Long-time St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Rev. Jane Gould is headed off to California to open a new chapter on her life. She leaves behind a legion of fond friends and a legacy of social activism and commitment to Lynn.
Gould and active members of St. Stephen’s congregation turned the towering stone building on Lynn Common into a place of welcome and laughter. Lynn public school students studied in makeshift classrooms and activists held vigils and unity gatherings on the church lawn. Teenagers representing a diverse cross section of Lynn’s youth made movies and launched other bold projects inside St. Stephen’s and people of all ages came to worship in one of the most beautiful buildings in Lynn.
Gould brought a youthful energy and passion to her work. Quick with a smile and barely able to stand still in one place, she always seemed to be on the verge of launching into a story or shouting out loud praise for her faith and the bounty it provided her congregation and all of Lynn.
She loved the city and joined her congregation in hosting Essex County Community Organization (ECCO) meetings in the church. ECCO’s association with St. Stephen’s predated Gould’s tenure but the organization benefited in the last several years from being aligned with social values shared by Gould and St. Stephen’s congregation members.
Gathering with neighbors from St. Mary’s Church on Lynn Common for Easter vigils, Gould placed herself at the center of celebrations highlighting religious common ground. She saw prayer as a pathway to reach out to young people and as a way for them to come to faith and know the peace faith brings.
She enjoyed a long ministry at St. Stephen’s but Gould never sounded like someone who preached. She spoke to people immersed in sorrow or uncertainty as a friend or like a coach applying friendly encouragement to guide them to peace of mind.
She presided over a significant renovation of St. Stephen’s with its towering spires and imposing ramparts. But Gould understood the church isn’t just an imposing building or the local representative of a global denomination. She always saw St. Stephen’s as place brought alive by people who sought solace inside its walls during the toughest times in their lives and gathered at the church to rejoice over some of their happiest times.
Gould’s successor will have big shoes to fill but St. Stephen’s next pastor is sure to appreciate Gould’s legacy as someone who defined faith in welcoming and joyful terms. Plenty of people in Lynn will miss Jane Gould but they will smile when they think of her.
