Annual Meeting: This Sunday, January 28, 2024
The Nominating Committee is putting forth a full slate of Vestry candidates who will be up for election at Sunday's meeting. Candidates will be running to one-year, two-year and three-year terms. See the list of candidates below. Among the candidates being elected during the Annual Meeting will be our new Accounting Warden. Use the button below to download the report.
Debbie DeKalb
Three-Year Term
Mark Evans
Three-Year Term
Grayson Torpey
One-Year Term
Audrey Kipphut
Three-Year Term
I have sung in the choir (everything except bass), sung and played flute with the Folk Group, and following the merger with St. Philip's, joined the Bell Choir. I have also been maintaining the function and security of the various PCs in use for the office and Vestry. I was honored to co-chair the search committee which (after a 1-year search) located and signed Carol Cei to take the musical reins of the choir. I have also participated in the Mary Pat's Cookie's tradition for most of my years here. It has been my great pleasure to share my own Jewish traditions with my St. Peter's family at our semi-annual Seder Dinners since 2010. I have an abiding love of music, and in it I feel most connected with G*d. I am not afraid of speaking in front of a crowd (no surprise there) and enjoy the opportunity to read from the Old Testament during our services. I sew, make jewelry, and am a joyous participant in a local not-for-profit theater group. I also sing in the choir at my synagogue and play flute in the Klezmer Band there. I truly feel that I have a connection to my St. Peter's family that transcends religion and ritual. I have the utmost respect for traditions and will always do my best to honor yours. When I first came to St. Peter's, it was because I felt completely disconnected from my synagogue and was searching for a community of faith. Little did I know that I would find it here. I am honored to participate in the service each Sunday, and I delight in the warmth and acceptance I feel from everyone. My in-laws (Richard and Doris DeKalb of blessed memory) were members here since before my husband was born. I've been married to Rick DeKalb for over 34 years. When we first began our journey together, we weren't sure how the blending of our two faiths would work. I was raising a daughter, and she was (and is) Jewish, as am I. But Rick and I soon discovered that even though our rituals and practices differed, the basic tenets of our beliefs were the same. Respect your fellow man. Honor your father and mother. Don’t be an evil doer. Love thy neighbor. And so many more. Early in our marriage, I began to attend with him during the Christmas and Easter services so that I could share in the most meaningful holidays of his faith and be part of his family. But when I was asked to join the Choir, I found that I, too, had a place here at St. Peter's. I know that the common ground of both of our faiths is truly the same. As a member of the Vestry of St. Peter's, I will do my best to help St. Peter's in any way I can. This is MY family, MY home. I wouldn't have it any other way. Note: Because Debbie maintains her Jewish identity, the Vestry received the bishop’s permission for her to run for Vestry, and with that permission also voted to suspend in this instance the St. Peter’s bylaw requiring candidates to be baptized members, so that she could be a nominee to Vestry.
Throughout most of the last twenty years, I have been an active parishioner and leader at Trinity Episcopal Church in Buckingham, Bucks County, where I served on the property committee and then served on the Vestry. During this time, I helped lead a capital campaign to renovate the church, designed renovations for underutilized areas of the church, and supported our new Rector to grow our church membership. During these years, I volunteered with a number of outreach ministries to support those who are homeless and experiencing food insecurity, including a project called Code Blue to provide temporary shelter during winter cold spells. Throughout my years at Trinity, I volunteered to support many parish life events and taught Sunday school. In 2011, Donna and I were married at Trinity Episcopal Church and we brought together our families and four children. In 2017, we moved from Doylestown to Glenside. During the process of searching for a new church, we attended St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and we were deeply moved by Rev. Barb's preaching, her musicality and connection to youth ministry. In 2022, when we learned Barb was called to St. Peter's, we began worshiping here and quickly discovered this extraordinary church community. Donna and I are both so grateful to have discovered this warm, welcoming, and spiritually enriching community. I have been looking for ways to share my talents to help our parish community to grow and thrive, care for our buildings, and make a positive impact in our broader community. In 2023, I joined the Welcome Committee, and I am currently working on a plan to enhance the signage, lighting and visibility of our church from Easton Road. In my work life, I am an architect and town planner. I work throughout Pennsylvania on the revitalization of downtown business districts. I am frequently facilitating large community meetings and helping communities see their local assets and creating plans for how to expand business districts. I believe many of these skills that I use to help a downtown area thrive are similar to the things our church needs to grow, renovate our building, and enhance our grounds. I would welcome the opportunity to share my talents and collaborate with various church leaders at St. Peter’s to enhance our buildings to best support our mission and ministries.
Grayson Torpey is an acolyte and a regular lector for our Come 4th Sunday celebrations. He also has volunteered at Godly Play and has been an active member of our youth ministry. He also plays the violin in the St. Peter's Folk Group. Grayson is 14, attends Upper Moreland Middle School and is in 8th grade. They are in his school's concert choir, string orchestra and school musical. Grayson loves to read, create folded book art and crochet.
I have worshipped at St. Peter’s since 1995 when we moved to Abington. David and I have been married for forty-five years. We have three married children and four granddaughters. I retired as a certified dental assistant after thirty years. In my leisure time, I like to travel, walk, read, do paper quilling and my favorite, be with my family. My service to St. Peter’s began shortly after I arrived. I was asked to co-teach the younger elementary class twenty-eight years ago. My involvement and service has grown and now includes: EfM graduate; Vestry; discernment committee, when called by the Rev. Emily Richards; worship committee; usher; Eucharistic Minister; profile committee for Rev. Barb; bell choir, listening circle, and LIFT member. I am chair of the Welcome Team, manage the food cupboard and volunteer for Beds for Kids. It would be my sincere pleasure to serve the members of St. Peter’s Church as a member of your Vestry.
Dave Mosteller
Two-year Term
John Olson
One -Year Term
Matt Torpey
Three-Year Term
Accounting Warden Candidate
Mike Reeve
I've been involved in various aspects of church life at St. Peter's since my family joined in 1987. Before that, Laurel and I were active at the Church of the Redeemer (Bryn Mawr) and St. Asaph's Church (Bala Cynwyd) and sang in their choirs. Our children Don and Amy grew up as part of St. Peter's and were active in the Rite 13 and Journey to Adulthood (J2A) programs, culminating in their pilgrimages to Ireland (Don) and France (Amy). I'm in the choir and Bell Choir and served on the search team for our new Choir Director/Organist. My most challenging experiences were being a J2A leader, with pilgrimages to England and Italy. I am an Education for Ministry (EfM) graduate. Over the years, I've served on rector and music minister search teams; assisted as interim choir director a number of times; oversaw the installation of the sanctuary sound system; played piano at Taizé services; sang and played occasionally with the Folk Group; served as a lay reader; and emceed the talent show fundraiser. I retired in September 2022 as a hospital software analyst with Jefferson Health.
Known to many as JohnO, I have been a member of St. Peter’s since Fall 1992, soon after moving from the Boston area to Glenside. I guess this means I am in the “old-timer” group here, strangely somewhat a surprise to me. Ever since arriving, my wife Melissa, two sons AJ and Greg, and I all felt at home at St. Peter’s. We were immediately welcomed and quickly became involved in the parish community in a variety of ways. We have benefitted mightily from so many aspects of life here – from faith formation for both youth and adults to campaigns for a variety of social concerns to the enriching friendships we have formed. I have served in several capacities at St. Peter’s, including a three-year term on Vestry during the Rev. Ruth Kirk years; the Parish Profile and Search committees that eventually led to calling Rev. Emily; the Adult Education Committee (and helped lead some sessions); and being an usher. I agreed to put my name forward for Vestry as it has been a while since I have served in an official capacity, and I want to step up again to help in a way that I can. On a personal level, I am a professor in the Department of Biology at Villanova University. My academic specialty is physiology, and my courses include Human Anatomy, Physiology, Biology and Politics. I served as Assistant Chair for the department from 2001 to 2015 and then as Chair from 2015 to 2021. I thus have experience in administration as well as academics. As Chair, I faced several challenges including two of “biblical” significance – recovering from a large flood that destroyed several teaching labs and faculty offices and navigating the many challenges of running a science department during a pandemic. I enjoy problem-solving, and I value the compassionate and effective approach our community here evidenced during the merger of St. Peter’s and St. Philip-in-the-Fields, changes in personnel, and addressing and then making improvements to the property and facilities.
For those that don’t know me, I’m Matt Torpey. Stef, Grayson, and I moved to Willow Grove from NJ in 2021. I was raised Roman Catholic and began attending the Episcopal Church prior to getting married. I was received into the Episcopal Church around 2015 at St. John the Evangelist in NJ. At our previous parish, I served 2 years on the Vestry and then as Junior and Senior Warden (In NJ the Junior Warden is elected directly by the congregation and serves a 2-year term first as Jr. and then as Sr. Warden). Soon after my time on Vestry, I served on the Search committee for a new parish rector. However, my most frequent contributions could be found in the kitchen, heading fellowship and leading the kitchen for the parish celebrations. These included the regular things like Shrove Tuesdays, Welcome Back Picnic, Annual Parish Dinner, and Breakfast with Santa and special occasions like a celebratory dinner when a previous priest was made Pastor Emeritus. Other areas I was active in include, Lector, 225th Anniversary Committee, re-created the parish website/webmaster, created the parish Christmas Cards, Organist search committee, and Diocesan Convention Representative. We began attending St. Peter’s regularly in 2022. Since joining St. Peters, I have helped with Shrove Tuesday, the Blue Grass Concert, Rev. Barbara’s Installation Celebration, and Outreach Day. I am also a member of the Folk Group. Grayson and I performed together during the Shrove Tuesday Talent Show. I really like the St. Peter’s family and I hope to be able to help by bringing outside ideas while respecting the traditions that have worked for so long.
Mike and his wife Terita have been members of the Episcopal Church since 2005. They were originally members of Resurrection in Mayfair, which later merged with Emmanuel in Holmesburg, where Mike served on the Merger Committee and later as the Senior Warden. Terita and Mike are avid folk and bluegrass musicians and are the proud parents of 2 dogs and 3 cats. Mike is a longtime member of the Philadelphia legal community and is currently the E-Discovery and Litigation Technology Manager at Archer & Greiner, P.C. Terita and Mike joined St. Peter's in the Spring of 2022. In 2023, the Vestry appointed Mike to fill the vacant Accounting Warden position as interim until the 2024 Annual Meeting, when he would formally run for the three-year term.
Thank you for your Service
As we usher in new candidates, some Vestry members will be transitioning out. Rector’s Warden Linda Toia, People's Warden Dave Kipphut, and vestry member Nancy Ironside have completed their three-year terms.
Nancy Ironside, Vestry Member
Worshiped at St. Peter's since 2019 One of the things I have always valued about St. Peter’s is its stance on justice, equity and love, which are at the center of everything we do. I first came to St. Peter’s on Christmas Eve in 2009. I always enjoyed time spent at church and left worship feeling ready to face the demands of the week, but it wasn’t until November of 2019 that I finally decided to become a member. I value the people of this community and the ways they go about mending the brokenness of the world. I am grateful for the virtual connections that have been maintained by the church and sustaining to me personally throughout the pandemic and look for opportunities to give back to a community that has given me so much. St. Peter’s is a place where all are welcomed and where hope and help abide. A favorite part of worship for me is the Prayers of the People. These embody the work we do - recognizing the vast problems of the world and calling on each of us to do our part as we also name the individuals among us who need support and extra love. Our community of faith has sustained me in both these general and very specific ways and I am proud to be a part of a community that is accepting, joyous and hopeful. I teach 5th and 6th graders mathematics at Science Leadership Academy in West Philadelphia. Raised in a large family with seven children by a now retired Presbyterian minister and nurse practitioner, I am comfortable with change and chaos, but able to create peaceful moments in the midst of life’s continual mayhem. My hobbies include planting vegetables and flowers, walking outside with my sons, writing words and singing. I am a good listener as well as an advocate for the tired and overworked. I am the proud mother of two excellent humans, George (21) and Charlie Beall (19). George is a St. Peter’s member who works at the Morris Arboretum in facilities and studies part-time and MCCC. He actively helps his family and neighbors and is warm and welcoming to all. Charlie sings with the choir at Christ Church Short Hills while he studies math and physics at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. He is a gifted musician, clever thinker and kind listener. We have thoroughly enjoyed the extra moments of togetherness afforded to us by the pandemic.
Dave Kipphut, People's Warden
I am a lifelong Episcopalian and was baptized at Emmanuel Episcopal Church – Holmesburg in Philadelphia. Over the years as I grew up, I attended Sunday School, was a member of the children’s and youth choirs, served as an acolyte and was a member of the Young Peoples Fellowship (YPF) which was their youth program. One summer a group of the YPF traveled to an Onondaga Indian Reservation outside of Syracuse New York and we helped run a summer vacation bible school. While there we lived in the homes of the members of the reservation. We then hosted the Native American youth in Philadelphia and we ran a vacation bible school at Emmanuel. In my adult activities at Emmanuel, I was in charge of the Sunday School, member of the Vestry, chaired the Property Committee and served as Rector’s Warden during the time of discernment and the calling of a new Rector. I also served on Bishop Bartlett’s Education Committee with the Diocese. We transferred to St. Peters when we relocated to Abington and at St Peters I have served on the Vestry, Chaired the Property Committee, Garden Committee, am an usher, served as Rector’s Warden and was a leader in the J2A (Journey to Adulthood) program. With the other J2A leaders we led very successful pilgrimages to New York City, center City Philadelphia, hiked the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain and traveled through Portugal with youth from our parish. The pilgrimages are some of the most life changing events that I and the J2A youth have experienced in our lives. My skills and interests are very wide ranging. In my professional life I have worked as a Landscape Designer for a major construction firm in Philadelphia as well as a freelance designer. I taught Horticulture in a high school career and technical education (CTE) program, was principal of two high schools in Philadelphia and my final position was that of a Deputy Chief to the Superintendent of the Philadelphia School District where I was responsible for over 6,000 students in 135 CTE programs of various occupations located in 37 different high schools while managing an annual budget of over 50 million dollars. I retired from the school district after serving 43 years in 2016. My skills include professional development, program development, budget development and management of a large organization. As well as working with young high school age students in many areas. I enjoy gardening, biking, reading and working with groups on targeted projects. I also have a great intertest in history and foreign travel having traveled across the United States as well as to many countries in Europe, the Middle Eat and Asia. Currently I perform educational consulting, having worked with numerous schools and school district regarding high school redesign and CTE program developments. I also work with Citizen Diplomacy International Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Mayor’s office assisting high schools in establishing and conducting person to person high school student exchanges in which students and teachers live with families while attending schools in the host cities. I also work with the schools and the city as they host students from those countries visited here in Philadelphia. I hold a BS degree from Delaware Valley University (formerly Delaware Valley College of Agriculture and Science) and a Master’s degree from Temple University. Oyr church community provides for adults and children of all ages the ability to come together and celebrate God’s Love for all as well as we care for and support each other in our daily lives. The activities and programs that the church provides allows us act as a community of faith to address our personal needs as well as those of the entire community. This is so important for us as Christians in today’s world with all of its challenges as well as its opportunities. We must ensure that we value the ability to have the connections to this wonderful body of faith and to help others to grow in Christ’ teachings. It is important that our church provide as many possibilities for all members; adults, youth and children to be able to participate and interact with each other, with meaningful worship, programs and activities. I have been married to Audrey for forty-two years having known her from our high school days and attending Emmanuel. Our children have all benefited from being part of the St. Peter’s family and participation in the activities and J2A programs. Lindsay is the oldest, married to Luke and they have our two granddaughters Julia and Luke. They live just outside of Annapolis, Maryland. Lindsay is a high school educator and Luke is a dentist. Lara, our middle child is married to Tim and they have our third granddaughter, Harlowe. Lara has her own interior design firm, Tim is in automotive sales with the Ford Motor Company and they live in Chicago. Alexander our youngest, is married to Rachael and they live in center city Philadelphia. Alex is a graphic designer and marketing consultant and Rachael is a Nurse Practitioner. Audrey and I are so proud of all of our children, daughter and son in laws and the grandchildren and are truly blessed as a family and as members of St. Peters Glenside.
Linda Toia, Rector's Warden
I became a member of St. Peter’s in 2000 after a yearlong search for a new parish community. In 1999 my husband Frank retired as the parish priest of Good Shepherd Church in Hilltown and began working in interim ministry. We decided that it was important for me to choose our new parish home since Frank would still be working. Finding a new parish community proved much harder than I anticipated, though, until a spiritual director suggested I visit St. Peter’s. After my first Sunday I knew I had found a new home. The warmth and welcoming I experienced continues to this day and I am committed to carrying on this tradition to all who enter our doors. My involvement at St. Peter’s has been in a variety of ministries. I have been a vestry member, a Eucharistic minister, and a member of the discernment committee that called Emily as our priest. I serve as an usher, am the folk group leader, co-facilitate two Listening Circles monthly, and co-facilitate the Guatemala Committee. I have a very strong commitment to our Guatemalan brothers and sisters and have visited them many times. I also am the program chairperson of the Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation and have facilitated people of different faith traditions taking part in our liturgy and community functions. During my career as a special education teacher in North Penn School District I had the privilege of working with students from kindergarten through high school. After my retirement I took part in a two-year program at Shalem Institute and became a spiritual director. I believe some gifts I bring are my commitment to deep listening, my group process and organizational skills, and my creative approach to problem solving. I would welcome the opportunity to help envision life at St. Peter’s as we eventually begin to transition beyond the pandemic. Some of the important qualities of St. Peter’s for me are our commitment to serving people both within and beyond our walls, our focus on liturgy in a variety of settings, our strong music program, the way parishioners’ welcome the children in our midst, and our openness to other faith traditions. Since Frank’s death in 2019, I have been learning a lot about living life as fully as possible after the loss of a beloved spouse. My son Dave lives in Baltimore with his wife Justina and their four-year-old son Greyson. Frank’s daughter Meg and her husband Tom live in VA and Frank’s daughter Catherine lives in Willow Grove. I give thanks for their love and support.
Continuing Vestry Members
Meredith Flaherty
Jeanne Hannum
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For those who do not know me, my name is Meredith Flaherty. I was a parishioner at St. Philip-in-the-Fields from birth. From the time I could talk, I sang in chapel choir then progressed into Junior and Senior Choirs and the Bell Choir. I was an acolyte and was active in both Rite 13 and Journey 2 Adulthood. I matured and deepened my own personal relationship with God through the help of St. Philips. When our two parishes merged in the Spring of 2016, I immediately felt like I had found my perfect spiritual home at St. Peters. The welcoming spirit and grace that I received from my new parish family were true demonstrations of Agape. I continued to sing in St. Peter’s Choir and Ring with the new bell choir. That fall, I became a Rite 13 leader, a ministry that I continued until the Pandemic. Throughout this period I have also been in my own discernment for the Priesthood. St. Peter’s was tantamount for my own answering of God’s Call to serve. Listening to God is what has brought me to want to serve you, the People of St. Peter’s on your Vestry. I want to make a difference in a community that I love so deeply. Thank you!
I have worshiped at St. Peter's since 2016 when St. Philip-in-the-Fields closed. I've been a member of the choir since we started worshiping at St. Peter's. I was also a member of the choir at St. Philip's and St. Aidan's, our two previous parishes, and I've sung with the choir at Nativity Rockledge on special occasions. I joined St. Peter's Women's Group and have attended the Christmas party annually. I've attended the Lunch Club and now the Lunch Club to Go since it started. I was the Parish Administrator at St. Philip-in-the-Fields and assisted with the change-over when we joined with St. Peter's. I was an acolyte, a Eucharistic Minister and a Licensed Lay Reader at St. Aidan's, and I am a Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter's. I'm a former Navy nurse and also worked as a civilian nurse for 20 years, give or take, including two years as Director of Nursing for NurseFinders. I am the 1st Junior Commander of my DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Chapter and am on the Jeanes Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council. I have experience chairing committees and giving reports. My hobbies are baking, reading (voraciously!) and singing. St. Peter's has become a beloved church home to me after losing not one, but two previous church homes. I have felt so welcome and comfortable here. St. Peter's embraced many of the things I loved at St. Philip's and made them a seamless part of the church life here. I value the loving spirit in this congregation. I was reared in a Roman Catholic family, the eldest of four children. I'm married to Charlie Hannum, whom I met when we were both in the Navy and stationed in Memphis, TN. We have four children and three grandchildren. I was accepted in the Episcopal Church about 1986 (Charlie's a cradle Episcopalian) and we brought the children up in the church. They were acolytes at St. Aidan's, and very involved in Youth Council and Camp Elmo, and have life-long friends from all.
Amy Neske
My husband and I moved from New Jersey to Glenside in 2000, and we joined St. Peters in 2005. My three children and I were all baptized at St. Peters. I was on the vestry between 2016 and 2018. I also served on the Property Committee for a year. I’ve volunteered for church events such as the Rummage Sale, the Talent Show/Shrove Tuesday, and the Christmas Pageant. I have been an usher for about three years. Most recently, I joined the Gardening Committee, and I can’t wait for spring to come, so I can start gardening again. I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom (thanks to the hard work of my dedicated husband) until my first-born was 17 years old. I enjoyed every minute I spent with my children, nurturing them into kind, creative, and intelligent young adults. Five years ago, I had the opportunity to use my bilingual skills and aid the under-served Chinese community, so I became a Chinese interpreter and a medical insurance counselor for one of the busiest health centers under the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Bridging the communication gap between people with Limited English Proficiency and their healthcare providers and helping patients receive free or affordable health insurance so that they have access to quality medical services is very fulfilling. In my third year at this job, I was promoted to the role of supervisor, overseeing four health centers and many interpreters and benefits counselors. I think my listening, collaboration and problem solving skills that I have developed through my work will help me perform my duties as a vestry member more effectively. I served on the vestry between 2016 and 2018, during the final stage of St. Peters' merger with St. Phillips in-the-Fields. I was so glad to be part of the team that, under the guidance of Rev. Emily, handled such a challenging process with compassion and poise, making the union a successful one. I learned a lot about collaborating with other churches and working within the vestry as a team from that experience, and I think it will help me take on any challenges that lay ahead. Regarding my hobbies: I love gardening. Every season I put together different planting arrangements for my window boxes and have gotten some positive feedback from my neighbors and Facebook friends. I enjoy volunteering for my kids’ schools and their soccer teams. When my kids were in elementary school, I used to organize multicultural events with other parents to bring some fun activities and teach them about diversity at the same time. Now that my daughters are in college, I mainly act as the “supporting crew” for my husband, who is the head coach for my son’s soccer team. My other passion is tutoring Chinese to middle school and high school students. I spend a lot of time learning the intricacy of the Chinese language, the etymology, and literature, and incorporating some of that knowledge into the lessons to make them more interesting. It is very rewarding to help a struggling student over the hump and keep him/her interested in learning a complex language such as Chinese. St. Peter’s has consistently striven to be an open, friendly and safe place for all young parishioners. My perspective as a mother of three children who grew up here and benefited from this environment, and my experience from working with children and young adults will help guide me in the mission of supporting our youths. St. Peter's Church means a lot to me. The church has been an integral part of my life because my children grew up here, and St. Peters helped created so many fond memories through their intentional efforts to make children feel valued and cherished. Whether it was Oak telling jokes at the Talent Show when he was six or my daughters playing the piano and violin on Mother’s Day, we’ve always felt right at home. Though the church and its people went through a lot of changes throughout the years, I value that St. Peters has remained inclusive, compassionate, and full of grace through it all. My husband, Don, and I have three children: Willow is 22 and a senior at Temple U., Valerie is 19 and a sophomore at Princeton U., and Oak, who is 13, is an 8th grader at Abington Middle School. Willow and Valerie were acolytes at St. Peters until they graduated from high school. Oak currently serves as an usher for the church.
Douglas Pneuma
I started attending St. Peter’s in the fall of 2019 with my now spouse Bryan Pneuma. Prior to St. Peter’s, I was a committed UU at the nearby BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Warrington, being a regular member of their worship band, participating in the UU Christian Fellowship where I deconstructed and reconstructed my Christian faith, taking part in small group ministry, and serving in my capacity as an SEO marketing specialist and writer for the launch of the interfaith organization POWER Metro, the suburban wing of POWER Philadelphia. Bryan and I both loved the open spiritual atmosphere of UUism, but sought to deepen our personal experience of faith, and had had great experiences at a variety of Episcopal churches prior to that, including at St. Philip’s in New Hope, whose rector Michael Ruk married us at St. Peter’s on May 14 2022 along with Laura Palmer. I work professionally in a digital agency producing websites, videos, eLearning platforms, mobile apps, and more, am experienced in numerous social media platforms, and know how to plan and execute comprehensive search engine optimization content development strategies that can help organizations compete more effectively for key search terms. I also lead new business development and project management for new clients in my professional work. In my faith work, I seek to mitigate and resolve conflicts to promote the balance of productivity and interpersonal ministry that is necessary for a safe, healthy, and functional faith community, while also bringing my own unique perspectives to the table to explore opportunities for continuous evolution for the common welfare of all. I am currently in my first year of Education for Ministry and am loving it. I was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended the nearby St. Catherine’s of Sienna for many years. I am knowledgeable and deeply influenced by numerous faith traditions—especially their mystical traditions—which all have worked to support and enhance my understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am thus highly committed to interfaith work. As a bisexual/pansexual man married to my awesome transmasculine non-binary spouse Bryan, I am also deeply committed to queer and broader gender liberation for all, especially within the context of fully authentic and committed Christian discipleship, where “ There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, NRSV)
Karen Sayer
I have worshiped at St. Peter's since 1981. Over the years, I have been involved with many aspects of this parish, including Vestry, Parish Life (Chair), Social Concerns, Property, Finance, Youth Group Leader, Children’s Education Teacher, Rector Search Committee, and the Building Accessibility Committee. I have also been a member of the Altar Guild for the past 20 years and currently serve as Co-chair for that group. My 30+ years at St. Peter’s gives me some insight into how the parish works. Also, I think that my organization skills and attention to detail are beneficial in any situation. I spent 20+ years working at a disaster recovery support company, and flexibility and reprioritizing at a moment’s notice were key elements needed to help support our clients successfully. That flexibility is helpful here as well. St. Peter’s means Family to me. My first experience at St. Peter’s was on my wedding day in 1980! I was a practicing Catholic but my parish didn’t approve of a “mixed” marriage – Catholic and Episcopalian – and I wasn’t permitted to be married in my home church. But we were welcomed at St. Peter's for that day and we began to attend on a regular basis when we moved back to the area in 1981. The Episcopal service was similar enough to the Catholic mass that I felt comfortable but it was also different in ways that I found appealing and more in tune with my way of thinking and believing. I felt at home here in this parish and was formally received into the Episcopal Church in 1987. When my marriage ended after 25 years, my parish family enfolded me with love and support and wouldn't let me drift away which would have been so easy to do without their caring hearts. The thing I love the most about St. Peter's is how absolutely welcoming and inclusive we are with everyone. I love the spirit of togetherness here and know without a doubt that all are welcome and always will be!
Amy Michener-Wall
I first visited St. Peter’s in 2001 after seeing a service announcement that the rector had placed in the Philadelphia Gay News. I quickly became a regular worshipper, and was received by the bishop shortly thereafter. I was part of team behind the LGBTQ-inclusive language in our welcome statement, am an EfM graduate, Listening Circle participant, lector and Eucharistic minister, a veteran of countless women’s dinners and retreats, and an intermittent member of the choir. I previously served on vestry about 10 years ago. I believe strongly that we are all here to take care of each other and our world. St. Peter’s is the place where we have come together to make that happen. I’m a librarian by profession and have developed many skills in that capacity, including writing, editing, customer service, research, and reference work. I’ve had experience planning events, serving on hiring committees, writing statistical reports, and software/hardware/network troubleshooting. I’m originally from Southern California by way of New Hampshire. I came to Philadelphia in 1985 and have lived in Wyndmoor with my wife, Beth and our child, Wes since 2001. I love to cook, read, pull weeds, doodle, play with my cats, and spend time with my family.