New Chapter Begins for Priest, People at All Saints, Enterprise

The Rev. Samuel S. Carpenter, founding vicar of All Saints, Enterprise, rowed a boat across Lake Monroe every Sunday after leading the morning service at Holy Cross, Sanford, to preach at the fledgling church, founded in 1881 and built in 1883. The Rev. Stephen Feibelman, who began as the church’s full-time rector on Sept. 1, takes an easier route across the lake via the I-4 bridge. But what may seem surprising – especially since he and his wife, Meagan, live in Longwood – is that as he drives this direction, he is also going home.

“I was born in Sanford, raised in this area, and my parents and grandparents live further north on the St. John’s near Palatka,” he said. “So being here, in this part of the state, just feels like home. It’s kind of a full-circle moment, which is cool.”

Feibelman, who attended Asbury Theological Seminary, was ordained to the diaconate on Nov. 16, 2024, and to the priesthood on May 21, 2025. He served as youth minister at another All Saints – in Winter Park – from March 2022 until Aug. 3 of this year.

“Fr. Stephen’s ministry among us has been marked by devotion to our students and their families, faithful preaching, compassionate pastoral care, and a deep love for the people of God,” the Rev. Stu Shelby, rector, wrote in a letter to the congregation announcing Feibelman’s new call. “In his time at All Saints, Winter Park, he has been a wise counselor, a gifted teacher, and a steadfast colleague in the gospel. His presence has blessed our parish with warmth, humor, and a profound sense of God’s grace.

“We are confident that he will bring the same gifts and faithfulness to our brothers and sisters in Enterprise,” he continued. “We rejoice with Fr. Stephen and Meagan in the Spirit’s leading and pray that this next chapter in Fr. Stephen’s ministry will be fruitful and filled with every blessing for the people of God and their family.”

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, fifth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, visited the church on Sept. 7 for Feibelman’s Celebration of New Ministry, a service that also included 15 confirmations, receptions and reaffirmations of faith. The day also included some holy laughter, especially when the bishop, Shelby and Feibelman all discovered they were wearing identical shoes!

“As All Saints begins a new chapter, remember: the Potter is intentional with this parish, patient with our rough edges and persistent in his good purpose,” Bishop Holcomb told those gathered for the service, also reminding them of their security in Christ and the wonderful ways God works in and through weakness to display his power.

“I don’t think the church had had a visitation from a bishop in a while, so just to have Bishop Holcomb here on campus was so great,” Feibelman said. “It meant a lot to the congregation, I know, to have him there and hear him preach. And it was really cool for me too personally, to have him there and have him affirm my calling to serve as a rector.”

As he and the congregation begin this new chapter in the historic church, Feibelman sees many reasons for hope. “It’s a beautiful building with a very, very loving and energetic congregation,” he said. “I get a sense that people are enthusiastic and excited about what All Saints, Enterprise, could be in the community. There’s always a little bit of anxiety around change, but the overall general feeling that I get is that people are looking forward to seeing what God will do in and through them, and in and through his church in Enterprise.”

“I’m really excited about where we are geographically, with all the growth that’s happening in Volusia County,” he added. “We’ve got a lot of neighborhoods popping up where there will be young families moving in, so I’m excited about where the church is positioned and the welcoming and hospitable nature of the parish. It’s just who they are. There’s a lot of potential for inviting some of those families and people who might be moving into the area.”

The church and its new rector are already working together to extend All Saints’ reach into the community. “We’re trying to find ways to do ministry that don’t really cost a lot of money, and there are a lot of options,” Feibelman explained. “Our plan is to begin running the Alpha course consistently. It’s worked so well in Sanford at Holy Cross – we will do that, and we’ll find ways to get in touch with families in our area through Alpha. That’ll be a big area of ministry, and then whatever community events we can do. Before I got here, they had already put a craft festival on the books. So we did that on Oct. 4, and it brought in a decent amount of people.”

He also took the initiative to begin another outreach that the church plans to continue at least once a month on Wednesdays, which is also early-dismissal day for local schools. “Directly across the street from the church is Enterprise Elementary, a historic elementary school,” he said. “Over the past month or so that I’ve been here, every afternoon, I would look out my office window and notice the carpool line backing up. We just wanted to do something to let these parents and families know we’re here.”

On Oct. 15, church administrator Cheryl Berg joined Feibelman and his wife in setting up a small table with a sign offering free coffee. Berg walked up and down the car line, waving at people and inviting them to partake as the Feibelmans served the coffee.

“We just wanted people to know, ‘We love you, we care about you,’ and we had 16 parents take a simple free cup of coffee,” Feibelman said. “I think it’s a great way of letting people know we’re here without any kind of pressure, helping the church get a little bit more visibility in the community, which we need.”