Listed below are nominees for Officers and Members of St. Paul's Vestry to be elected at the Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 30, 2011. Annual Meeting will follow the 9:30am service at about 11:00am. Please plan to attend.
Ray Jorgensen and his wife Tabitha are the proud parents of Nicholas (17), Noah (12), RJ (8), and Kyra (6) and have lived in North Kingstown since December 2003. Joining St. Paul’s in early 2004, Ray has served on Vestry for four years with the most recent three as Junior Warden. Ray and his family also serve the St. Paul’s community by performing musically at various events/services, participating in Christmas baskets, work with the stewardship campaign, and with periodic “all church” clean up. Ray is President & CEO of PMG, Inc. a privately held healthcare Revenue cycle management firm with an exclusive focus in non-profit community health centers and family planning agencies. Ray also is a youth coach participating in little league and basketball He is also the Chair of the Meadowbrook Waldorf School’s Annual Campaign.
Envisioning St. Paul’s leadership focus over the next five years, I see several primary areas of focus.
- Safe, peaceful, non-judgmental sanctuary for worship, contemplation, and healing. Anyone seeking to participate in any aspect of St. Paul’s worship, group gatherings (e.g., senior members, youth activities, music, community outreach, etc.), and/or more formal committees should not only feel welcomed but empowered to engage in dialogue that will enhance their personal experience without diminishing the same for others; mutually respectful interaction with ability to ‘agree to disagree’ when necessary. Talking “with” not “about” one another would be the standing principle with all knowing any respectful interaction will be assured a safe, receptive audience.
- Spiritual Vitality. Above all else, St. Paul’s exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to afford shelter and direction to anyone seeking respite from the trials, tribulations, and general challenges of our daily lives. St. Paul’s spiritual vitality is omnipresent and the vision for the next five years is its maintenance.
- Transparent leadership. Leadership demands the ability to see the stark reality of circumstances and to hear from, truly listen to, all comers. the next five years, I envision a Vestry diversely representing varied constituencies within St. Paul’s through which any member of St. Paul’s may feel they can be unabashedly heard.
- Perceived Ecumenical and Episcopal Diocesan Leader. St. Paul’s has been a leader in the RI Episcopal Diocese (based on size, program, and budget) and within the local North Kingstown community if only in terms of spiritual and physical presence for more than 300 years. Over the next five years, I would work to expand our ecumenical reach through more involvement with the Rhode Island Council of Churches and the existing North Kingstown gathering of these religious communities.
- Welcoming of Diversity. With the benefit of significant domestic travel due to work commitments, I am always struck with the lack of ethnic diversity in New England. St. Paul’s is no exception. During the next five years it would be my goal to see St. Paul’s mirror the demographics of all of North Kingstown with emphasis on openly inviting/welcoming the needy and disenfranchised.
- Multiple media communication modalities assuring communication clarity. Continuing the focus of “Transparent Leadership” above, affording multiple lines of communication (e.g., telephone “hotline” monitored by the church secretary, email access to all Vestry, periodic open-house meetings, etc.) will hopefully encourage all members to be in contact with leadership with regularity and openness. Over the next five years I envision making such regular communication a standing Vestry meeting line item that is an active source of interactive communication within the community of St. Paul’s.
- Financial stability. During some of the most trying economic times since the Great Depression, we are collectively to be commended for frugal efforts and generosity of giving. Maintaining this position while assuring upkeep of physical plant assets and adequate allocation of budget resources to program and mission is paramount to assure fiscal stability of St. Paul’s while maintaining spiritual vitality, quality staff, and outreach.
I want to serve on the Vestry at this time of transition because as we move towards a more transparent and inclusive church, I want to make sure that we do not lose sight of some of the traditions of St. Paul’s that have lead many of us here – the traditions of civic engagement, social responsibility, and the warm community of people. St. Paul’s is blessed with a community of parishioners who have demonstrated a commitment to our parish and to God’s work and it would be a pleasure and an honor if selected to serve on the Vestry, to continue the work that God has set before us.
I cherish St. Paul’s for its courage and commitment, for its diverse group of talented and dedicated parishioners, for the beauty of its worship, for the dedication of the clergy and staff and the solace and peace I find when I enter its doors. These characteristics are what first attracted me to St. Paul’s and they are what I believe to be the foundational qualities of our parish. I see the next five years as a time of transition and reunification for our parish. I see it as a time to improve communication by listening to each other, a time for restoration of trust in one another, and a time of healing for all.
As St. Paul’s moves through this transitional time and beyond, I see that the Vestry holds a shared responsibility and commitment to its community of parishioners to improve communication between all facets of the church. In doing so, I see it as the Vestry’s responsibility to be transparent and willing to address issues of concern immediately and thoroughly.
Lastly, I feel that the Vestry can participating in St. Paul’s healing and restoration by acting as instruments of peace as mentioned in the prayer if St. Francis:
Where there is hatred, let me (us) sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I (we) may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
I have been a member of St Paul's since 1970 having joined as a child when my family moved to North Kingstown. My husband and I were married here at St Paul’s and my children were raised here. Anika is getting ready to graduate from Purdue University this year and Graham is in his second year of college and planning to transfer school back to RI in the near future. I have a BSN from Boston College and an MS in Accounting from URI. I am the Administrative Director for the Emergency Medicine Department encompassing RI Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital and The Miriam Hospital. I have been your treasurer for the past 4 years and would like to stay a little longer so that I can complete the work that I have done to modernize the accounting system at St. Paul's and ensure that we have a very strong financial position into the future. I am hopeful that during this interim period we can solidify strong systems and ensure for the continued financial future of this parish.
Choose five
Walter Burrows has been a member of Saint Paul’s for 30 years, a choir member for 29, and a lay reader for 20. He has also been involved in Christmas Baskets, Art Festival, and Property Conservation, served previously on the Vestry in the early 1990’s, and is currently a member of the Self-Study Committee.
A firefighter for 39 years on both volunteer and career departments, Walt recently retired as a Deputy Chief from the North Kingstown Fire Department, where he served for over 31 years. He is currently employed at the Cranston-Murphy Funeral Home of Wickford. He remains active in the RI Association of Fire Chiefs, the RI Association of Fire Marshals, and the RI Chapter, International Association of Arson Investigators. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association, and has consulted with the staff and vestry at various times on fire safety related issues.
His interests and pastimes include fishing, hunting, trap and target shooting, veggie and herb gardening, history, and genealogy. He lives in Exeter with his wife Sherrye, two beagles and a cat.
My name is Martha Hitchcock and I am running for Vestry of St. Paul's. I am running because I wish to be part of the solution to healing and growth within St. Paul's rather than being part of the problem. I have self-nominated because I want to further my own Christian growth and ministry by becoming involved in the more concrete running of the church. I especially want to be part of the development of a more and transparent church where the clergy and leadership can be held to a high spiritual and ethical standard. Selfishly, I would like to be involved in the calling of our next rector.
I would like to see St. Paul's be a place where its members and visitors can feel welcome regardless of their cultural or ethnic backgrounds, appearance, sexual orientation, or economic status. I believe that this welcoming environment can create an opportunity for persons of all ages to nurture and further develop their spiritual and Christian practices. I have a vision where the church can be a safe place of worship for all persons. St. Paul's can be a place of openness where members can feel safe to express their opinions, concerns, and needs without fear of retribution or derision. I would especially like to see St. Paul's embrace young families and its youth and to not back down from social issues like abuse and hunger. There is a tremendous need for greater involvement of ALL parishioners in ministry.
I feel that the Vestry members and Wardens are in a unique position to be role models in these endeavors. These members have a responsibility to be open and a willingness to listen without agenda as well as the obligation to speak up when they have concerns about the health of the church.
I have been an active member of St. Paul's for the past ten years. My husband and I attend the Saturday evening services. I have been a Eucharistic Visitor for several years and have worked at the Art Festival in many different capacities. I also have dedicated myself to the gardens around the Parish Hall.
I am married and have two adult children. I have a Master's of Social Work degree and have my own psychotherapy business in Cranston. Because of the strict code of ethics within my profession, I am uniquely positioned to be cognizant of ethical dilemmas and strict adherence to established standards.
My name is Leslie Kershaw. I am the mother of two boys, Seth, age 21 and Peter, who is 12. I am a Home Physical Therapist working primarily with the elderly. I usually attend the family service on Sunday mornings and have been a member of St. Paul’s for about 10 years. My first involvement with the ministries at church was with the Youth Group. Since then I have been involved with Nursery School Board for 3 years and the Green Team for 1. The majority of my time however, has been with the Art Festival and other food related activities. I have worked at the Art Festival for many years and have been co-leader for two of them. I have had the pleasure of working in the kitchen for coffee hours and more recently with the Hospitality team for special events and community meals.
Three years ago the people of St. Paul's, through their prayers and kindness, helped my family and me through a difficult time. I would like to show my appreciation by helping in any way that I can. I hope my experience on the multiple committees in the parish will be useful on the vestry. I see the role of the vestry in the immediate future as participating in the selection and welcoming of the new rector. The vestry should lead by example in the year ahead to unite the parish and create a positive energy in the congregation. I see members of the vestry as leaders to recruit new people onto the different teams.
For example, on the hospitality team, there is a wealth of knowledge to be passed on from the women who have been our hostesses for so many beautiful events. I believe it is time to give them the option to be mentors and encourage a new group to step up and learn the traditions and "trade secrets" of the kitchen. Although I can only speak as part of the hospitality team, I am sure there are other teams in similar situations. In this respect, I consider the church similar to a family. As we grow older, our roles change. In my family, for example, my parents may have always hosted the holidays but as my brother and I get older, we need to accept the responsibility, carry on the traditions, and learn from their experiences. We can show our appreciation for the years of service of many of our parishioners by being ready and willing to accept the torch when they are ready to pass it down to us.
Finally, I feel as though the vestry should encourage and support outreach activities. This past summer, I had the opportunity to share in the gardening at our church community garden. The crops were bountiful and hundreds of pounds of food were donated to the food bank and local elderly population. I think many of us at the garden experienced the unexpected. There was a peaceful, positive energy that surrounded us there. New friendships were made and old ones made stronger. I believe that we strengthen the bonds within our parish when we reach out to help others. To give back to this church, which has given my family and I so much, please accept my nomination to the vestry so that we can reunite the congregation, continue our traditions, and support further community outreach.
My husband, Ed, & I became members of St. Paul’s when we moved to Wickford permanently in June 1996. During our time here I have been a docent at the Old Narragansett Church for the past 14 years, as well as been involved in numerous ministries within the parish. When I was ask to be a candidate for the vestry I felt that it was my responsibility to now serve in a larger capacity that further expresses my faith.
I graduated from the University of Arizona. Ed & I are the parents of a son & a daughter, & have four grandchildren. I am a “cradle Episcopalian”. Having been a part of U.S. parishes in Northern & Southern California, Arizona, Illinois & Connecticut, we have also lived in Pago Pago, England & the Caribbean. I hope that my many parish experiences will allow me to make a useful contribution to St. Paul’s Vestry while it seeks to reunify our congregation.
Karen Sternberg has been a member of St. Paul’s for over 20 years. During that time she has been involved in various volunteer ministries at St. Paul’s including creating and running a successful middle school youth group from 1999 to 2005. Because Karen has run a daycare business from her home for almost 20 years she has experience with planning, organizing, juggling finances and making good decisions that is necessary to be a member of the Vestry. She also works part time as a detox nurse.
Karen’s vision of St. Paul’s is for it to continue to be the loving caring and welcoming community that she has known it to be for so many years, a place where parishioners of all ages are spiritually nurtured. She would like to see more group activities, family activities and more opportunities for the youth to be involved in community service and outreach. Karen believes that the leadership of the church can make this vision a reality and would be an asset to the vestry. Karen lives in North Kingstown with her 3 sons and 4 Labrador retrievers.
Cheryl Suglia has been actively involved in the life of St. Paul’s since 1993. After serving as a Sunday School teacher for several years, she assumed the position of Church School Director in 2000 where she was responsible for Christian formation of children in pre-school through middle school during two services on Sunday mornings, Confirmation classes, middle school youth activities, and toddler care. She was elected to Vestry in 2004 and served as Clerk from 2004-2008. While on Vestry, she helped found the St. Paul’s Nursery School Board which she chaired for several years. Other parish activities include: past member of the Altar Guild, annual participation in the Art Festival activities, and Christmas Basket packing.
When asked why she wants to run for Vestry she said: “Through my service in these various leadership positions, I have the experience and skills necessary to help lead the church during this interim period. Through my involvement in different ministries, I have come to know the people of St. Paul’s and would represent them fairly on the Vestry. I am also aware of the issues that have caused division in the parish in the past couple of years and hope to help unite the parish and help the parish move forward.
In response to a question about her vision for St. Paul’s, she said: “I look forward to St. Paul’s becoming a rejuvenated community of loving Christians who embrace the Word of God and treat each other with mutual respect. St. Paul’s should be a parish in which the leadership is committed to honesty and openness, and takes responsibility for both financial and personnel matters. I would like to see the programs for our children, teens, families, and seniors have a spiritual, God-centered emphasis. St. Paul’s has a history of being an accepting, inclusive, and forgiving parish. I am hopeful we can return to an environment where everyone feels welcome and safe.”
After working as a Systems Engineer at Raytheon Company for close to 20 years, Cheryl tutored math in the community, and is currently a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Newport County Campus of the Community College of Rhode Island. Cheryl lives in North Kingstown with her husband Bob and daughter Elena.
I earned a B. A. in Liberal Arts with majors in Sociology and History from Providence College, and a B. S. in Business Administration with a major in accounting from the University of Rhode Island.
I am an accountant, currently employed by AMICA where I earned a professional designation FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute). I am a member of the Institute of Managerial Accountants. Prior to being an accountant, I was employed in retail management.
I have served St. Paul’s as an Assistant Treasurer as well as a member both of the Finance and Stewardship Committees.
My reason for wanting to be on the Vestry is to support the mission of St. Paul’s church.
My vision for St. Paul’s church is to strive to develop harmony within the St. Paul’s Christian Community by utilizing my experience which has been acquired over many years of involvement in the Episcopal Church.
I am married with two sons 23 and 18. I’ve been a member of St. Paul’s for a bit over 50 years; this is where I was confirmed. I’ve served as an acolyte, usher, vestry member, an on the search committee for rector. I’ve served in the US Army and now work for a local clothing store.
I want to serve on the vestry because St. Paul’s is at an important time of transition from the interim period to, at some point, calling a new rector. I want to be part of the process.
Sometime in the next couple of years the vestry will call a new rector to St. Paul’s. That decision will be critical for St. Paul’s future.
At the same time, St. Paul’s has to maintain and even enhance its reputation as an open, hospitable, spiritual community serving God.
DELEGATES TO THE DIOCESAN CONVENTION
Vote for Four
John Leite ♦ Jayne McBride ♦ Martha Parks ♦ Wil Tollhurst
Jean Whatmough ♦ Sarah Leblanc