Eastern Shore Episcopalian - Pre-Convention 2020
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CONVENTION EDITION <strong>2020</strong><br />
Becoming Better<br />
Disciples of Jesus<br />
a publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton
Contents:<br />
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND<br />
Nine counties, 42 worshiping<br />
communities, and more than<br />
5,000 people engaged in living<br />
out our call to welcome all, share<br />
Jesus’ love, and serve the world.<br />
BISHOP<br />
The Rt. Rev. Santosh Marray<br />
Welcome All<br />
Share Jesus’ Love<br />
Serve the World<br />
02<br />
06<br />
08<br />
Becoming Better<br />
Disciples of Jesus<br />
“Love defined as agape, in the<br />
Greek, is the virtue Jesus advocated<br />
by living it out or incarnating it<br />
in the very essence of his life on<br />
earth.”<br />
The Bishop’s<br />
Institute<br />
“To provide all the faithful saints<br />
of the Diocese of Easton training<br />
and formation needed to become<br />
intentional disciples and effective<br />
evangelists sharing Jesus’ love.”<br />
United in a Leap of<br />
Faith<br />
”Then, with a flame from an altar<br />
candle, a facsimile of the mortgage<br />
was lit and dropped into a cement<br />
cauldron where it burned to ashes.”<br />
In This Issue:<br />
01 Bishop’s Note: <strong>Convention</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
Introduction<br />
02 Becoming Better Disciples of<br />
Jesus: Bishop San unpacks the<br />
theme of convention.<br />
05 Introducing our <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Guest Speakers<br />
06 The Bishop’s Institute: Dee<br />
Rinehart, Director, introduces<br />
the newly launched Bishop’s<br />
Institute.<br />
08 The Mission of God: The<br />
Foundation of Parousia: More<br />
on the 10 year plan for the<br />
Diocese of Easton<br />
10 Introducing the <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Nominees: Photos and Bios<br />
20 United in a Leap of Faith: St.<br />
Paul’s Centreville “closes the<br />
book” on Renovations<br />
21 A Review of Sacred Ground<br />
Cover Photo: The Diocese of Easton’s Third Place emerging adult ministry<br />
hosted prayer stations during one of their Tuesday small groups.<br />
A Note from the Bishop<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> <strong>2020</strong> Introduction<br />
The theme for the 152nd Diocesan<br />
<strong>Convention</strong>, “Becoming Better<br />
Disciples for Jesus” (John 13:35)<br />
confirms with Jesus’ command to<br />
his followers, “By this everyone<br />
will know that you are my<br />
disciples, if you love one another”.<br />
This year’s convention would<br />
be noted for two identifiable<br />
characteristics (1) it will be a oneday<br />
format, and (2) it is a parish/<br />
convocation-based event hosted<br />
by the Middle Convocation and<br />
Christ Church, Stevensville.<br />
Christ Church could rightly be<br />
designated as the ‘mother parish’<br />
of the diocese. It was the first<br />
Christian church established in<br />
the state of Maryland in 1631.<br />
On behalf of the diocese, we<br />
extend sincere appreciation to<br />
our host convocation/parish for<br />
their generosity and hospitality.<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> will hear from<br />
two keynote speakers who<br />
will address two crucial areas<br />
that the Episcopal Church has<br />
been paying much attention<br />
to in recent times. These two<br />
initiatives are embodied in<br />
PAROUISA, that is Parousia VI<br />
– Clergy Education and Parousia<br />
X – Stewardship, Evangelism,<br />
Discipleship and Spirituality<br />
(S*E*D*S). The Reverend Dr.<br />
John Lewis, Director of the Iona<br />
Collaborative, Seminary of the<br />
Southwest, Austin, Texas, will<br />
address bi-vocational clergy<br />
formation through a distance<br />
learning model administered<br />
through the seminary. And,<br />
Ms. Mary Parmer, Director of<br />
the Invite Welcome Connect<br />
Program of the Beecken Institute,<br />
School of Theology, University of<br />
the South, Sewanee, Tennessee<br />
will address evangelism and<br />
discipleship. Mary’s presentation<br />
will be a precursor to our diocesan<br />
Fall Mission Summit that she will<br />
be leading on September 25 & 26<br />
at St. Alban’s Parish, Salisbury and<br />
Holy Trinity, Oxford respectively.<br />
Our 152nd Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong><br />
is shaping up to be a pioneering<br />
event in the life of God’s Church<br />
on the <strong>Eastern</strong> shore. We are<br />
awaiting with joyful expectation<br />
where the Spirit is leading God’s<br />
Church. Come with open hearts,<br />
minds, and souls to be inspired<br />
by the Spirit’s power! Let us all<br />
across the diocese commit to the<br />
holy commission as ambassadors<br />
and agents of redemption, change<br />
and transformation. “When<br />
you change the way you look at<br />
things, the things you look at<br />
change” (Dr. Wayne Dyer).<br />
PUBLICATION INFORMATION<br />
A publication of the Bishop and Diocese of Easton<br />
Copyright <strong>2020</strong> The Bishop and Diocese of Easton<br />
Published Quarterly<br />
SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO:<br />
<strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Shore</strong> Episcoplian (ESE)<br />
314 North St., Easton, MD 21601<br />
OFFICE AND MAILING ADDRESS<br />
314 North St., Easton, MD 21601<br />
410-822-1919 dioceseofeaston.org<br />
joanne@dioceseofeaston.org<br />
The Right Reverend Santosh Marray<br />
Bishop of Easton<br />
Joanne Fisher<br />
Director of Communications,<br />
Senior Editor & Creative Designer<br />
The Reverend Loretta Collins<br />
Deacon, Editor<br />
1
In the Christian context a disciple is a person who has<br />
decided to commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ,<br />
and whose life and actions are to be shaped by Jesus’<br />
teachings and values. Discipleship may also be summarized<br />
as Christian life and living, Christian formation or Christian<br />
Spirituality – the effect of faith on head, mind and heart of a<br />
follower of Jesus Monday to Sunday.<br />
Every baptized Christian immersed in the life<br />
of Jesus is instantaneously through baptism a<br />
disciple of our Lord and Savior and lives in what<br />
St. Paul describes in his Epistle to the Romans<br />
a life embodied in the reality of his suffering,<br />
death, resurrection and new life (6: 1-4). This<br />
characterization applies to baptized infants as<br />
well as mature adults.<br />
I wish to offer a very famous quotation from<br />
the 20th century German martyr Dietrich<br />
Bonhoeffer which is found in his famous book:<br />
The Cost of Discipleship. It goes like this:<br />
“Christianity without discipleship is Christianity<br />
without Christ.” He bemoaned the fact that<br />
while people are ready to claim that they trust<br />
in God, they still fail to follow Jesus. Bonhoeffer<br />
also waxed eloquent on the dangers of what he<br />
called “cheap grace”. He said: “Cheap grace is the<br />
mortal enemy of the church.”<br />
There is no question in my mind that the<br />
primacy of discipleship in the Christian religion<br />
is critical for the unity of the Church, and for the<br />
embodiment of the high priestly prayer of Jesus<br />
that we may all be one.<br />
The ecumenism of discipleship in following<br />
Jesus is far more important than the ecumenism<br />
of churches and religious groupings. It has been<br />
rightly said that while churches are looking for<br />
decisions, Jesus is looking for disciples.<br />
Others have said that if a church’s strategy is<br />
not rooted and grounded in making disciples,<br />
the church has abandoned the mission that was<br />
given to it by Jesus. We need to respond more<br />
fervently to the invitation of Jesus to follow Him<br />
way beyond the regular habit of repeating the<br />
Lord’s Prayer. Let me explore briefly what this<br />
matter of discipleship is all about.<br />
Love defined as agape, in the Greek, is the virtue<br />
Jesus advocated by living it out or incarnating it<br />
in the very essence of his life on earth. Christ’s<br />
disciples, therefore, are themselves called to<br />
embody the love Jesus modeled.<br />
Discipleship is a way of life that spells out one’s<br />
structure of allegiance, whether it is political,<br />
ideological, spiritual, ethical, intellectual, or<br />
otherwise. It essentially requires a relentless<br />
willingness to learn, to embrace, to follow, and to<br />
represent that which is most meaningful in one’s<br />
life. It generates varying levels of responsiveness<br />
both from those within its range as well as those<br />
without. Accordingly, it is possible to say that<br />
discipleship has the power to ascend to, and<br />
assume, the highest levels of human life, and<br />
conduct, and dignity, and devotion; while, at<br />
the same time, it can plunge into an inexorable<br />
descent to the lowest levels of human despair,<br />
destruction, and decay. Discipleship can be just<br />
as much the engine of terrorism as it can be<br />
the energy for spiritual vitality, moral purity, or<br />
human ascendancy. A disciple is an avid learner,<br />
Photo: Christ Church Stevensville - host of DIocesan <strong>Convention</strong> <strong>2020</strong>.<br />
2 3
a radical follower, an embodied symbol, and a<br />
committed agent or representative. It all depends<br />
on the nature of the leader, and direction of the<br />
movement.<br />
with it an option, “if any want to become my<br />
followers...” (Matthew 16: 24). By making that<br />
choice we must accept the call to pursue this<br />
walk.<br />
<strong>Convention</strong>’s Guest <strong>Pre</strong>senters<br />
Jesus of Nazareth raised the level of discipleship<br />
to a very high level. He was obviously very careful<br />
in choosing his followers; and this distinguished<br />
him from the scenario of John the Baptist and<br />
his disciples. The main distinction was that<br />
whereas John’s disciples chose to follow him of<br />
their own volition, Jesus specifically chose his<br />
own, and invited them to follow him.<br />
What made life even more interesting was that<br />
the disciples who first joined the Jesus movement<br />
at the invitation of Jesus, then went after other<br />
recruits. So there emerged a dedicated band<br />
of followers over time; Matthew, Nathaniel,<br />
Phillip, James, John, Martha, Mary, Andrew,<br />
and so forth.<br />
In the Acts of the Apostles there is abundant<br />
evidence of the diverse range of discipleship in<br />
the Apostolic community, and especially with<br />
respect to the way in which they were led by the<br />
Holy Spirit in bearing witness to the meaning<br />
and message of the Jesus Story, particularly<br />
after the Pentecost event. There is heightened<br />
evidence in the Acts of the Apostles that they<br />
understood discipleship to be inextricably<br />
linked with the sacred obligation to exercise<br />
their missionary zeal. Those who followed Jesus<br />
were known to be members of the Way, much<br />
more so than members of the Church as such.<br />
My beloved, discipleship has an option, “if any<br />
want to become my followers, let them deny<br />
themselves and take up their cross…” (Matthew<br />
16: 24-26). We need to be prepared to give up<br />
something as a disciple of Christ Jesus.<br />
It is the vocation of our diocese to continue to<br />
explore, and through opportunity effect, the<br />
fundamental tenets of discipleship within the<br />
family. One of those fundamentals is to ‘love<br />
one another.’ This is embedded in our diocesan<br />
theme developed and approved by the 149th<br />
and 150th Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong>s:<br />
WELCOME ALL* SHARE JESUS’ LOVE *<br />
SERVE THE WORLD.<br />
And it is by this tenet that we enter into<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> with a commitment toward<br />
“Becoming Better Disciples of Jesus”<br />
The Rev. John Lewis, DPhil, is Director of the<br />
Iona Center and Lecturer in New Testament<br />
and Spirituality. He oversees many of the<br />
seminary’s non-degree programs, including<br />
the Iona Collaborative, which trains and forms<br />
clergy and licensed lay leaders in their local<br />
diocesan settings. John joined the seminary<br />
faculty and staff in 2016 after serving as an adjunct<br />
instructor since 2003. His primary interest is<br />
helping Christians and their communities use<br />
scripture to practice vocational discernment<br />
and discipleship in daily life. John also serves<br />
as co-director of St. Benedict’s Workshop, a<br />
non-profit ministry for Christian formation<br />
he founded in 2001 with St. Mark’s Episcopal<br />
Church, San Antonio, where he continues to<br />
teach, preach, and worship. He also serves the<br />
Diocese of West Texas as Dean of Examining<br />
Chaplains. Lewis is the author of Looking for<br />
Life: The Role of “Theo-Ethical” Reasoning in<br />
Paul’s Religion, T&T Clark (JSNTS) 2005.<br />
Born and raised in the deep South, Mary<br />
Parmer is a congregational development<br />
consultant/coach, speaker, and retreat leader<br />
living in Sewanee, Tennessee. She serves as<br />
Director of INVITE WELCOME CONNECT,<br />
a transformational ministry of evangelism,<br />
hospitality and belonging now housed at the<br />
Beecken Center, School of Theology, University<br />
of the South. Mary is the past Director of the<br />
Gathering of Leaders, a national leadership<br />
gathering of young Episcopal clergy. Mary<br />
has served as a Lay Deputy to the the past four<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong>s of The Episcopal Church,<br />
and she currently serves on the Task Force on<br />
Clergy Leadership Formation in Small Churches<br />
(GC 2015-A045). Mary holds a degree in<br />
Religious Studies from St. Edwards University<br />
in Austin and formerly served as Director of<br />
Adult Ministries & Evangelism, St. Stephen’s,<br />
Beaumont. She has two grown children and six<br />
young grandchildren, builds stone labyrinths,<br />
and spends her time away from the office hiking<br />
and reading memoirs.<br />
Also, a disciple walks the way of perfection,<br />
Jesus refers to it as ‘going the extra mile or<br />
“turning the other cheek” (Matthew 5: 38-42).<br />
Again, discipleship is a commitment that carries<br />
4 5
The Bishop’s Institute<br />
by Dee Rinehart<br />
“For everything there is a season, and a time<br />
for every matter under heaven… God has put a<br />
sense of past and future into their minds.”<br />
With those familiar words<br />
from Ecclesiastes 3:1-7,11a, the<br />
Proclamation of the Word began on<br />
January 4th during a Celebration<br />
Eucharist, one that launched the<br />
Bishop’s Institute and a new ministry<br />
for St. Paul’s Spring Hill, now the St.<br />
Paul’s Worship Center.<br />
The Bishop’s Institute arises from<br />
Bishop Marray’s vision for the<br />
Diocese of Easton in his “Parousia.”<br />
Its call is “To provide all the faithful<br />
saints of the Diocese of Easton<br />
training and formation needed to<br />
become intentional disciples and<br />
effective evangelists sharing Jesus’<br />
love.” The Institute will be housed at<br />
St. Paul’s Worship Center, Hebron<br />
with two satellite sites: St. Stephen’s,<br />
Earleville and Bray House, Easton.<br />
A training site in each Convocation<br />
will allow training sessions closer to<br />
home for the people of our Diocese.<br />
Course offerings for <strong>2020</strong> include<br />
training for discernment committee<br />
leaders, identification of spiritual<br />
gifts, and annual training for<br />
licensed lay ministries, new lay<br />
ministers and those who wish to<br />
renew their licenses. As the Institute<br />
opens its doors, our vision is to<br />
provide spaces and resources for<br />
varied formation offerings as needs<br />
arise in the diocese. In the spring,<br />
we will offer the first training for<br />
Worship Leaders, those who are<br />
licensed to read the Daily Office. In<br />
early autumn, we will offer training<br />
for lay Eucharistic ministers and<br />
Eucharistic Visitors.<br />
We acknowledge the people of St.<br />
Paul’s, Spring Hill, whose vision and<br />
generosity has provided a home for<br />
both the Bishop’s Institute and the<br />
St. Paul’s Worship Center. After a<br />
year of self-study and discernment<br />
they determined that their site<br />
and resources should be a place<br />
which would carry on the heritage<br />
established by their parish and form<br />
disciples for Jesus Christ in the<br />
Diocese of Easton, “…to equip the<br />
saints for ministry…,“ Ephesians<br />
4:12.<br />
The Bishop’s Institute Launch was<br />
marked by the welcoming key<br />
leadership:<br />
The Reverend Dr. Daniel Dunlap<br />
was installed as Canon Theologian of<br />
the Diocese of Easton. The Reverend<br />
Canon Dunlap will supervise the<br />
theology of the Bishop’s Institute and<br />
those on an ordination track through<br />
the Bishop’s Institute.<br />
There followed the commissioning<br />
of the Officers and Advisory Board<br />
Members of the Bishop’s Institute.<br />
The Executive Committee of the<br />
Bishop’s Institute is comprised of Dee<br />
Rinehart, Director; Laura McCarthy,<br />
Deacon Postulant, Associate Director;<br />
the Rev. Laura Dorsey, Vicar, St.<br />
Paul’s Worship Center; and the Rev.<br />
Dr. Barbara Anne Fisher, Missioner:<br />
Church Beyond the Walls/Diocesan<br />
Liaison for Creative Ministry.<br />
The Bishop’s Institute Board of<br />
Directors are the Rev. Canon Dr.<br />
Daniel Dunlap, Canon Theologian;<br />
the Very Rev. Michael Moyer,<br />
Chair, Commission on Ministry;<br />
the Rev. Laura Dorsey, Vicar, St.<br />
Paul’s Worship Center; the Rev. Dr.<br />
Nicholas Sichangi, Rector Trinity-<br />
Elkton and St. Stephen’s-Earleville;<br />
Hank Phillips, Treasurer; Chris<br />
Sabas, Deacon Postulant; Mrs.<br />
Billie Jo Russell, Senior Warden and<br />
Representative, St. Stephen’s; and Mr.<br />
Eric Broussard, Representative, St.<br />
Stephen’s.<br />
6 7
The Mission of God:<br />
The Foundation of Parousia<br />
by the Rt. Rev. Santosh Marray, Bishop<br />
As people of Easter Faith two pivotal questions<br />
persist: What does God expect from us? What do we<br />
expect from God? Just as God continues to snatch<br />
life out of the jaws of our death-making cultures and<br />
conditions, so too does God continue to demand of us<br />
that unconditional response and resolve to embrace<br />
God’s Mission, Christ’s Message, and the Spirit’s<br />
Movement. For as many as are led forth by the Spirit<br />
of God, they indeed are the children and missionaries<br />
of God. Accordingly, the children of God are called<br />
“Disciples”. Discipleship demands intentional loyalty<br />
and radical obedience, just as much as it demands<br />
total commitment and unwavering consistency. This<br />
is particularly true for us Anglicans as Christians.<br />
May we never forget what is our identifying mark<br />
as Anglicans. We are not Anglicans who happen to<br />
be Christians. Rather, we are Christians who happen<br />
to be Anglican. As quiet as it is sometimes kept,<br />
let us never forget that the God of the Anglicans is<br />
not an Anglican! Nevertheless, as Anglicans, we are<br />
committed by our Baptism to live out the marks of<br />
our incorporation into Christ and His Church. We are<br />
sustained by the Mission of Christ, and the Mission of<br />
Christ provides for us our Mandate.<br />
Parousia is God’s vision for a diocese committed to<br />
defeat a fatalistic mentality which constantly promoted<br />
a scenario of ‘survival mentality’. It is a message of<br />
hope and new vitality and inordinate viability because<br />
God has chosen this path for God’s church on the<br />
eastern shore. We rejoice at the thought that Jesus<br />
would be so generous and self-giving of his time to<br />
be bothered or concerned with this small diocese and<br />
its future. However, this is my truthful conviction and<br />
anticipation that gives me much reason to wake up<br />
every morning with unspeakable joy in my soul and<br />
dancing on my feet.<br />
In my fifteen years as an active bishop ten of which<br />
were in the House of Bishops of this church, I have<br />
sat through many presentations and discussions<br />
articulating the fears and apprehensions of my<br />
fellow bishops. One prevailing refrain was always<br />
the genuine awareness that the church has to renew<br />
and reinvigorate itself or it would have abrogated<br />
its responsibility to God. This is an option I am not<br />
prepared to lead this diocese into or to embrace.<br />
The components in Parousia aren’t isolated in way,<br />
form or shape, rather they are the concerns shared<br />
by bishops across the church. What we are about in<br />
this church isn’t just to boldly name the challenges<br />
and fears, but to create a platform that will address<br />
them and articulate a course of action to remedy the<br />
problems so the church in the near future could be<br />
better poised to live robustly into the mission of God<br />
in its neighborhood.<br />
Parousia isn’t a definitive plan, it is a roadmap; it’s a<br />
permission, not a prescription, that is most likely to<br />
remain in its draft state because Jesus continues to<br />
speak to this church. It would be presumptuous of<br />
us to ever conceive that the Spirit has spoken God’s<br />
final word to us. Certainly, as people of faith we<br />
should have the faith to believe that over the ensuing<br />
life of Parousia God’s Spirit will give us new words or<br />
build upon those already spoken. This is my faith and<br />
anticipation in the love of our God of charity and new<br />
beginning. Jesus keeps making all things new and<br />
keeps redeeming all things old and trusted. May the<br />
Spirit of God continue to guide, protect and sustain<br />
this church, the Diocese of Easton.<br />
8 Photo: Ceiling of the Silo Chapel at Bishop Claggett Retreat Center taken by Patrick Collins.<br />
9
Introducing our<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> Nominees...<br />
Nominees were also asked to answer the following question:<br />
Diocesan Council<br />
Diocesan Council At-Large, Lay -<br />
David Mitchell<br />
The question posed<br />
is my vision of the<br />
church: It can only<br />
be meaningful to the<br />
world when it practices<br />
the principle that all<br />
are welcome and equal<br />
at the table of God.<br />
Superficial differences<br />
have no bearing when<br />
we worship. Our efforts are invalid if it is<br />
otherwise.<br />
I’m a 74 year old retired man who<br />
cherishes his wife and family. My time is<br />
devoted to my church community at St.<br />
Alban’s in the Southern Convocation, my<br />
family of three children and five grands,<br />
my community at large, and to myself as I<br />
seek to remain healthy in spirit, mind and<br />
muscle.<br />
Diocesan Council At-Large, Clergy -<br />
Rob Laws<br />
Min in Christian Spirituality. His D. Min<br />
thesis focused on the Spirituality of St.<br />
Claire of Assisi, and her prayer of gazing.<br />
In addition to spirituality, he is interested<br />
in liturgy, music and arts (especially icons),<br />
eco-theology, and social justice issues.<br />
When not at church, you can often find<br />
him in the gym, an art gallery or planning<br />
his family’s next travel adventure.<br />
Diocesan Council, Northern<br />
Convocation Rep, Clergy -<br />
Darcy Williams:<br />
The Rev. Dr. Darcy<br />
Williams, Emmanuel<br />
Chestertown<br />
I have been at<br />
Emmanuel since<br />
graduating from<br />
seminary and being<br />
ordained in 2013. I<br />
have served as curate,<br />
associate rector, priestin-charge<br />
and rector over these almost 7<br />
years. On the diocesan level, I served on<br />
Diocesan Council (2013-16), on Standing<br />
Committee (2016-2019), on Constitution<br />
and Canons Committee (2015-2019), and<br />
on Finance Committee (2016-present).<br />
Before attending seminary, I was an active<br />
member of St, Mary Anne’s, North East<br />
for more than 25 years, where I served on<br />
vestry, as senior warden, as chair of the<br />
Finance Committee, and as a Eucharistic<br />
Minister and Visitor. I am honored<br />
to be asked to serve as the Northern<br />
Convocation clergy representative to<br />
Diocesan Council for the next three years.<br />
“What is your vision for the church?”<br />
Diocesan Council, Middle Convocation<br />
Rep, Lay - Mary “Meezi”’Goodwin:<br />
Mary “Meezi”<br />
Goodwin is the Senior<br />
Warden at All Faith<br />
Chapel in Tunis Mills.<br />
Before being the Senior<br />
Warden, she served<br />
as Junior Warden for<br />
two years. She was<br />
confirmed by bishop<br />
Henry Parsley about<br />
4 years ago. She is a nurse, specializing<br />
in the operating room, particularly in<br />
orthopedics, who loves to travel when she<br />
gets the opportunity.<br />
My vision of the Church includes three<br />
things: 1. I would like to see us increase<br />
our membership. 2. I want to see us<br />
engage more with our local communities.<br />
3. The Church has been there for me<br />
during the good times and through the<br />
bad times of my life – I want the Church to<br />
be the place where everyone can find God.<br />
Diocesan Council, Southern<br />
Convocation Rep, Lay - John Phillips<br />
half abroad I taught school for two years<br />
in Portsmouth, VA. Then returned to<br />
Salisbury where I had a career for 43 years<br />
in real estate sales. Currently I am semiretired<br />
and manage a few rentals.<br />
Upon returning to St. Peters and<br />
immersing myself in parish life my<br />
faith and christian walk were nurtured,<br />
grew, and continue to grow through the<br />
many roles in which I serve and enjoy<br />
and through my diocesan work. I have<br />
headed the youth groups, been involved<br />
with our former boy scout troop, taught<br />
confirmation classes, ushered, served on<br />
Standing Committee<br />
Standing Committee, Lay – Tom<br />
Schuster<br />
Tom Shuster has been<br />
a member of St. Paul’s<br />
by-the-Sea Episcopal<br />
Church in Ocean City<br />
since 1998. Tom has<br />
been an active member<br />
at St. Paul’s having<br />
previously completed<br />
two terms on the<br />
Vestry and served as<br />
Senior Warden for two years. Tom has<br />
also served the parish as Chairman of the<br />
Finance Committee. He is also a licensed<br />
Eucharistic Minister.<br />
Tom became an active member of the<br />
Demolition and Reconstruction Team<br />
(DART) that oversaw the repairs to<br />
the damaged parts of the church and<br />
construction to replace portions of the<br />
church campus that were lost in the fire<br />
of November 2014. The new building<br />
was completed and dedicated by Bishop<br />
Marray in April 2018.<br />
the vestry and was the registrar. I am a<br />
devoted member of our choir, a licensed<br />
eucharistic minister, lay reader, and<br />
eucharistic visitor. I’ve started a small<br />
interdenominational bible study group<br />
and serve on the Green Hill Church<br />
preservation\restoration committee. I am<br />
currently a delegate to the convention<br />
from my parish (having served in that<br />
capacity and as an alternate variety of<br />
times). I have been on the diocesan council<br />
previously both as a southern convocation<br />
and at-large representative.<br />
Serving this diocese has been a privilege,<br />
Tom is retired from employment with<br />
the Town of Ocean City where he served<br />
as Director of Recreation and Parks for<br />
16 years. Tom and his wife Debbie live in<br />
West Ocean City and have two adult sons.<br />
“My vision for our church is to build up<br />
modern day apostles who live into our<br />
Christian faith here on Maryland’s <strong>Eastern</strong><br />
<strong>Shore</strong>. I see that we are called to love and<br />
serve our neighbor with an open hand and<br />
caring heart, remembering always that we<br />
are all God’s children. I pray that we may<br />
fulfill that vision by each of us accepting<br />
our mission call and embracing God’s<br />
grace in every minute of every day of our<br />
lives.”<br />
Standing Committee, Lay – Kaitlin<br />
Horvath:<br />
Kaitlin grew up in<br />
Floyds Knobs, IN<br />
where she entered<br />
the world of camping<br />
at age 7. After<br />
graduating from<br />
Nova Southeastern<br />
University with a<br />
degree in Marine<br />
Biology she came to<br />
Camp Wright to work as Resident Camp<br />
counselor. She returned every summer<br />
serving as CIT Coordinator, Assistant<br />
Program Director, and working as a<br />
facilitator for groups in the spring and<br />
fall. In 2014 she became the Associate<br />
Director and oversees the Resident Camp<br />
Programming. She is an active member<br />
of Christ Church Stevensville and is just<br />
finishing a three year term on Diocesan<br />
a tremendous learning experience, and a<br />
faith builder. The Bishop has challenged<br />
us to be a prayer-centered church and a<br />
mission shaped diocese. This work has<br />
begun and is exciting though daunting<br />
in some ways. However, through faith,<br />
a commitment to prayer, worship, and<br />
outreach, we can grow and strengthen our<br />
diocese, but we must do it together. As<br />
children of God and with the Holy Spirit<br />
guiding us we will be sharing Christ’s<br />
gospel and following in Jesus’ footsteps<br />
though let us realize it will take time and<br />
consistency.<br />
Standing Committee, Clergy – Henry<br />
Sabetti<br />
Rector of Shrewsbury<br />
Parish, Kennedyville<br />
and Northern<br />
Convocation Dean<br />
Greetings in the name<br />
of God to the people of<br />
the Diocese of Easton,<br />
With great<br />
enthusiasm and<br />
honor, I am standing for election to the<br />
Standing Committee. In September I<br />
will have completed 10 years as Rector<br />
of Shrewsbury and 6 years as Northern<br />
Convocation Dean. My ordination was in<br />
the Diocese of Maryland, where I served<br />
as a Curate and later as a Rector. I also was<br />
blessed to serve for three years in the rural<br />
Diocese of Western Kansas as a behavioral<br />
healthcare chaplain for adolescents in<br />
residential treatment. My spouse Lisa<br />
and I live in the Shrewsbury rectory with<br />
our 2 dogs and 6 cats. For 20 years I have<br />
been a member of the American Rabbit<br />
Breeders Association raising and showing<br />
English Spot Rabbits. I am an avid runner<br />
and Head Coach of the Kent County High<br />
School Cross Country Team. Go Trojans!<br />
Father Rob has been<br />
the rector of St.<br />
Andrew’s, Princess<br />
Anne since 2013.<br />
He has previously<br />
I was born in Salisbury,<br />
MD into the St.<br />
Peter’s family as a<br />
Tom has been active in the Diocese<br />
of Easton having served on the 150th<br />
Anniversary Committee and as a member<br />
of the Diocesan Search and Nominations<br />
served the diocese<br />
cradle <strong>Episcopalian</strong><br />
Committee for the 11th Bishop of Easton.<br />
as a member of<br />
where I was baptised,<br />
He has also been a Delegate and Alternate<br />
Continuing to have a wonderful parish<br />
Diocesan Council and<br />
confirmed, and<br />
to the Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong>.<br />
ministry at Shrewsbury has led to my<br />
as a member of the<br />
married. I am<br />
participation on the Commission on<br />
He has been a member of the Diocesan<br />
Disaster <strong>Pre</strong>paredness<br />
the father of two<br />
Ministry, the Department of Missions,<br />
Council since 2017. He was elected a<br />
Committee. He currently serves on the<br />
adult sons and a<br />
the Diocesan Recovery Committee,<br />
Deputy to the 79th General <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Disciplinary Committee and is Vice Chair<br />
grandfather to one<br />
assistance with the facilitation of our<br />
of the Episcopal Church and attended<br />
of the Bishop’s Committee for St. Paul’s<br />
large granddog. My formal education was<br />
newest Mission, La Sagrada Familia de<br />
the convention in Austin, Texas in July<br />
Episcopal Center, Hebron.<br />
at the McDonogh School, the University<br />
Jesus and most recently the very fine<br />
of 2018. Tom is currently serving on the<br />
of Richmond and the Sorbonne in Paris.<br />
Sacred Places Training.<br />
In addition to an M. Div, Father Rob has<br />
Constitution and Canons Task Force.<br />
Returning to the states after a year and a<br />
this bio is continued on the next page...<br />
a Masters in Religious Education and a D.<br />
Council.<br />
this bio is continued on the next page...<br />
10 11
Standing Committee Continued<br />
Province 3 Synod Continued<br />
My desire is to fully and actively serve as<br />
a member of the Standing Committee,<br />
which in the absence of the Bishop is the<br />
ecclesiastical authority of the diocese.<br />
While we as a diocese have made great<br />
strides under the leadership of our current<br />
Bishop, it will be important to continue<br />
to prayerfully discern and dialogue those<br />
issues before us as the people of God and<br />
those issues which will be in our future.<br />
Though the Church is in the midst of<br />
great change and attendance at Christian<br />
worship is significantly less than previous<br />
generations, I believe the Church is best<br />
understood as “the Church in the world,”<br />
active in ministry, mission, social justice<br />
and bringing the Good News of God in<br />
Christ beyond our traditional structures<br />
and settings. I am a proud member of<br />
“Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement”<br />
and would be honored to have your<br />
support.<br />
Province 3 Synod<br />
Province 3 Synod Rep, Clergy - Mary<br />
Garner<br />
I am the rector of<br />
St. Paul’s Parish in<br />
Centreville in the<br />
Northern Convocation.<br />
I graduated from<br />
Episcopal Divinity<br />
School in Cambridge,<br />
Massachusetts in 2006.<br />
I served extensively<br />
as supply clergy in<br />
the Diocese of Easton from 2008 to 2009<br />
and as Associate Rector at Christ Church,<br />
St. Michael’s from 2009-2012. While<br />
chaplain at Heron Point, I served as the<br />
sabbatical rector at St. Paul’s and became<br />
rector in 2016. I serve on various boards,<br />
including the Corporation and am on<br />
the Standing Committee. I am passionate<br />
Standing Committee, Clergy – Bernie<br />
Schroeder:<br />
The Reverend Canon<br />
Bernie Schroeder was<br />
called to be Priestin-Charge<br />
of Christ<br />
Church Cambridge<br />
on Easter Day, 2018.<br />
Before that, Father<br />
Bernie served as an<br />
Intern and Deacon at<br />
two yoked churches<br />
in the Northern Neck of Virginia, Trinity<br />
and St. Mary’s Whitechapel, from July<br />
2013 through December 2014. He then<br />
served as Interim Rector at St. Patrick’s,<br />
Falls church, Virginia from February 2015<br />
through September 2016. After that,<br />
Father Bernie served as Interim Rector<br />
of St. Thomas’ in McLean, Virginia from<br />
November 2016 through December 2017.<br />
Father Bernie attended Nashotah House<br />
Theological Seminary and graduated with<br />
a Master of Arts in Ministry in 2009. He<br />
was ordained to the Diaconate on August<br />
2,2014 by The Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston,<br />
Bishop of Virginia, at Grace Episcopal<br />
Church in Alexandria, Virginia. He was<br />
ordained to the priesthood on February<br />
about social justice and mission. My vision<br />
of the church is that it is the love of Christ<br />
embodied in open doors, open hearts and<br />
hands opened in service to those in need,<br />
nourishing all with the bread of life and<br />
the cup of salvation.<br />
Province 3 Synod Rep, Clergy - Rob Laws<br />
Father Rob has been<br />
the rector of St.<br />
Andrew’s, Princess<br />
Anne since 2013.<br />
He has previously<br />
served the diocese<br />
as a member of<br />
Diocesan Council and<br />
as a member of the<br />
Disaster <strong>Pre</strong>paredness<br />
Committee. He currently serves on the<br />
14, 2015 by The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff,<br />
Bishop Suffragan of Virginia, at Grace<br />
Episcopal church in Kilmarnock, Virginia.<br />
On July 15, 2016, Fr. Bernie was made<br />
Canon to the Diocese of El Salvador<br />
for International Relations by The Rt.<br />
Rev. Juan David Alvarado, Bishop of El<br />
Salvador.<br />
Before entering Holy Orders, Fr. Bernie<br />
had a long and distinguished career in<br />
Washington, DC in politics, government<br />
and business. He served as Chief of Staff<br />
to a United States congressman, Vice<br />
<strong>Pre</strong>sident of Governmental Affairs for a<br />
major utility and he retired as <strong>Pre</strong>sident<br />
and Chief Operating Officer of yet another<br />
utility.<br />
Besides his seminary degree, Father Bernie<br />
hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English<br />
from Michigan State University. He is a<br />
veteran of the United States Army, holds<br />
licenses as a pilot and sea captain and is an<br />
accomplished folk guitarist.<br />
Father Bernie and Carol, his wife of<br />
50 years, split their time between their<br />
principal residence in Chestertown and<br />
the Rectory. Their son, Paul, lives with his<br />
family in Rockville, Maryland.<br />
Disciplinary Committee and is Vice Chair<br />
of the Bishop’s Committee for St. Paul’s<br />
Episcopal Center, Hebron.<br />
In addition to an M. Div, Father Rob has<br />
a Masters in Religious Education and a D.<br />
Min in Christian Spirituality. His D. Min<br />
thesis focused on the Spirituality of St.<br />
Claire of Assisi, and her prayer of gazing.<br />
In addition to spirituality, he is interested<br />
in liturgy, music and arts (especially icons),<br />
eco-theology, and social justice issues.<br />
When not at church, you can often find<br />
him in the gym, an art gallery or planning<br />
his family’s next travel adventure.<br />
Province 3 Synod Rep, Lay - Jane Morgan<br />
I live in Salisbury and<br />
worship at St. Paul’s,<br />
Vienna and St. Mary’s,<br />
Tyaskin. That puts<br />
me and my husband<br />
The Rev. Dennis<br />
Morgan in both the<br />
Middle and Southern<br />
Convocations. I share<br />
with others in our<br />
small congregations the ministries of Lay<br />
Eucharistic Minister and Visitor, Altar<br />
Guild, coffee hour prep, Community<br />
outreach and bulletin proofreading and<br />
stapling.<br />
It is important that we in our parishes<br />
do not become isolated. To that end,<br />
I have been a volunteer receptionist at<br />
Bray House in Easton for over ten years,<br />
have served on Diocesan Council, Trinity<br />
Cathedral Chapter, Hillsboro Retreat<br />
House Advisory Circle, Province 3<br />
Synod Representative, and as a General<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> Deputy.<br />
The Province, the link between The<br />
Episcopal Church and the dioceses,<br />
does much to prepare us for General<br />
<strong>Convention</strong>. Although I am not running<br />
for General <strong>Convention</strong>, I remain a deputy<br />
until the beginning gavel of GC 2021.<br />
Keeping abreast of issues is especially<br />
important since the next GC is the<br />
summer of 2021 in Baltimore.<br />
My vision for the church is being a<br />
place or opportunity to explore our<br />
relationship with our Lord Jesus. This<br />
takes many forms, some which we may<br />
not have discovered yet. Therefore, we<br />
must recognize that previous models for<br />
the church may no longer work, and we<br />
should be open to the leading of the Holy<br />
Spirit to help us discern a spiritual balance<br />
between the “old” and the newly revealed.<br />
Province 3 Synod Rep, Lay - Kathy Wise<br />
As a member of<br />
Great Choptank<br />
Parish,Christ Episcopal<br />
Church, Cambridge,<br />
in the Middle<br />
Convocation, I have<br />
served in many roles<br />
– both in my own<br />
church and in positions in the Diocese<br />
of Easton. I have loved opportunities to<br />
be a Eucharistic Minister and Worship<br />
Leader, a member of a shared-leadership<br />
Bible Study group, a delegate to Diocesan<br />
<strong>Convention</strong>, a Vestry member, Senior<br />
Warden, and part of our parish Search<br />
Committees. In the Diocese, I have been<br />
a Deputy to four, and an alternate to<br />
two General <strong>Convention</strong>s, served on the<br />
Standing Committee, the Commission<br />
on Ministry, the Youth Task Force, as<br />
a Consultant to churches for Mutual<br />
Ministry Reviews and Search Committees,<br />
and most recently as the Co-Chair of the<br />
Transition Committee for the election of<br />
Bishop Marray.<br />
I have been a clinical social worker for over<br />
50 years, working as a family therapist,<br />
and before retiring, as the program<br />
administrator for home visiting and school<br />
based heath prevention programs. After<br />
being a widow for 16 years, I remarried<br />
eleven years ago, and my husband, Doug<br />
Ridley, and I are enjoying sharing family<br />
events with children, grandchildren and<br />
great grandchildren, travel opportunities,<br />
and participating together in church and<br />
community activities.<br />
As the chair of our Stewardship<br />
Committee, I have been inviting<br />
parishioners to share each Sunday what<br />
they celebrate about our church, and about<br />
where they see God at work in our life<br />
together. I believe that as we recognize<br />
and practice sharing with one another at<br />
church where God is at work in our lives,<br />
we become more comfortable sharing our<br />
faith stories beyond the church walls. My<br />
vision for the Church and for the Diocese<br />
is to see growing opportunities at the<br />
Diocesan level, and within and between<br />
our individual churches, for equipping our<br />
members to become more comfortable<br />
and more skilled at sharing their faith<br />
stories with one another. As we learn to do<br />
this with fellow believers, we will become<br />
better able to share our stories of Jesus’<br />
love and grace in our families, in our work<br />
places, and in the communities where<br />
we live, being light and salt throughout<br />
the <strong>Shore</strong>. Caring for the business of our<br />
churches and the Diocese is important;<br />
“equipping the saints” is essential!<br />
Province 3 Synod Rep, Lay - Tim Strack<br />
I am a member<br />
of Christ Church<br />
Denton who serves as<br />
a Jr. Warden, Vestry<br />
Member, Morning<br />
Prayer Worship Leader,<br />
and as a Eucharistic<br />
Minister. I served as a<br />
Delegate to <strong>Convention</strong><br />
in 2018, 2019, and<br />
<strong>2020</strong> and as an Alternate in 2017. I actively<br />
volunteer to help update the Diocesan<br />
website. I enjoy being involved in my<br />
community. At Christ Church Denton I<br />
started a monthly Game Night, open to the<br />
public, where families and individuals can<br />
come play board games.<br />
I grew up on Kent Island and now live in<br />
Denton with my husband, Alex, and our<br />
9 pets: 2 horses, 4 potbelly pigs, 2 dogs,<br />
and 1 cat. I work full-time in Information<br />
Security for a Big Data company. I began<br />
working in Information Security in 2007<br />
but started in the greater Information<br />
Technology industry in 2000.<br />
It would be an honor to serve my Diocese<br />
at the Province 3 Synod.<br />
What is your vision for the church? In<br />
short, and in the words of our <strong>Pre</strong>siding<br />
Bishop, to be “The Episcopal Branch of<br />
the Jesus Movement”. I see a world around<br />
us with many challenges: aggression<br />
towards our neighbors instead of love,<br />
a mental health crisis, gun violence, an<br />
opioid epidemic, and so much more. My<br />
vision for the church is to be an outreach<br />
church…to actively work in whatever<br />
ways we can to heal this world while also<br />
spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.<br />
We must work to bring people back to a<br />
way of love instead of aggression. A way<br />
of compassion for those who need help<br />
instead of pushing them away or forgetting<br />
about them. To get outside the physical<br />
church and heal this world as “The<br />
Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement”.<br />
12 13
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation Continued<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Tom Shuster<br />
Tom Shuster has been<br />
a member of St. Paul’s<br />
by-the-Sea Episcopal<br />
Church in Ocean City<br />
since 1998. Tom has<br />
been an active member<br />
at St. Paul’s having<br />
previously completed<br />
two terms on the<br />
Vestry and served as<br />
Senior Warden for two years. Tom has<br />
also served the parish as Chairman of the<br />
Finance Committee. He is also a licensed<br />
Eucharistic Minister.<br />
Tom became an active member of the<br />
Demolition and Reconstruction Team<br />
(DART) that oversaw the repairs to<br />
the damaged parts of the church and<br />
construction to replace portions of the<br />
church campus that were lost in the fire<br />
of November 2014. The new building<br />
was completed and dedicated by Bishop<br />
Marray in April 2018.<br />
Tom has been active in the Diocese<br />
of Easton having served on the 150th<br />
Anniversary Committee and as a member<br />
of the Diocesan Search and Nominations<br />
Committee for the 11th Bishop of Easton.<br />
He has also been a Delegate and Alternate<br />
to the Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong>.<br />
He has been a member of the Diocesan<br />
Council since 2017. He was elected a<br />
Deputy to the 79th General <strong>Convention</strong><br />
of the Episcopal Church and attended<br />
the convention in Austin, Texas in July<br />
of 2018. Tom is currently serving on the<br />
Constitution and Canons Task Force.<br />
Tom is retired from employment with<br />
the Town of Ocean City where he served<br />
as Director of Recreation and Parks for<br />
16 years. Tom and his wife Debbie live in<br />
West Ocean City and have two adult sons.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Eddie Vance<br />
I moved from<br />
Baltimore to Ridgely,<br />
Caroline County,<br />
August, 1989. Peggy<br />
& I were married<br />
at Christ Church,<br />
Denton, December,<br />
1991. Our son, Ely<br />
(“Eli”), was born<br />
at Easton Hospital,<br />
December, 1993. Ely was baptized, raised,<br />
and confirmed at Christ Church.<br />
And next month, I am pleased to say that<br />
I will begin my 12th year at Queen Anne’s<br />
County Library, Centreville, where I work<br />
at the circulation desk.<br />
In 28-1/2 years at Christ Church, I have<br />
served in many capacities, on Vestry, in<br />
the choir, as an EM, a lector, a Eucharistic<br />
Visitor, a Worship Leader, a delegate to<br />
Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong>, with the county<br />
jail ministry, on the annual community<br />
Thanksgiving dinner steering committee,<br />
and as Senior Warden.<br />
My diocesan service has included<br />
Diocesan Council (VP), Commission<br />
on Ministry, Standing Committee,<br />
Department of Mission, Camp Agape,<br />
Search & Nominations Committee for<br />
Bishop XI, Province 3 Synod Rep, General<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> Deputation (Chair), Province<br />
3 Council, Cathedral Chapter, Integrity,<br />
TACL, and Nominating Committee<br />
(Chair).<br />
I have been active on Province 3’s<br />
Nominating Committee (Chair), on P3’s<br />
Executive Committee, and have attended<br />
two, Provincial Leadership Conferences.<br />
At six General <strong>Convention</strong>s, I have served<br />
on the Ecumenical & Interreligious<br />
Relations Legislative Committee. And I<br />
was appointed to served a 6-year term<br />
on TEC’s Standing Commission on<br />
Ecumenical & Interreligious Relations,<br />
‘09-‘15.<br />
inclusion, hospitality, and service, loving<br />
as God loves, mutual accountability for<br />
all, respectful and well-ordered debate,<br />
a la General <strong>Convention</strong>, agreeing to<br />
disagree without being disagreeable, and<br />
quiet confidence in the myriad gifts of<br />
one another, as well as in the gift both<br />
to ourselves and to the world that is the<br />
Episcopal Church, small but mighty, where<br />
Christ is proclaimed by word and deed,<br />
and all are welcome!<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
John Phillips<br />
I was born in Salisbury,<br />
MD into the St.<br />
Peter’s family as a<br />
cradle <strong>Episcopalian</strong><br />
where I was baptised,<br />
confirmed, and<br />
married. I am<br />
the father of two<br />
adult sons and a<br />
grandfather to one<br />
large granddog. My formal education was<br />
at the McDonogh School, the University<br />
of Richmond and the Sorbonne in Paris.<br />
Returning to the states after a year and a<br />
half abroad I taught school for two years<br />
in Portsmouth, VA. Then returned to<br />
Salisbury where I had a career for 43 years<br />
in real estate sales. Currently I am semiretired<br />
and manage a few rentals.<br />
Upon returning to St. Peters and<br />
immersing myself in parish life my<br />
faith and christian walk were nurtured,<br />
grew, and continue to grow through the<br />
many roles in which I serve and enjoy<br />
and through my diocesan work. I have<br />
headed the youth groups, been involved<br />
with our former boy scout troop, taught<br />
confirmation classes, ushered, served on<br />
the vestry and was the registrar. I am a<br />
devoted member of our choir, a licensed<br />
eucharistic minister, lay reader, and<br />
eucharistic visitor. I’ve started a small<br />
interdenominational bible study group<br />
and serve on the Green Hill Church<br />
preservation\restoration committee. I am<br />
currently a delegate to the convention<br />
from my parish (having served in that<br />
capacity and as an alternate variety of<br />
times). I have been on the diocesan council<br />
previously both as a southern convocation<br />
and at-large representative.<br />
Serving this diocese has been a privilege,<br />
a tremendous learning experience, and a<br />
faith builder. The Bishop has challenged<br />
us to be a prayer-centered church and a<br />
mission shaped diocese. This work has<br />
begun and is exciting though daunting<br />
in some ways. However, through faith,<br />
a commitment to prayer, worship, and<br />
outreach, we can grow and strengthen our<br />
diocese, but we must do it together. As<br />
children of God and with the Holy Spirit<br />
guiding us we will be sharing Christ’s<br />
gospel and following in Jesus’ footsteps<br />
though let us realize it will take time and<br />
consistency.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Charlotte “Peaches” Meyer<br />
I envision a Church<br />
that empowers and<br />
supports its clergy<br />
and members to see<br />
themselves as integral<br />
to the success of the<br />
Jesus Movement. We<br />
are all, collectively, the<br />
solution to healing a<br />
hurting world, caring<br />
for God’s Creation, strengthening all<br />
levels of Church formation, and attracting<br />
and stewarding all people who seek a<br />
loving and safe place to begin anew in an<br />
affirming environment.<br />
Born, raised, and christened in Trappe,<br />
I am a confirmed member of St. Paul’s<br />
Church, White Marsh Parish. As I<br />
deepened my relationship with the Church<br />
in the last 10 years, I’ve served as St. Paul’s<br />
Senior Warden, Treasurer, and Registrar. I<br />
also enjoy serving as Eucharistic Minister,<br />
Reader and Usher. At the Diocesan level,<br />
I am the Chair for the Diocesan Fund for<br />
Church Initiatives (middle convocation<br />
representative since 2012). I serve as your<br />
United Thank Offering Co-Coordinator<br />
with Mary Helen Atwood (also since<br />
2012). I’ve been privileged to serve as<br />
your ECW Representative at Province III<br />
Synod gatherings, ECW Annual Meetings<br />
and enjoyed attending the last three<br />
Triennials at General <strong>Convention</strong>. And,<br />
if elected, I’m looking forward to serving<br />
as a Chapter Member at Large for Trinity<br />
Cathedral.<br />
My background includes more than 34<br />
years as a fund raising professional for<br />
Ocean Conservancy, a national nonprofit<br />
in Washington, DC that is dedicated<br />
to protecting our ocean for future<br />
generations. What makes that career<br />
meaningful to me is connecting people<br />
to what they love and empowering them<br />
to do more than they ever imagined<br />
they could. I believe the pathway for<br />
fostering those connections is grounded in<br />
authenticity, gratitude, and a willingness to<br />
listen and learn.<br />
I am fascinated by and drawn to the<br />
organizational structure and governance<br />
of our National Episcopal Church and<br />
have yearned for an opportunity to<br />
participate in General <strong>Convention</strong>.<br />
Listening to, watching, and learning<br />
from the experiences and commitment<br />
of previous Clergy Representatives and<br />
Lay Deputies is moving and exciting. My<br />
desire to participate in this governmental<br />
process where important bodies of work<br />
shape our church formation and spiritual<br />
life has only deepened with time. If<br />
elected as one of your General <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Deputies, I will fully engage in all aspects<br />
of the General <strong>Convention</strong>, look for ways<br />
to bring our Diocesan successes to others<br />
as roadmaps for positive change, listen for<br />
opportunities to bring home the gifts of<br />
new ideas and solutions to the challenges<br />
we face here at home. Thank you for your<br />
consideration!<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Mary Grace “MG” Brosius<br />
I’ve been a member of<br />
Emmanuel Church,<br />
Chester Parish for<br />
over a year, where I<br />
sing in the choir. I’m a<br />
member of the Chester<br />
River Chorale, and<br />
two of its sub-groups,<br />
which keeps me very<br />
busy, so I’ve not yet<br />
taken on any further responsibilities at<br />
Emmanuel. I moved from Baltimore to<br />
the <strong>Shore</strong>, when I reconnected with – and<br />
married – my first “boyfriend,” Jack in late<br />
2007. We have two dogs – and a dozen<br />
kayaks of various types, some of which I<br />
paddle when the weather’s nice. Jack, a<br />
member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic team,<br />
now finds himself coaching 3 Special<br />
Olympics sports: power lifting, swimming<br />
and, you guessed it, kayaking!<br />
I transferred to Emmanuel from St. Paul,<br />
Kent, which was my parish for the first 10<br />
years following my move to Chestertown.<br />
While at St. Paul’s, I sang in the choir and<br />
served as Eucharistic Minister, Reader,<br />
Acolyte(!), Vestry member, Junior Warden<br />
– and Delegate to Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong><br />
four times.<br />
Before my “big move” across the Bay, I was<br />
a member for 25+ years at the Church of<br />
the Messiah, Baltimore, where I served on<br />
Vestry a total of 12 years, and as Delegate<br />
to Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong> – as well as the<br />
liturgical assistant positions listed above.<br />
I have served on six Diocese of Maryland<br />
Cursillo weekend teams (and a 7th<br />
while living here, in 2010), as well as on<br />
Secretariat.<br />
Most people here know me as a recentlyretired<br />
Dental Assistant (which position<br />
was a God-sent 10-year opportunity to<br />
learn totally new skills!). I still see myself,<br />
however, as the Parish Administrator<br />
who, for 20 years, supported and worked<br />
with the Dean of the Cathedral of the<br />
Incarnation as it grew from near-mission<br />
status to a thriving parish. The Cathedral<br />
was dedicated to spreading the Word<br />
of God through hands-on outreach –<br />
including welcoming and incorporating<br />
immigrants into the life and leadership<br />
of the community, rehabbing dilapidated<br />
houses through Sandtown Habitat for<br />
Humanity (West Baltimore), and creating<br />
The Children’s Peace Center (where at-risk<br />
city youth learned nonviolent ways to deal<br />
with frustration and anger).<br />
My vision for the church? I’m not sure<br />
I have one. I see more a vision OF the<br />
church – multicultural, multigenerational,<br />
multilingual, all-inclusive. Each person<br />
[he/she/they] is an integral part of the<br />
awesome diversity of The Episcopal<br />
Church. The more formal music which<br />
I’ve loved for so many years exists side-byside<br />
with Hispanic, African, and Native<br />
American chants and harmonies, as well as<br />
theologically-sound praise music. There<br />
are children who feel safe and comfortable<br />
“My vision for our church is to build up<br />
modern day apostles that live into our<br />
Christian faith here on Maryland’s <strong>Eastern</strong><br />
<strong>Shore</strong>. I see that we are called to love and I ask humbly to serve on Easton’s<br />
serve our neighbor with an open hand and Deputation to General <strong>Convention</strong> ‘21, in<br />
caring heart, remembering always that we Baltimore, and also to offer cheerfully my<br />
are all God’s children. I pray that we may experience as a servant leader and as an<br />
fulfill that vision by each of us accepting enthusiastic and willing team player.<br />
our mission call and embracing God’s<br />
and wanted.<br />
My vision for the church involves radical<br />
grace in every minute of every day of our<br />
this bio is continued on the next page...<br />
and unqualified invitation, welcome,<br />
14 lives.”<br />
this bio is continued on the next page...<br />
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General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation Continued<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation Continued<br />
How do we accomplish that? Frankly, I<br />
don’t know. I DO know we must be open<br />
to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Prayer<br />
is the most powerful tool we each have;<br />
corporate and individual prayer empowers<br />
the Jesus Movement. And I’d like to<br />
witness that happening.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Kathy Wise<br />
As a member of<br />
Great Choptank<br />
Parish,Christ Episcopal<br />
Church, Cambridge,<br />
in the Middle<br />
Convocation, I have<br />
served in many roles –<br />
both in my own church<br />
and in positions<br />
in the Diocese of<br />
Easton. I have loved opportunities to<br />
be a Eucharistic Minister and Worship<br />
Leader, a member of a shared-leadership<br />
Bible Study group, a delegate to Diocesan<br />
<strong>Convention</strong>, a Vestry member, Senior<br />
Warden, and part of our parish Search<br />
Committees. In the Diocese, I have been<br />
a Deputy to four, and an alternate to<br />
two General <strong>Convention</strong>s, served on the<br />
Standing Committee, the Commission<br />
on Ministry, the Youth Task Force, as<br />
a Consultant to churches for Mutual<br />
Ministry Reviews and Search Committees,<br />
and most recently as the Co-Chair of the<br />
Transition Committee for the election of<br />
Bishop Marray.<br />
church where God is at work in our lives,<br />
we become more comfortable sharing our<br />
faith stories beyond the church walls. My<br />
vision for the Church and for the Diocese<br />
is to see growing opportunities at the<br />
Diocesan level, and within and between<br />
our individual churches, for equipping our<br />
members to become more comfortable<br />
and more skilled at sharing their faith<br />
stories with one another. As we learn to do<br />
this with fellow believers, we will become<br />
better able to share our stories of Jesus’<br />
love and grace in our families, in our work<br />
places, and in the communities where<br />
we live, being light and salt throughout<br />
the <strong>Shore</strong>. Caring for the business of our<br />
churches and the Diocese is important;<br />
“equipping the saints” is essential!<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Jim Kamihachi<br />
I am a member of<br />
St. Mark’s Church<br />
in Perryville, at the<br />
edge of the Northern<br />
Convocation. It’s<br />
a wonderful, small<br />
church with an<br />
inclusive Christian<br />
community and<br />
well-worth a visit.<br />
Currently, I am a deacon-in-training,<br />
Chairman of the Diversity Awareness<br />
Commission, and a member of the<br />
Constitution and Canons Committee. I<br />
am a past member of the Commission on<br />
Ministry.<br />
Bishop San reassigned me to St. Mark’s last<br />
March, and since then I have assisted in<br />
nearly every Sunday service, occasionally<br />
leading Morning Prayer. I also help give<br />
out food to the needy at the monthly<br />
church food pantry, and I continue to<br />
assist Fr. John Schaeffer at his 12-step<br />
services and unload delivery trucks for the<br />
Outreach program at St. Mary Anne’s in<br />
North East. I take comfort in less visible<br />
service, such as cleaning up after church<br />
functions.<br />
I devoted my career to regulatory policy<br />
and spent 20 years in the federal service<br />
at the Environmental Protection Agency,<br />
the Office of Management and Budget, and<br />
the Treasury Department. When I retired<br />
from government, I was the Sr. Deputy<br />
Comptroller for Economic and Policy<br />
Analysis at the Office of the Comptroller of<br />
the Currency, the administrator of national<br />
banks. I was at Promontory Financial<br />
Group for 17 years, working with banks on<br />
compliance risk management. In earlier<br />
days, I led the Mayor of Seattle’s policy<br />
staff and was a member of the Board of the<br />
family business.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Lay -<br />
Sandy Bjork<br />
I am a RN with a B.S. in Health Care<br />
Administration and a J.D. with a certificate<br />
in Health Law. My career path has been<br />
direct patient care, utilization review and<br />
case management. Following Law School,<br />
I worked with members of the radiology<br />
community developing guidelines and<br />
standards for radiologic procedures.<br />
My husband and I enjoy travel in the<br />
US and abroad, golf, and local theater. I<br />
was pleased to spend almost ten years of<br />
singing with the Chester River Chorale.<br />
We are fortunate to have our children and<br />
grandchildren living on the Western <strong>Shore</strong><br />
and in New York so there are many trips<br />
back over the Bay Bridge.<br />
I see the vision of the church already being<br />
played out in response to Bishop Curry’s<br />
The Way of Love and particularly in the<br />
reconciliation efforts through the Sacred<br />
Ground initiative. When we can see God<br />
in the face of every human no matter who<br />
they might be or where we might find<br />
them, then we will be accomplishing the<br />
mission of Jesus.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Kevin Cross<br />
and respiratory therapy.<br />
At work and in my communities I<br />
have served as a member and leader of<br />
numerous task forces and committees<br />
including DOE’s Standing Committee,<br />
the Diocesan Council, the Commission<br />
on Ministry, the Bishop’s Listening<br />
Committee, and as a deputy to the<br />
78th annual General <strong>Convention</strong> of the<br />
Episcopal Church. At that convention<br />
I co-authored two resolutions adopted<br />
by the convention regarding new church<br />
alcohol and drug policies.<br />
As a founding member of the Diocesan<br />
Youth Missioner committee I helped<br />
establish and fund our diocesan Youth<br />
Missioner position. I founded the<br />
diocesan Recovery Ministry committee<br />
and served for two years as <strong>Pre</strong>sident of<br />
the Board of Recovery Ministries of the<br />
Episcopal Church. I currently serve the<br />
diocese as chair of the Bishops’ committee<br />
to Camp Wright, a member of the Camp<br />
Wright development committee and<br />
continue the work of the recovery ministry<br />
team.<br />
I have been a guest lecturer at General<br />
Theological School and national<br />
conferences on Youth, Addiction and<br />
Spirituality. For the Diocese of Fredericton<br />
I served on the Human Resources<br />
committee and Secretary and Treasurer for<br />
the deanery of St. Andrews.<br />
your good works and give glory to your<br />
Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14- 16 The<br />
darkness of divisiveness has taken over<br />
the world. Jesus calls the church to be a<br />
change agent, transforming the darkness<br />
of division into the light of peace and<br />
harmony. Together we can shed light on<br />
the goodness of God. Just as the mirror in<br />
a lighthouse projects light to guide ships<br />
safely home, we can be mirrors of Christ’s<br />
light. The light of Christ can banish the<br />
darkness of the world and illuminate the<br />
way toward creating a glimpse of God’s<br />
kingdom here on earth. We can be the<br />
change..<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Charlie Osberger<br />
The Very Reverend<br />
Charlie Osberger,<br />
rector of Wye Parish,<br />
Queenstown and Wye<br />
Mills, Dean of the<br />
Middle Convocation.<br />
Graduated from the<br />
University of Southern<br />
California, Fuller<br />
Seminary, Pasadena,<br />
California and Trinity Episcopal School<br />
for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania.<br />
Recently married to the Reverend Frieda<br />
Malcolm.<br />
I have been blessed to<br />
After my retirement<br />
serve on the eastern<br />
as a nurse attorney, we<br />
shore as rector of The<br />
moved to Chestertown<br />
Church of the Holy<br />
A vision for the church: I believe in the<br />
in 2007. I have been<br />
Trinity, Oxford since Currently in addition to continuing Church, “that wonderful and sacred<br />
an active member of<br />
March of 2010. Prior diocesan work I serve on the board mystery” real and sacramental, local and<br />
Emmanuel Church,<br />
to moving to the of Talbot Hospice and serve on the<br />
universal, in but not of the world, the<br />
I have been a clinical social worker for over<br />
50 years, working as a family therapist,<br />
and before retiring, as the program<br />
administrator for home visiting and school<br />
based heath prevention programs. After<br />
being a widow for 16 years, I remarried<br />
eleven years ago, and my husband, Doug<br />
Ridley, and I are enjoying sharing family<br />
events with children, grandchildren and<br />
As Christians, we are called to be living<br />
examples of God’s love and an antidote<br />
to the divisiveness in our country and<br />
the world. The future of the Episcopal<br />
church lies in service to communities<br />
outside church walls, extending ourselves<br />
to people who are not like us, just as Jesus<br />
did.<br />
Chester Parish in the<br />
Northern Convocation,<br />
where I have been a<br />
choir member, helped<br />
with the Kitchen Krew, Flower Guild,<br />
choir, other parish activities and am<br />
currently Senior Warden. With my health<br />
care background, I have been honored<br />
to serve on the Board of For All Seasons,<br />
eastern shore with my<br />
wife Barbara, I was<br />
ordained a priest in<br />
the Anglican Church of Canada where<br />
I served as priest-in-charge of a small a<br />
parish in the Diocese of Fredericton (New<br />
Brunswick). Holy Trinity is a vibrant<br />
parish which continues to grow spiritually,<br />
numerically and financially in new and<br />
chaplaincy staff of the National Cathedral.<br />
I also serve as chaplain to the Oxford<br />
Police and Fire Departments. For the past<br />
three years I have also served as a visiting<br />
priest at St. Bartholomew’s Anglican<br />
Church in the Caribbean and raised funds<br />
to assist the Diocese of the North <strong>Eastern</strong><br />
Caribbean and Aruba with their recovery<br />
from hurricane Irma.<br />
People of God declaring the purposes<br />
of God in Creation. All this means to<br />
me the church is gifted by grace to be<br />
persons made new by the power of the<br />
Holy Spirit, seeking to live courageously<br />
for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a world<br />
progressively divided by the idols of this<br />
age, our deepest need is to be present as a<br />
reconciling community able to act upon<br />
great grandchildren, travel opportunities,<br />
the behavioral health and rape crisis<br />
exciting ways each year.<br />
the implications of the Gospel and to reach<br />
My wife and son and I live in Elkton.<br />
My vision for the church, enthusiastically<br />
and participating together in church and<br />
center, serving the five mid <strong>Shore</strong> counties<br />
out to our neighbors with a real grace,<br />
We also have two daughters and six<br />
Pastoral work has always been at the core embraces our responsibility as followers of<br />
community activities.<br />
and am currently vice president of the<br />
mercy and goodness that brings hope<br />
grandchildren. We lived in Alexandria,<br />
of my vocations and along with strong Jesus Christ to teach, model, and inspire<br />
Chester River Health Foundation Board.<br />
in the midst of despair and confusion.<br />
As the chair of our Stewardship<br />
VA for 25 years, where our daughters<br />
leadership skills is a leading strength the love and mercy of God in ourselves,<br />
I have learned a lot and continue to learn<br />
This kind of authentic church asks to<br />
Committee, I have been inviting<br />
attended the Episcopal diocese school. I<br />
of my ministry. Prior to following this our congregations, and the world beyond<br />
about the functioning of the Diocese or<br />
be equipped and sent by the mission of<br />
parishioners to share each Sunday what am a three-generation <strong>Episcopalian</strong> on my<br />
calling I worked for over 25 years as a the boundaries of church and diocese.<br />
Easton by being privileged to serve on the<br />
God in the world . Throughout my life of<br />
they celebrate about our church, and about father’s side, though I fell into the Church<br />
senior executive in Fortune 100 financial Amidst the divisiveness of today’s world,<br />
Commission on Ministry and Diocesan<br />
service in this Diocese I have sought and<br />
where they see God at work in our life after our marriage in 1980. Bud Shand<br />
companies focusing on human resource the church is called to be a source of hope<br />
Council.<br />
would seek as a clergy deputy nominee to<br />
together. I believe that as we recognize married us and baptized our daughters; he<br />
and merger/acquisition work. My<br />
and reconciliation. Jesus proclaimed, “You<br />
this bio is continued on the next page...<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> be the kind of pastor<br />
and practice sharing with one another at has many stories to tell.<br />
experience also includes work in the are the light of the world… let your light<br />
16 and priest offering this kind of ministry.<br />
functions of chaplaincy, psychotherapy shine before others, so that they may see<br />
17
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation Continued<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation Continued<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Mark Delcuze<br />
Mark Delcuze is in<br />
his seventh year at<br />
Christ Church Parish,<br />
Kent Island. He<br />
currently serves on<br />
Diocesan Standing<br />
Committee and as<br />
an Instructor in the<br />
School for Deacons.<br />
He has also served on<br />
Diocesan Council (including a term as<br />
Vice <strong>Pre</strong>sident) and on the Bishop’s Search<br />
Committee. He has been Ecumenical<br />
Officer in two previous dioceses and<br />
has been a clergy deputy to General<br />
<strong>Convention</strong> three times. He and his wife<br />
Mimi have two grown daughters and three<br />
grandsons.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Patrick Collins<br />
Patrick Collins serves<br />
the Diocese of Easton<br />
in two roles. He is the<br />
Priest-in-Charge at All<br />
Faith Chapel in Tunis<br />
Mills and he is also the<br />
Canon to the Ordinary.<br />
He has been with the<br />
diocese for four years,<br />
and prior to being<br />
here, he served in Central Pennsylvania as<br />
the Transition Ministry Officer and Youth<br />
Ministry Coordinator. In addition to his<br />
work with the Church, Patrick also sings<br />
with the Bay Country Chorus, is a martial<br />
artist and also a stained glass artist.<br />
The Church is the place where everyone<br />
is recognized for being who they are<br />
regardless of the exterior factors which<br />
we use to divide ourselves. All of us, no<br />
matter the color of our skin, the amount<br />
of wealth we possess, our level of health,<br />
our political views, our orientation, our<br />
understanding of the world – all of us are<br />
God’s beloved children. While God sees us<br />
this way, our challenge is to see each other<br />
this way.<br />
We are called to love everyone, just as God<br />
loves us.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Barbara Anne Fisher<br />
The Rev. Dr. Barbara<br />
Anne Fisher was first<br />
ordained a minister<br />
by the Fellowship<br />
of Reconciling<br />
Pentecostals,<br />
International, on<br />
October 2, 2000. She<br />
was ordained an<br />
Episcopal priest on<br />
December 16, 2017. She holds a Bachelor<br />
of Science and a Master of Education<br />
from Ball State University; a Master of<br />
Christian Education from Christian<br />
Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of<br />
Ministry in Educational Leadership and a<br />
Diploma of Anglican Studies from Virginia<br />
Theological Seminary.<br />
Barbara Anne taught in private and public<br />
middle schools in both Indiana and<br />
Florida for twenty-seven years, serving as<br />
both classroom teacher and Subject Area<br />
Leader for Science. She held numerous<br />
leadership positions within the school<br />
districts in which she served. Barbara<br />
Anne retired from teaching in 2008 to<br />
come to the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Shore</strong> of Maryland<br />
as the lay Program Director at St. Peter’s<br />
Episcopal Church, Salisbury, and begin her<br />
doctoral work at VTS. Barbara Anne is<br />
currently the Missioner: Church Beyond<br />
the Walls for the Diocese of Easton,<br />
and the Interim Rector in the Southern<br />
Convocation at St. Alban’s Episcopal<br />
Church, Salisbury, Maryland.<br />
Barbara Anne was a member of Diocesan<br />
Council and served as the Council<br />
Secretary for five years. She was one<br />
of the original Youth Shepherds for the<br />
Diocese of Easton, has conducted/attended<br />
numerous workshops for the DOE and<br />
the larger Episcopal Church. She has<br />
been a member of the Clericus Leadership<br />
team, and worked closely with St. Paul’s,<br />
Hebron to bring the Bishop’s Institute and<br />
St. Paul’s Creative Ministry to fruition. She<br />
also created the Ignite the Way: Loving<br />
through Discipleship, Evangelism, and<br />
Missional Work framework for guiding the<br />
development of programs and trainings for<br />
the Diocese.<br />
Her avocational work involves working<br />
to create safe environments within<br />
faith communities for members of the<br />
LGBTQIA+ community. She married<br />
Lillian Sandra Poole on May 25, 2013 in<br />
the Trinity Cathedral, and they reside in<br />
the “woods by the stream” north of Easton.<br />
In Barbara Anne’s words: My vision is for<br />
the Church to come into the fullness of<br />
our Baptismal Covenant in all aspects with<br />
regards to social justice issues; equality for<br />
all regardless of ethnicity, gender/sexual<br />
fluidity, social/economical status; or lay/<br />
ordained leadership within the church.<br />
My prayer is for the Church to embrace<br />
the sacredness of an open Eucharistic<br />
Table, to carry that sacredness forward<br />
beyond the doors of each parish, building<br />
true missional community as we partner<br />
with the wider community – becoming the<br />
hands, feet, heart, and face of Jesus in the<br />
midst of the struggles and pain of a weary<br />
world.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Mary Garner<br />
I am the rector of<br />
St. Paul’s Parish in<br />
Centreville in the<br />
Northern Convocation.<br />
I graduated from<br />
Episcopal Divinity<br />
School in Cambridge,<br />
Massachusetts in 2006.<br />
I served extensively<br />
as supply clergy in<br />
the Diocese of Easton from 2008 to 2009<br />
and as Associate Rector at Christ Church,<br />
St. Michael’s from 2009-2012. While<br />
chaplain at Heron Point, I served as the<br />
sabbatical rector at St. Paul’s and became<br />
rector in 2016. I serve on various boards,<br />
including the Corporation and am on<br />
the Standing Committee. I am passionate<br />
about social justice and mission. My vision<br />
of the church is that it is the love of Christ<br />
embodied in open doors, open hearts and<br />
hands opened in service to those in need,<br />
nourishing all with the bread of life and<br />
the cup of salvation.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Frank St. Amour<br />
The Revd. Frank S.<br />
St.Amour, III<br />
St. Paul’s, Kent –<br />
Northern Convocation<br />
Chair, Disciplinary<br />
Board<br />
Member, Diocesan<br />
Council<br />
To the office of General <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Deputy, I can bring nearly 40 years of<br />
ordained experience in dioceses large and<br />
small, liberal and conservative, across the<br />
country (Prov. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7). This has given<br />
me a “balcony” view of our Church and a<br />
practical appreciation for its diversity.<br />
Board of Managers<br />
Board of Managers, Lay - Ron Geesey<br />
Ron is a member of<br />
All Hallows Parish, in<br />
Snow Hill, where he<br />
is on the Vestry and<br />
is Chairman of the<br />
Finance Committee.<br />
He had a long and<br />
varied career in the<br />
banking industry, with<br />
many key assignments<br />
for Citibank in Europe. He was president<br />
of Citicorp Financial in Baltimore for 7<br />
years and after retiring in 1996, he was<br />
a consultant to Citigroup on European<br />
Union matters.<br />
What is your vision for the church?<br />
Broad and optimistic. It is God’s Church<br />
and exists for all people, especially the ones<br />
who don’t belong to it. We are a small part<br />
of the whole, but we have an important<br />
witness and that is our strength.<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> Deputation, Clergy<br />
- Rob Laws<br />
Father Rob has been<br />
the rector of St.<br />
Andrew’s, Princess<br />
Anne since 2013.<br />
He has previously<br />
served the diocese<br />
as a member of<br />
Diocesan Council and<br />
as a member of the<br />
Disaster <strong>Pre</strong>paredness<br />
Ron has been very active in community<br />
affairs and has served on many boards,<br />
including the Walters Art Gallery, the<br />
Baltimore Opera Company, the Kennedy<br />
Krieger Institute, Goucher College, and the<br />
University of Maryland Medical School.<br />
Ron received his A.B. from Lafayette<br />
College and has a Masters in Public Affairs<br />
from the Woodrow Wilson School at<br />
Princeton.<br />
Resolutions Submitted to the 152nd Diocesan <strong>Convention</strong><br />
Resolution 1: Proposed<br />
Amendment to Canon 104 - Of<br />
the Election and Certification<br />
of Lay Delegates and Their<br />
Alternates: Requesting a change<br />
in representation based on ASA<br />
(average Sunday attendance).<br />
Resolution 2: Relocation of Parish<br />
in a Convocation: Requesting<br />
that Christ Church, Denton<br />
be considered as part of the<br />
Middle Convocation (currently<br />
it is included in the Northern<br />
Convocation).<br />
Resolution 3: Ehart Trust:<br />
Appreciation, Bequest Education:<br />
Requesting the acknowledgement<br />
of the estate gift of the Rev. Dr.<br />
Edward Ehart as a springboard for<br />
education on estate planning.<br />
Committee. He currently serves on the<br />
Disciplinary Committee and is Vice Chair<br />
of the Bishop’s Committee for St. Paul’s<br />
Episcopal Center, Hebron.<br />
In addition to an M. Div, Father Rob has<br />
a Masters in Religious Education and a D.<br />
Min in Christian Spirituality. His D. Min<br />
thesis focused on the Spirituality of St.<br />
Claire of Assisi, and her prayer of gazing.<br />
In addition to spirituality, he is interested<br />
in liturgy, music and arts (especially icons),<br />
eco-theology, and social justice issues.<br />
When not at church, you can often find<br />
him in the gym, an art gallery or planning<br />
his family’s next travel adventure.<br />
Board of Managers, Lay - Bill Shettle<br />
Bill Shettle is <strong>Pre</strong>sident<br />
of Philadelphia<br />
Investment<br />
Management Group<br />
– a company he<br />
founded in 1985. Prior<br />
to that he worked<br />
as Vice <strong>Pre</strong>sident of<br />
Provident National<br />
Bank in Philadelphia.<br />
In his spare time he enjoys playing tennis<br />
and piloting his own aircraft. He and<br />
his wife Renee live on the beautiful and<br />
historic Beverly farm in Pocomoke and are<br />
members of St. Mary’s.<br />
Additional Resolutions<br />
Referred from the 79th<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> - Proposed<br />
Constittional Amendments:<br />
Requesting amendments be<br />
presented prior to final vote at<br />
General <strong>Convention</strong> 2021<br />
Read the Resolutions in their<br />
entirity at www.dioceseofeaston.<br />
org/<strong>2020</strong><strong>Convention</strong><br />
18 19
20<br />
United in a Leap of Faith<br />
In the early 2000’s, St. Paul’s<br />
Episcopal Church in Centreville<br />
recognized that their historic<br />
facilities needed both restoration<br />
and renovation. Among other<br />
things, the beautiful stained-glass<br />
windows in the sanctuary needed<br />
to be restored to their original glory<br />
and the congregation – and the<br />
many community organizations<br />
using the church building – needed<br />
more space. In addition, access to<br />
the second-floor social area and<br />
kitchen had to be improved. It<br />
was becoming increasingly difficult<br />
– if not impossible – for some<br />
to climb the two-tiered staircase<br />
to Donaldson Hall. Even the<br />
Rectory across the street needed<br />
considerable work. So, in 2005, a<br />
Building Assessment Committee<br />
was formed and fund raising began.<br />
In 2007, the first step in the restoration<br />
began with many of the stained-glass<br />
windows in the sanctuary being<br />
removed and shipped to Virginia<br />
for complete restoration. In January<br />
2008, a formal Capital Campaign<br />
Committee was formed, and serious<br />
fundraising began. By 2009, the<br />
initial financial response matched<br />
the cost estimate of $2,500,000 and<br />
led parishioner Woody Woodford<br />
to make an impassioned plea that St.<br />
Paul’s proceed “United in A Leap of<br />
Faith”. This became the rallying cry<br />
and after several parish meetings<br />
the Restoration and Renovation<br />
proposal was approved. Bishop<br />
Bud Shand presided over the official<br />
groundbreaking for “<strong>Pre</strong>serving the<br />
Past – Building the Future.”<br />
by Eleanor Strietman<br />
As work progressed, more serious<br />
building deterioration than had<br />
been anticipated was discovered.<br />
This resulted in an increase to the<br />
cost estimate to $3,500,000. To<br />
cover the time needed to collect the<br />
remaining pledges and the increase<br />
in cost, a construction loan for up to<br />
$2,000,000 was obtained.<br />
In June 2010, Bishop Shand<br />
returned to St. Paul’s and presided<br />
over a Dedication Service for the<br />
new facilities. By the end of that<br />
year, construction was essentially<br />
complete, and the construction loan<br />
was converted to a mortgage loan.<br />
In 2014, the Rectory was completely<br />
restored. This additional cost plus<br />
the cost of interest on the mortgage<br />
increased the total amount<br />
spent between 2005 and <strong>2020</strong> to<br />
$4,000,000 a very large sum for any<br />
congregation. With the support of<br />
over 200 families, this total amount<br />
was donated to “<strong>Pre</strong>serving the<br />
Past – Building the Future,” and at<br />
11:25 a.m. on January 14, <strong>2020</strong>, the<br />
mortgage was paid in full.<br />
On February 2, <strong>2020</strong>, The<br />
Reverend Mary Garner, led St.<br />
Paul’s congregation in a liturgy of<br />
thanksgiving in word and music<br />
filled with many references to<br />
building. Then, with a flame from<br />
an altar candle, a facsimile of the<br />
mortgage was lit and dropped into<br />
a cement cauldron where it burned<br />
to ashes. Following the service, the<br />
congregation went upstairs (some<br />
on the new elevator!) to Donaldson<br />
Hall for a joy-filled celebration for<br />
the successful landing of their “Leap<br />
of Faith.”<br />
A Review of Sacred Ground<br />
by Debbie & Tom Shuster<br />
May 2019 through September 2019 we had the distinct<br />
pleasure of participating in “Sacred Ground.” a film and<br />
dialogue series based on issues of race and faith in the<br />
United States. Developed by Katrina Browne, Sacred<br />
Ground is part of “Becoming Beloved Community,” the<br />
Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial<br />
healing, reconciliation, and justice.<br />
Facilitated by Libby Rice of Emmanuel Episcopal<br />
Church in Chestertown, and hosted by Francie Thayer<br />
of the Retreat House at Hillsboro, a group of us met for<br />
five sessions from May through August. In addition to<br />
being physically present in Hillsboro, we also had folks<br />
“zoom in” and join us from Malawi Africa, Altadena,<br />
California (and even Chestertown MD!).<br />
The series focuses on 3 books: “Waking Up White, and<br />
Finding Myself in the Story of Race,” by Debby Irving;<br />
“Jesus and the Disinherited, “ by Howard Thurman; and<br />
chapters from America’s Original Sin: Racism, White<br />
Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America” by Jim<br />
Wallis. In addition, there are16 films or videos to watch,<br />
and about 20 articles and essays. All of this can be done<br />
in the comfort of one’s home, although for each session,<br />
one of the longer films was presented at The Retreat<br />
House for community viewing. Our sessions focused<br />
on issues that resonated with us during our readings and<br />
viewings.<br />
The series covers racism beginning with the landing of<br />
the Puritans on Plymouth Rock (the real Thanksgiving<br />
story), slavery, our Latino and Asian history, the<br />
history of the great American melting pot (and who<br />
really got to be in it), the civil rights movement and<br />
restorative justice.<br />
This series was an incredible journey, albeit not an easy<br />
one. Our June session took place on June 16, the 400th<br />
anniversary of the first arrival of slaves to America.<br />
We took time during that session to ring the church<br />
bell at St. Paul’s, Hillsboro, to remember the 14 known<br />
individuals who were lynched on the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Shore</strong> of<br />
Maryland (within our own Diocese) from the years 1898<br />
through 1934. It was a most powerful experience.<br />
Was this easy? NO!! Was it worth it? YES!! Would we<br />
recommend it? ABSOLUTELY!!<br />
If you would like to know more about “Sacred Ground”<br />
please contact Libby Rice at erice5115@gmail.com,<br />
Francie Thayer at the Retreat House (410) 364-7069,<br />
info@retreathousehillsboro.org, or Tom or me at tom.<br />
shuster@gmail.com.<br />
NOTABLE DATES<br />
BISHOP’S LENTEN LUNCH SERIES<br />
March 3rd - St. Mary Anne’s, North East @ 11am<br />
March 17 - St. Mary Anne’s, North East @ 11am<br />
March 24th - St. Andrew’s, Princess Anne @ 11am<br />
March 31st - Holy Spirit, Ocean City @ 11am<br />
WORSHIP LEADER ONE DAY TRAINING<br />
14 March - St. Paul’s, Trappe - 9:30am-3:30pm OR<br />
28 March - TBD- 9:30am-3:30pm OR<br />
18 April - St. Paul’s, Hebron - 9:30am-3:30pm<br />
This training is for laity who wish to be licensed to read the<br />
Daily Office in the absence of an ordained person.<br />
SMALL CHURCH SUMMIT 2.0<br />
May 2nd - St. Paul’s Hebron 10am-2pm<br />
Parish officers and Vestry leaders gather to discuss the<br />
changing landscape of the Episcopal Church.<br />
CHURCH LEADERS CONFERENCE<br />
March 21st - Trinity Cathedral, Easton 10am-3pm<br />
For Wardens, Treasurers and Vestry members.<br />
<strong>2020</strong> CLERGY CONFERENCE<br />
May 11th-May 13th<br />
ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMIT<br />
May 1st-3rd @ Camp Wright<br />
EPISCOPAL YOUTH EVENT (EYE)<br />
July 7-11<br />
EUCHARISTIC MINISTER TRAINING:<br />
EUCHARISTIC VISITOR TRAINING:<br />
September 12 - St. Stephen’s, Earlville and St. Paul’s,<br />
Hebron 9am-12pm<br />
MISSION SUMMIT: INVITE WELCOME<br />
CONNECT<br />
<strong>Pre</strong>sented by Ignite the Way: The Journey Continues<br />
September 25 - St. Alban’s Salisbury 8:30am-3:00pm<br />
OR September 26 - Church of the Holy Trinity,<br />
Oxford 8:30am-3:00pm<br />
Ignite the Way: The Journey Continues<br />
HEARING THE HOLY IN THE MIDST OF<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
November 7th - St. Paul’s Centreville 9:00am-3:00pm<br />
OR November 14th - St. Paul’s Hebron 9:00am-<br />
3:00pm<br />
21
The Episcopal Diocese of Easton<br />
314 North Street<br />
Easton, MD 21601<br />
410-822-1919<br />
dioceseofeaston.org<br />
LENTEN<br />
LUNCHEON<br />
SERIES<br />
BISHOP SAN LEADS LENTEN SERIES<br />
BISHOP SAN WILL BE LEADING A LENTEN LUNCHEON<br />
SERIES ON ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU’S<br />
“NO FUTURE WITHOUT FORGIVENESS:<br />
A LOST DISCIPLINE IN THE 21 ST CENTURY CHURCH.”<br />
Forgiveness is one of the fundamental messages preached by<br />
John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. It is a discipline lived out<br />
in the act of contrition and clearly defined and intentionally<br />
incorporated in private and corporate daily worship. We are<br />
trained and nurtured in the Christian virtue of humility which<br />
START TIME: 11AM<br />
LUNCH: NO COST<br />
DATES:<br />
TUESDAY,<br />
MARCH 3RD<br />
St. Mary Anne’s,<br />
North East<br />
315 S. Main Street<br />
North East, MD 21901<br />
TUESDAY,<br />
MARCH 17TH<br />
St. Mary Anne’s,<br />
North East<br />
315 S. Main Street<br />
North East, MD 21901<br />
SMALL<br />
CHURCH<br />
SUMMIT<br />
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />
2.0 – The<br />
Conversation<br />
Continues<br />
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />
All Sessions<br />
10am – 2pm<br />
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />
Lunch Provided<br />
precipitates a contrite heart and broken spirit. David models<br />
this attitude in his relationship with God, “the sacrifice of God<br />
is a troubled spirit; * a broken and contrite heart, O God, you<br />
will not despise.” (Psalm 51) We pray the act of contrition<br />
before we approach the altar of God to receive the sacred and<br />
holy body and blood of our Lord and Savior.<br />
Each session is an hour beginning at<br />
11 a.m. ending at noon, followed by<br />
a simple meal of soup, salad,<br />
sandwich and desserts.<br />
Come spend your lunch break<br />
in reflection and fellowship.<br />
TUESDAY,<br />
MARCH 24TH<br />
St. Andrew’s,<br />
Princess Anne<br />
30513 Washington St<br />
Princess Anne, MD 21853<br />
TUESDAY,<br />
MARCH 31ST<br />
Holy Spirit, Ocean City<br />
10001 Coastal Highway<br />
Ocean City, MD 21842<br />
For further info. call<br />
410-822-1919<br />
These gatherings are intended for parish<br />
officers and Vestry leaders to come and<br />
discuss next steps as we continue to<br />
address the clergy shortage and changing<br />
landscape of the Episcopal Church.<br />
In order to facilitate convocational and<br />
regional discussions between<br />
neighboring congregations, we ask that<br />
you attend the meeting which is<br />
scheduled for your convocation.<br />
Please register with Patrick two weeks<br />
prior to your event: 410.822.1919 or<br />
patrick@dioceseofeaston.org<br />
Southern Convocation<br />
May 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />
St. Paul’s Episcopal Center<br />
Hebron, MD<br />
-----------------------------<br />
Middle Convocation<br />
May 9, <strong>2020</strong><br />
Trinity Cathedral, Miller Hall<br />
Easton, MD<br />
-----------------------------<br />
Northern Convocation<br />
May 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />
St. Stephen’s Church<br />
Earleville, MD