CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMMUNION PARISH ELECTIONS 2017 CANDIDATE PROFILES
In addition to our new candidates seeking election to the 2017 Vestry, the following will be on the ballot: Stephen Johnston, Senior Warden Dawn Balsam, Junior Warden Jason Luck, Endowment Committee And our delegates to the 2017 Convention: Sue Cavanaugh Francie Geer Kathryn Richburg Cordez Simmons
Vestry Questionnaire Name: LISA COVINGTON Tell us a few interesting things about your family, career, interests, etc. I have a BS in Biology(College of Charleston) & a BS in Nursing (MUSC). I came to know & started dating my husband, Sam, while we were lab partners in a parasitology class at the College of Charleston. In June 1982, Sam & I married. Also in 1982, I started the College of Medicine MUSC, while Sam began his 3rd year (College of Medicine MUSC). I worked as a RN in the NICU at MUSC during summers & other school breaks. Our 1st child, Sam Jr. was born in May 1984 (just hours before Sam s MUSC graduation ceremony). I took a leave of absence from school & we moved to Florida for Sam s internship. I fully intended to return to medical school, but a year at home with our baby led me to realize I had another calling. Sam & I have 5 (grown) children: Sam (32), Sarah (29), Laurah(27), Harrison(24) & Thomas(19). Sam (Jr.) is married to Kristen. They live in Texas & have 2 children. Consequently, I frequently travel to Texas! My other interests include quilting, gardening & reading. How long have you been a member of Holy Communion? Why is this, the parish you joined? We started attending CHC before Easter 1993, so this spring will mark our 24th anniversary at CHC. In Sept. 1989 we returned to Charleston after a 2 yr navy tour in Korea. We had 3 young children at the time, & began attending an Episcopal church close to our West Ashley home. My mother, who had transferred to CHC while we were in Korea, joined us (at West Ashley church) for a couple of years, but later resumed attending CHC. We decided to join her at CHC one Sunday in early 1993--and we ve been here ever since! It did not take long before I had a strong sense that this is where we were supposed to be. What challenges do you see for our parish? Since our members come from multiple & widespread zip codes, I believe one challenge for CHC is to constantly nurture our sense of community with one another. Over the years our parish has done a very good job in this area (Lenten retreats, parish picnic, oyster roast, elegant evenings, etc). I believe most people who have attended CHC for any length of time come to see other parish members as their extended family. Life is a busy affair, pulling
us all in so many directions, so it is a challenge to attend to areas that are not demanding our immediate attention. I believe our sense of family better equips us for ministry in the community. Of course, an ever present challenge is gaining & maintaining income needed to support a church. What is your vision for ministry at the Church of the Holy Communion? I do not know if I would say I have a specific vision for ministry, per se, but my hope and prayer is that we continue to faithfully spread the gospel and be a shining example- to each other, & to the greater community-of the love of Christ. In other words, walk the walk
Vestry Questionnaire Name: CATHERINE EMORY Tell us a few interesting things about your family, career, interests, etc. I live with my widowed mother, and I have 3 furbabies: 1 dog and 2 cats. I used to be a high school teacher of French. Currently, I am a bankruptcy paralegal at the Steadman Law Firm in North Charleston. I love reading, cooking, music, and languages. How long have you been a member of Holy Communion? Why is this the parish you joined? I have been a member of Holy Communion for 33 years. My family became members when my father took a teaching position at the Citadel because of Holy Communion s rich Anglo-Catholic traditions. What challenges do you see for our parish? A balance between attracting new members and keeping the members we have, and finding a new rector who will respect our liturgical tradition yet at the same time bring new ideas. What is your vision for ministry at the Church of the Holy Communion? Finding ways to attract new members and keeping the members we already have
Vestry Questionnaire Name: SANDRA FISCHER Tell us a few interesting things about your family, career, interests, etc. I am a single mom of three beautiful girls; Reese is 18 and the twins, Ellison and Riley, are 13. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment in our home. Currently I work as an executive assistant for a top producing real estate agent. It is my job, not my passion. I was born and raised here in Charleston and attended College of Charleston where I earned a bachelor's degree in Special Education. Helping is in my nature but upon graduation I realized that teaching wasn't the best use of my skills. I then decided to attend USC and there earned a masters degree in social work. Social Work is my passion. Although I am not earning a living in social work currently, I am still devoted to the practice and do feel it is my true calling. I have experience in social services (foster care), mental health, addictions and women's issues. I use my social work skills everyday and find that they help me to be less judgmental and more accepting of others. How long have you been a member of Holy Communion? Why is this the parish you joined? I was raised in a Nazarene church, and attended regularly throughout my childhood and as an adult. As I grew up, however, I grew away from the church because after every service I left feeling guilty and unworthy. There was something missing. After attending a wedding and funeral at Holy Communion and talking to other parishioners I decided to give it a try. I began attending Holy Communion in the beginning of 2012. I figured out what was missing in my church life almost immediately. It was the liturgy and the grace of God. The reverence in the mass at Holy Communion brought me to tears. More than that was the ability to ask a question and get an answer that spoke not only to my spirit but to my intellect. My first mass at Holy Communion on Epiphany Sunday 2012 will always be etched in my memory as the first time I left church without guilt and full of hope. I joined this parish because of the love and acceptance I felt the first time I entered. What challenges do you see for our parish? Finding the right Rector is certainly going to be a challenge. Financial constraints are always a challenge as our parish is aging and we need to find alternate ways to fundraise in addition to encouraging member pledges. In the meantime we face the challenge of encouraging current members to take a
more active role in the parish. We need to reenergize our folks in the pews and nurture our church family. What is your vision for ministry at the Church of the Holy Communion? I would like to see us continue our current ministries but wonder how we might bring together our young adults in a ministry of some kind. We have several young families attending Holy Communion and it would be great if we could organize more events to help bring these families together. There is a real sense of community and belonging at Holy Communion especially among some of the older members whose families have been attending for decades, I would like to see us develop this sense of community in some of our younger members as well. Additionally, I d like to see our parish growing relationships within the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood and throughout the peninsula.
Vestry Questionnaire Name: ADAM J. MOORE Tell us a few interesting things about your family, career, interests, etc. I live on James Island with my wife Anna and our 4 year old son Elijah. Our son is in his 3rd year attending Holy Communion Day School. We typically attend the 9:15 family service so some of you may not know who we are. A little bit about myself...i am a University of South Carolina graduate (Go Gamecocks!) and former Vice President of a military E-Commerce company located in Mt Pleasant. In October of 2015 my wife Anna and I decided to start our own digital printing and e-commerce company called The Folly Beach Company. At The Folly Beach Company we personally make all sorts of custom photo gifts and apparel. Some interests of mine are history, sports & technology. I love to run and play outside with our son Elijah (I am the guy often seen running down Harbor View Road on James Island with a stroller). One of our favorite things to do as a family is to go out to Folly Beach and simply hang out. How long have you been a member of Holy Communion? Why is this the parish you joined? We started attending Holy Communion shortly after the oyster roast in 2015. On April 3rd of 2016 our son Elijah was baptized and we were confirmed into the church by the Bishop. The PEOPLE that make up the congregation of Holy Communion are why we joined! The people and leadership of Holy Communion are kind, real and genuine. Seeing people Be the Church and follow the Word of God in their actions is what caused us to join. What challenges do you see for our parish? Declining church attendance and membership is a challenge for just about every church in the United States. Whether it's the Episcopal Church, Catholic, Baptist or Methodist they have all seen attendance and congregation
numbers drop over the last 10 years. Finding new people to come to Church is certainly a challenge. What is your vision for ministry at the Church of the Holy Communion? As a new member to the church I am honored to be considered for Vestry. As someone who was born in 1983 I fall on the front end of the mysterious millennial generation. This millennial generation I am a part of is also the generation that is leaving churches across the country at the fastest rate. I feel that my experience as a business owner in the technology field can be of service to the Church. My overall broad vision for ministry is to be kind, inclusive and transparent. This is a vision that has always been with the church and one I would like to continue. Blessed be the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9
Vestry Questionnaire Name: MARY JANETTE (JAN) SCHUMANN Tell us a few interesting things about your family, career, interests, etc. There are more interesting things that there is space for! On 1/29/17, I will be an 18 year cancer survivor. I had leukemia and a bone marrow transplant. I am the mother to a herd of 3 guinea pigs. Caring for my 86 year old mom takes up much of my so-called spare time. (She s the only mom I have and I love her.) I love music (especially singing in the choir), reading (especially science fiction and fantasy). I participate in science fiction conventions and am active with the online guinea pig community which spans the globe. I ve discovered the joy of participating in the Food Pantry. Everyone should try it! Interacting with the clients is difficult for me as I am essentially shy with people I don t know. Now, that I know them better, it s easier. Justice Ministry has opened my mind and my heart to many of the issues and injustices in the community. It has made me more willing to embrace new ways of thinking and considering all sides to an issue. I may not always agree with a person or an issue, but I can now look more openly at the options. I m on the Altar Guild, which I love. I enjoy preparing and cleaning Jesus house. How long have you been a member of Holy Communion? Why is this the parish you joined? I ve been a member of Holy Communion for about 5 years. I grew up in St. Stephen s in St. Stephen (upper Berkeley County) and attended St. Luke and St. Paul for many years. One Sunday, I realized that I missed the Anglo-Catholic tradition so much that I almost left in the middle of the service. God called me to Holy Communion. I m so glad that I listened. The parish family at Holy Communion feels like a true family to me.
What challenges do you see for our parish? This is a tough one. There are always finances, changing demographics, etc. but THE challenge is sharing Christ with all of our brothers and sisters. Are we following God s call? Are we,as individuals and as a parish, sharing God s love? If we are doing these things, surely we will bring others to join us. On the practical front, we need to find the RIGHT rector when Fr. Dow retires. As we have 3 services each Sunday, we need to find a way to get all 3 congregations together a few times a year to keep us as a cohesive parish family. Another thing to find is untapped talent. Surely there are hidden talents to be uncovered and shared so that people can learn the joy of sharing those talents. All of these options together can help us face the challenges of continuing to be a vital and living parish. What is your vision for ministry at the Church of the Holy Communion? We need to find new ways to reach out to our changing neighborhood and invite them in for a visit. (Maybe an explanatory service for casual inquirers?) Give our webmaster more tools to create a more dynamic web page. Reach out more in the new town square of social media. Start a Bible Study or other group which meets on a night other than Wednesday. Occasional gatherings at the parish hall or in someone s home to which we could invite friends or family to introduce them to the parish in a low-key way.