Chimes January 2024

Ms. Lori Wilson, Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries

Please join us in welcoming Lori to our staff! Lori was born and raised in Michigan. One of six children, her faith has always been a fundamental part of her life. She holds a BA in psychology, an MA in religious studies from St. Joseph’s Seminary, and an MA in curriculum and instruction. She received her training as a spiritual director, supervisor, and director of the 19th Annotation from Fairfield University. Lori has been a director of faith formation, theology teacher, director of campus ministry and service, and theology chair and retreat director for students and adults. She has authored and published several books and has been a principal of an inner-city Catholic school and a pastoral associate of a large parish in Greenwich. Lori often looks to the quiet of the outdoors to connect with God, especially while on her kayak or hiking. She enjoys quiet and solitude as much as she enjoys encountering God through justice work, which she has done in the U.S., at the Texas/Mexico Border, in Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, and Mexico. We are thrilled to be working together.

Dr. Matthew Lewis, Organist & Director of Music

We are excited and delighted to welcome Matthew on board this year. He comes to us from St. James the Less in Scarsdale where he has been since 2017. Before serving there, he was the organist and Director of Music at Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan. He is the Director of St. George’s Choral Society and is Organist and Choirmaster at Temple Israel, in Lawrence, N.Y., where he has served 30 years. He has master and doctorate degrees in music from Julliard and remains on their organ faculty. We look forward to Matthew joining the St. John’s community!

Dear Singers,

I am excited about beginning at St. John's! We have many musical things planned and I hope you can be part of it.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite singers and music lovers to join the choir.

Some of you may have studied music, perhaps years ago, or more recently. And others may simply enjoy music on many different levels. Whatever your musical experiences are, joining a choir can be a great way to make music, to find an artistic outlet and to participate in a group effort with other people of similar interests as we contribute to worship and parish life.

Over the years, I have worked with singers of varying capabilities. Some are good musicians with limited vocal skills; others are strong singers who are happy to find a musical outlet. And some are people who enjoy music but know little about choir singing. There is usually a place for all types of musicians in a choir. Singers should have some basic music reading skills.

Rehearsals begin Thursday, January 18, 7:00-9:00 PM. We also meet Sunday mornings at 9:00 to warm up and prepare for the morning service.

The choir normally sings two anthems for the Sunday morning service. Additionally, we will prepare hymns and service music.

If you have any questions, or wonder if singing in the choir is for you, please reach out to me. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

Looking forward to getting to know you!

Sincerely,

Matthew Lewis

Please attend to get an update on St. John's finances, outreach, and other ministries.

This year’s annual parish meeting will take place on Sunday, January 28. Here are the details:

• After an abbreviated Eucharist service at 10:00 am in the sanctuary, we will move to the Parish Hall for this year's annual meeting. Please note that while the 10am service will be Zoomed, the annual meeting will not be, as you need to be present to vote.
• The nominations will be presented and we will vote for this year’s Nominating Committee.
• We will elect four Vestry members and the Junior Warden. As we have announced, the 2024 Nominating Committee has put forward the following slate: Junior Warden for a first, two-year term: Chris Plunkett; Vestry candidate for a one-year term: Russ Hall; Vestry candidate for a two-year term: Kurt Weisenfluh; Vestry candidates for three-year term: Christine Healey de Casanova, Gus Harwood, Ollie Maggard, Adrienne Skinner. Please see the bios for each candidate, below.
• The Annual Report will be distributed in the week before the Annual Meeting. Please read the Annual Report before the meeting. This will give you a chance to reflect on what is presented and to formulate any questions you'd like to share at the meeting.

The Vestry Nominating Committee, comprised of Jmel Wilson (chair), Betsy Bradley, Dave Ingram, Angela Nesbitt and Tori Pough, is pleased to announce the slate for Vestry members to be elected at our Annual Meeting, January 28, 2024.

Junior Warden

Chris Plunkett

I am a proud lifelong resident of Larchmont and currently hold the role of Director of Operations for a non-profit trade association based in New York. In addition to my professional endeavors, I have actively contributed to my community in various ways. One of my most fascinating and invaluable experiences was serving on the Co-op Board where I live, taking on different roles and eventually serving as President. Moreover, I've dedicated my time to volunteering on the iconic High Line in Manhattan.

St. John's holds a special place in my heart, as it has been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. My connection to the church traces back to my mother, who was a devoted member. Some of my fondest memories involve assisting my mom in replenishing supplies after the 8:00 am services, joining in on the beautiful church decorations for holidays, baking for the Bake Sale, and even preparing mouthwatering chili for the Bazaar, (it was the recipe, not the cook!). Through my volunteer work at St. John's, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact the church has on the parish and the wider community.

As I've grown older, St. John's has become an integral part of my life. I've come to realize that I receive immeasurable fulfillment from being a part of this community, far beyond what I could ever give back. It is truly an honor and fills me with eagerness to continue contributing to the wonderful work being done at St. John's. I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and the positive impact we can make together.

One-Year Term

Russ Hall

Russ Hall is a long-time resident of Larchmont and has been an active member of St. John's since 1996. He has served on the Vestry in various capacities on 4 separate occasions of varying durations. For the past several years, Russ has chaired the stewardship committee at St. John's. Russ has been retired since 2018. Previously he spent many years working for a human resources consulting firm where he focused on tax and other laws affecting retirement plans and executive compensation. He has a daughter, Cianne, who currently resides in Rochester.

Two-Year Term

Kurt Weisenfluh

I am originally from Cohasset, MA and a graduate of the University of Vermont. My wife, Maura, and I have three boys; Matt 25, Owen 24, Kurt Jr. 18. All were baptized at St. John’s.

We lived in Larchmont from 1992 to 2009, then in the Bay Area and Virginia from 2009 to 2019. When we moved away we joined St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Orinda, CA then St. Paul’s Episcopal in Alexandria, VA. We were active in both. Our children all attended St. Stephens & St Agnes School, an Episcopal day school in Alexandria.

My career is in institutional fixed income trading and I have been working on Wall Street about 35 years. Our interests include family adventures, sailboat racing, fishing, and skiing.

We moved back to Larchmont in 2019 and have become regulars at the 8:00 Sunday morning liturgy. I am thrilled to be able to serve the parish.

Three-Year Term

Christine Healey de Casanova

Christine Healey de Casanova, and her eldest daughter, Mary Claire, joined St. John's in 2021. From the moment they walked through the doors, the people of St. John's extended warmth and love that has touched them deeply. Mary Claire was confirmed at St. John's last Spring. She is an active member of the Youth Group and a dedicated attendee of the 10 am service. Christine is humbled to serve as a Eucharistic Minister and cherishes the spiritual connection and community.

Christine and her husband, Manuel Casanova, moved their family from Manhattan to New Rochelle five years ago. They relish raising their two bilingual children, Mary Claire and Caroline, with all Westchester has to offer.

In her professional life, Christine is the CEO and Founder of Contribute LLC, a communication skills training firm. She is passionate about helping professionals across the globe transform into better communicators. As a leader, she has set up global operations, managed diverse teams, and delivered effective communication solutions in three languages and 18 countries. She humbly welcomes the opportunity to learn and serve on the vestry.

Gus Harwood

Born in Wilmington, NC, I grew up the son of a US Marine. I have had the good fortune to live everywhere from Charlestown, South Carolina to Missouri and then abroad, including both Japan and Italy.

After spending four years in Tennessee, where I graduated from Vanderbilt University and had the good fortune to meet my wife, Lindsay, I moved to New York.

In addition to meeting my future better half, I also ended up rooming at Vanderbilt with Wes Matelich (son of George and Susan Matelich).

As some of you know, Lindsay and I are incredibly blessed to have two twin boys, Hunter and Jackson. As they got older and more mobile, we eventually decided to make the familiar pilgrimage to the suburbs. They are also enrolled at the St. John’s Nursery School.

As we looked for more space than our Manhattan apartment, we were hopeful to find a community to raise a family for many years. Fortunately, we had been hearing about Larchmont and St. John’s for years from the Matelich family! Despite having been here for only a few months, we have been incredibly humbled by everyone’s welcoming and warmth. The boys have also definitely taken to St. John’s – muffins at coffee hour is something they look forward to every week.

To those I have not met, I am very much looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Ollie Maggard

I am a lifelong member of St John’s Church and the third generation of my family. No institution has been more important to me from baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals. In the last 18 months our family has held a memorial service, a confirmation and a wedding in our lovely church. Equally important is the nourishment I feel from weekly services. I have become more involved with St. John's over the last few years including serving as a Eucharistic Minister. I am currently on the Stewardship Committee and Chairperson of our Capital Campaign Committee. I feel St John’s is at an inflection point in its long history and I have never felt more optimistic about where we are and where we are going. I am humbled to be considered for a vestry position at this time and contribute to its continued success.

My wife Christina Battalia and I grew up in the Town of Mamaroneck and live there now. Between us we have five grown children and just welcomed our first grandson, Oscar.

I am a founding partner of a financial firm, Caymus Equity Partners. In my career I have served on numerous boards of small businesses and also served on the Board of Trustees of Middlebury College. I hope I can bring experience, a style of collaboration and a love of St. John’s to the Vestry.

Adrienne Skinner

I am a long-time parishioner of St. John’s, having moved here 37 years ago from New York City.

St. John’s is a big part of my life here in Larchmont, as I regularly attend the 8am service (love the intimate nature of this time in the chancel worshiping with my fellow early birds).

I raised my four daughters at St. John’s, with the family church activities a big part of our lives in those years. The church community has helped me through many circumstances, and I know how blessed I am to be a part of this parish.

I work in advertising sales and have for more than 40 years. My career in digital media started over 28 years ago, when the industry began. Being part of the media industry has been a great career for me, as I enjoy learning and meeting new people. I work for eMarketer, part of Business Insider. We are the industry’s source for market research.

I was on the Vestry years ago, and know the importance of the Vestry’s stewardship, particularly during this time. With substantial projects underway, and significant work to be done in the next couple of years, it is an honor to be called to serve again.

~*~

Save the Date - White Elephant Sale March 8 & 9!

SAVE THE DATE AND YOUR TREASURES! St. John’s GIANT White Elephant Tag Sale will be returning in March. Donations will be accepted Sunday-Wednesday, March 3-6, and the sale itself will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 8-9. We'll need plenty of volunteers to help with donations, set-up and sales, so mark your calendars for this fun parish-wide event!

Look for an email next week with more information on donations and how to be part of this special event! Click here for more details on our website. Proceeds support local not-for-profits helping women and children.

Post-Bazaar Work & Donations

ECW’s Holiday Marketplace receives wonderful donations from parishioners and friends but we have only 5 hours to sell the items to raise money for our Outreach charities. At the end of the day, non- profits in our community are invited to take what would be useful to their organization, their clients and communities.

This year, Theresa Colyar of Washingtonville Housing Alliance had a special experience because Jackson (one of the 3 the National Honor Society volunteers), whom we asked to help her, turned out to be a tutor in the WHA after school program! Theresa’s comment that it “… was a lovely surprise (and of special importance) to "work" with him!!!” was a feeling echoed by Jackson. She left with 3 boxes of games and toys, some of which will be used to entertain the children who come with their parents for services while others will be used in the afterschool program in the playtime once homework is finished. The brand new geography toy items she found will be distributed to some of their families at the annual holiday party. Theresa Colyar signed off her quick note -THANK YOU St Johns' Episcopal Church 💞- with the phrase “in gratitude.”

Nancy Pierson took some of the art that was left in collectibles to Furniture Sharehouse to be donated to the people who are setting up their new apartments. She wrote:

This year, among the several prints was a lovely watercolor of a black man deep in thought. Nancy's FS client that day noticed the piece right away, recognized (could see) himself in the art and chose it with great satisfaction. This client had recently moved to an apartment after five months in a local shelter. He planned to spend the next day, Thanksgiving, joining other members of his church serving at a community dinner for those who were still unhoused or needing people to be with. His own furniture would arrive the next day. All of the donations to FS are put to good use. This one in particular brought great joy.

Volunteers from St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Mamaroneck were delighted with the boxes of holiday items they found to be sold at their bazaar the following week. Those items not snapped up at the bazaar will go to their Thrift Shop where local people find affordable treasures. Like St John’s, all proceeds from St Thomas’s bazaar go to support community organizations with VAC being the recipient this year.

6-7 dozen unsold children’s books in truly pristine condition were checked and then brought to Hope Com Services in New Rochelle to be given as gifts to the children of their clients. Carolyn Gallaher also sorted through the many remaining adorable stuffed animals, then washed, beribboned and primped about 100 which will also be made available to Hope’s clients while a whimsical decorated Mexican burrito ended up in the perfect space under the tree at CRC.

Clean up and post bazaar donation crew headed by Diane & Phil Oldham, and Carolyn were joined by officers of ECW and other volunteers who packed and organized. The co-chairs met the Vietnam Vets and Green Drop trucks on Monday and Tuesday the following week. Our unsold items also help these organizations which give employment to so many.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn Gallaher, co-chair Post Bazaar Clean Up and Donations