Staff

The Rev'd Stephen John Batten - Rector
A native of Williamston, North Carolina, Stephen attended Martin County Schools. His father, Welch, was a pharmacist and his mother, Jeanne, taught Chemistry at Williamston High School for 37 years. Stephen received his Bachelor of Arts (Religion/Islamic Studies) in 1989 at Duke University and his Juris Doctor in 1993 at The University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill.
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After a twenty year career as an immigration attorney in North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, he attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated with a Master of Divinity on May 17, 2018.
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Stephen began his ordained ministry in the summer of 2018, and was ordained presbyter on December 16, 2018. He served as Deacon in Charge, Priest in Charge and Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Chocowinity, North Carolina from July 2018 until August 2024.
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He accepted the call to become Rector of Hungars Cure Parish and began life on the Shore in mid-September 2024.
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Stephen has served on various Boards and Committees of the Diocese of East Carolina prior to and after seminary. Stephen served on the Executive Council (2020-2024), was a Deputy to the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Baltimore, sat on the Worship & Liturgy Committee (2020-2024), and chaired the Committee on Constitution and Canons (2022-2024) and as Chair of the Special Joint Committee on Resolutions/Constitution and Canons for the 139th Annual Diocesan Convention.