Leslie Steffensen is an Episcopal priest canonically resident in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. As of this writing, she also serves as canon to the bishop suffragan for the armed forces and federal ministries. Previously, she served as assistant rector at Grace Episcopal Alexandria, where she served with perjuring priest Bob Malm.
Leslie’s an interesting kettle of fish. She’s ostensibly fair, friendly, inclusive, affirming—everything you’d hope for and expect in an Episcopal priest.
But behind the scenes things are different.
In my case, I supported Leslie and Grace Church following perjuring priest Bob Malm’s accident in 2014 when, due to the fact he thinks he can safely wander around in the darkness (yes, there’s a metaphor there), he took a headfirst tumble down the stairs and broke his fool neck.
I was glad to help, but next thing I know I get written documentation that Leslie is telling people that “I get emotionally involved in crisis,” that she was “not sure she’d trust me with money,” and that there were “suspicious activities” going on. She also is a bold-faced liar.
That’s a load of bull, and given that Leslie was at best marginally involved in operational issues at the parish, she’s not even qualified to make that comment. It’s also profoundly disrespectful given the effort that went into keeping the church going during that difficult time.
Nor did anyone ask her to wade into the situation with perjuring priest Bob Malm with her lies and manipulative comments.
More telling is the fact that Leslie chooses to share this feedback with third parties, and not directly with me. Triangulation, anyone?
It’s also interesting that, having given me a positive job reference previously, she’d suddenly developed this after-the-fact issue with my ethics.
Nor does the sneakiness end there.
In an fauxpology she sent to my mother, she brought up the issue of having blessed our relationship at Grace. That was a positive experience, but she also knew that, for various reasons, Mom was not invited. It therefore would seem that, at a minimum, she’d want to be careful about bringing the issue up. Yet when I sent her an email confronting her on the issue, she chose not to respond. Typical TEC. And for the record, Leslie’s conduct is NOT, as she claimed, an “inexpert response” to conflict within Grace Church. Her conduct is a result of three things:
- A propensity for sneaky, manipulative behavior.
- A lack of integrity.
- A lack of accountability, personally, professionally, organizationally.
It’s also worth noting that her husband Kirk sent an email threatening Mike’s job. Later, he tried to say that’s not what he meant, but you can read the email and reach your own conclusions.
Bottom line, any priest willing to go around telling others that you can’t be trusted with money who does not have the integrity to say that to your face is a jackass, total trash, and a priest you should avoid at all costs. Leslie would do all involved a favor by resigning holy orders and making herself scarce. And while she’s at it, she can take Kirk, her low-life husband, with her. (Kirk sent a family member an email, thinking he’d reached me, in which he said, inter alia, “I used to like you.” My reply: “I am sorry to hear that. With friends like you, who needs enemies? So tell me, manipulate much?”
One final point: Leslie has never apologized for her fabrications nor accepted responsibility for her actions. So next time you hear her bloviating about health, healing, wholeness, love, peace, reconciliation and all the other Jesus-babble that comes out of TEC, just know it is all fake. No substance to it at all.
“By their fruits you shall know them.”
