He said, ‘In all things, to nourish Christ’s people from the riches of His grace to strengthen them to glorify God in this life and the life to come.’”

At St. James, Roberts said, there are so many opportunities for people to get involved and fulfill their potential, both spiritual and practical.

The congregation has historically been involved with numerous outreach ministries, both for families in Farmington and those farther afield.

“I would love to see us grow in numbers and in spiritual life,” Roberts said of his hopes for the church. “I would like to see us be part of the Farmington community, particularly in ecumenism.”

He has hopes for his own family, too, who have moved several times along Roberts’ journey. He hopes to see them settle in and find their way here.

His wife Tracey will begin a job as school nurse at an elementary school in West Hartford, while their eldest child, a son, will be a senior at Farmington High School. George Roberts also has daughters who will attend West Woods Upper Elementary School and Noah Wallace.

For a schedule of events and more information about St. James, visit its website.