The Rev. Basil Matthews is the new rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, with services at 9 a.m. Saturdays at the First Presbyterian Church, 101 Berverdor Ave.

He replaces the Rev. Sosaia Fineanganofo, who is retiring. Fineanganofo continues to serve a Samoan church in the Bay Area.

Matthews most recently served two years as interim rector at St. John the Baptist in Lodi. The Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb, bishop of the San Joaquin Diocese of the Episcopal church, made Matthews canonically resident of the Diocese of San Joaquin when he transferred from the Diocese of California, where he had been invited to lecture and preach at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco beginning in May 2005. During his time in San Francisco, he met and married his wife, Cheryl. He became a United States citizen in April.

Before moving to the United States, Matthews was a Benedictine monk in a monastery in the Diocese of Oxford, England, for more than 40 years and abbot of his community for 17 years.

“I hope to share some of my experience of monastic life, so vitally important in the history of the wider church, and am happy to speak about monastic history, its origin, spirituality and prayer, both corporate and individual,” Matthews said.

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