Lester V Mackenzie

The Reverend Lester V. Mackenzie AHC, is an Episcopal priest and Chief of Mission Program in the Office of the Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Sean Rowe, of The Episcopal Church. In this role, he helps lead and coordinate churchwide mission, working with teams that support church planting and redevelopment, racial justice and healing, gender justice, creation care and climate justice, ethnic and multicultural ministries, evangelism, and young adult and campus ministries. His work centers on listening to local contexts, strengthening collaboration, and accompanying dioceses and communities at the margins so that the whole Church can participate more fully in God’s reconciling mission.

A third-generation priest, Lester was born and raised in South Africa and formed by the Anglican Church’s prophetic witness during the Apartheid era. He attended Diocesan College (Bishops) and the University of Cape Town before continuing theological studies at Virginia Theological Seminary, where he read for his Master of Divinity. His ordination was a deeply personal and intergenerational moment: he was presented by his aunt, The Reverend Vanessa Mackenzie, and ordained by his grandfather, the late Right Reverend Edward Mackenzie, together with the late Right Reverend J. Jon Bruno.

Lester’s ministry is shaped by Ubuntu, South African struggle spirituality, and African musical traditions. Known as a dynamic musician and liturgical leader, he has long used music, storytelling, and embodied prayer to build bridges of hope and healing. His commitment to reconciliation was honed through initiatives such as Hands in Healing, a peace and reconciliation project under Bishop Bruno’s leadership in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Across the wider Episcopal Church, Lester has served in multiple leadership roles, including three times as a C1 Deputy to General Convention beginning in 2012, and then as Chaplain to the House of Deputies for four consecutive General Conventions, concluding with the 2024 General Convention in Kentucky. He has also contributed to diocesan governance through service on the Standing Committee, the Commission on Ministry, and the Corporation of the Diocese of Los Angeles.

Alongside his ecclesiastical leadership, Lester is committed to personal and communal transformation through coaching and formation. He has completed 60 hours of Coach Approach Skills Training (CAST) and is working toward ICF certification. As a coach for the Episcopal Church’s Office of African Descent Ministries and an Associate Facilitator with the Kaleidoscope Institute, he designs and leads spaces for courageous conversations, multicultural dialogue, gender and racial equity, and shared leadership. In 2024, he furthered his formation through Pepperdine University’s COMMUNITAS Pastoral Leadership Program.

Drawing upon his South African heritage, the Ubuntu philosophy, and African musical and contemplative traditions, Lester embodies a ministry of healing, service, and unity. His approach—“praying with mind in heart”—reflects a lifelong commitment to reconciliation, helping individuals and communities live more deeply into the love and justice of Christ.