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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
When Rev. David Lehmann recently became the priest at St. John's Anglican Church in Fort Smith, it was more than just moving to a new parish.

Rev. David Lehmann: new priest at St. John's Anglican Church in Fort Smith grew up in the community. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"It's coming home," said Lehmann, whose first service at the church was on July 1.

While born in Toronto, he was raised in Fort Smith from the time he was five years old and graduated from high school in the community.

However, he has basically been gone from town for 25 years, first to get an education and then to serve as a priest in a number of parishes, including in Fort Simpson.

In that time, Lehmann said he occasionally visited Fort Smith, where his parents and a sister live.

"So it's a matter of getting to know people again, and, yes, there is a history, but at the same time there's been a gap," he said.

While he served in Fort Simpson, Lehmann filled in for the priest in Fort Smith for a month, along with preaching in town a couple of times and officiating at a funeral and a wedding.

"There's a connection that's remained over the years," he said.

In the three months since Lehmann's return to Fort Smith, things have been going well.

"It's been really quite nice and really quite affirming to come home and be welcomed back," said the 42-year-old.

Lehmann was called to the priesthood when he was 17 years old and even remembers the date – Dec. 23, 1986.

"I just had a very clear vision this was what God was calling me to go and do and be, and to scrap all my other plans that I had started to put in place," he recalled.

Lehmann went to university in Alberta and then to a seminary in Ontario. He was just 20 when he entered the seminary, where the average age of students was 45.

In early 1995, he was ordained a priest in Fort Simpson, where he served for five and a half years.

Afterwards, he served in two Alberta communities – Cold Lake and Fort Saskatchewan.

Lehmann returned to Fort Smith at the request of some local parishioners, who asked him to consider it while on a visit home.

"I was up visiting my parents and I had a couple of people approach me and ask me to apply," he recalled. "So I said, 'Let me go and pray about it.' I went off, prayed and then I came back for another visit and they asked me again and so I said, 'If you're sure, OK, I'll put my name in,' and then let my name stand."

Lehmann said there were a number of factors to consider, including what it would be like to serve in his hometown; the niceties of living in the south, such as season tickets to the Edmonton Eskimos; and the fact he owned a house.

There was also the fact St. John's Anglican Church has a different style than his previous two Alberta parishes, which he described as Anglo-Catholic .

"One parish I had was more Catholic than the Pope," he said with a chuckle.

Therefore, Lehmann wondered if it would be a good fit to come back to a parish that is a little more Protestant and on the evangelical side.

Asked what led to his final decision, he responded, "The peace of God that said this is it. This is the choice."

Lehmann noted the experience has so far been good.

At St. John's Church, Lehmann replaced Rev. Ann Bush, who served the parish for 11 years before retiring to Prince Edward Island.

Lehmann said he hasn't yet set any goals for the parish.

"It's too new," he said. "We're still getting to know each other."

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