The Rev. Richard S. J. Pike
Priest-in-Charge
The Rev. Richard Pike hails originally from England, and moved to the States with work in the summer of 2004. Raised within the Church of England, Richard took his time to formally commit to the faith—and was eventually confirmed in May 2003 back in his high school chapel with a group of 15 year old pupils. He had originally turned down the opportunity 12 years earlier.
Richard returned from spiritual wanderings in 2003 in large part in search for a faith discipline that was rooted in ancient collective wisdom and a world religion that had more than stood the test of time. And it initially surprised him that the very faith he was seeking had been sitting right in front of him - that the Christian faith that he had been raised up in was more than enough. That its vibrancy, global diversity and gift of the Word presented a light-filled faith that was simply alive—in time, and through time, and of time.
After taking on those Christian vows in 2003, it was not long before Richard was exploring a call to the priesthood soon after joining Grace Church in Manhattan in the Fall of 2004. Fast forward, and after much discernment and exploration, Richard was ordained within the Diocese of New York in 2014 after three years of study at General Theological Seminary. His thesis The Nephilim: Fallen Warriors of the Genesis Rebellion explored the formation of evil at the very beginning of time.
Richard spent five happy years in the beginnings of ministry at St. Matthew’s in Bedford NY - the largest church outside the city limits in the Diocese of New York. Working for a retiring, then interim, then new Rector, Richard was exposed to wide variety of parish environments - and in his time in Bedford was particularly drawn to pastoral work, especially working with the dying. He also enjoyed leading outreach work in the city of Newburgh, including sponsoring and helping renovate two city houses with Habitat for Humanity; adult formation and education - and exploring new evocative ways to worship at the Sunday evening services.
In the Fall of 2019 Richard was called to The Church of the Incarnation in midtown Manhattan where he supported the Priest-in-Charge in the day-to-day running of the parish, including revamping and evolving Family Ministries. He also led new outreach initiatives and the 20s/30s group—creating a four—part Monastic Meditations speaker series in collaboration with Trinity Church Wall Street. During the early Covid crisis Father Pike also volunteered as an overnight hospital chaplain at Mt. Sinai during the months of April & May 2020.
Father Pike was called to St. Stephen & St. Martin’s Church in October 2021 as Interim Priest-in-Charge— and in June 2022 was made Priest-in-Charge. He is very much enjoying his new ministry in such a welcoming, faithful, and joy-filled parish.
Richard is married to Tracy and they live in Brooklyn, along with three young children—and before being called to the ordained life Richard worked for Christie’s, the auction house, where he specialized in wine & whisky, and public relations.