11/16/2007
Vestry Election Begins November 24
by Kathryn Johnson
The election for our new Vestry candidate will begin on Saturday, November 24. You will be able to vote every Sunday before and after church for the next three weeks. Please come and vote!
Gene Smith
330 Spring Ridge Drive, Roswell, GA 30076
Spouse: Patricia (Patsy) Smith, Children: 4 - 3 married, 1 single, 7 grandchildren. All children attended St. Martin's, three attended St. Martin's preschool.
Occupation: Recently retired from Sloan Valve Company, Regional Sales Manager for Southeast.
Special interests: Reading, walking, golf, youth activities, coaching little league football, baseball.
Episcopalian 49 years, communicant of St. Martin's for 42 of these years. Gene has served as an usher, an usher team captain, and usher warden, also a Sunday School teacher, on the music and worship committee, a member of the St. Martin's School Board - 2 terms, 21st Century Building Campaign Committee, vestry member, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Verger, currently training to serve as a Christ Care Leader.
Personal Statement: "I am honored to accept the nomination to run for the Vestry. I have an ongoing interest in our parish and it's communicants, their well-being and continued growth both within our parish and "without", in our continued outreach.
I would be interested in being a part of the development of programs aimed specifically at the young adults returning to our parish from college, and in helping these young people re-energize their relationship with St. Martin's and continue their fellowship with Christ."
Rob Miklas (photo to come)
4982 Carol Lane NW, Atlanta, GA 30327
Spouse: Brigid
Children and ages: Monica (20) - junior at Stanford University; John (16) - junior at Riverwood HS
Occupation: President & CEO, Loyaltyworks, Inc. (company develops and operates incentive, loyalty and employee recognition programs)
Special interests: Travel, reading, personal fitness
Years as an Episcopalian: 21 (raised in the Lutheran church)
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 16 years at St. Martin's; previously served with Brigid as Bazaar Co-Chairman, on Finance Committee (including Chairmanship) , on Vestry, as Stewardship Committee Chairman
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: Active in community outreach, including Hands-On Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity
Personal statement: "For me, the Episcopal Church has always represented a powerful and effective combination of a Biblical and liturgical foundation with an active social consciousness. I believe that our Parish truly mirrors those traits through our pillars of worship, education and outreach. I'm honored to run for the Vestry and if chosen, will do all I can to uphold and strengthen those pillars of our Parish and Church."
Address: 2338 N Peachtree Way, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Spouse: Tim Kelly
Children and ages: Sean age 12, Ryan age 10 and Ashlyn age 8
Occupation: CFO
Special interests: Tennis, running, any kind of exercising and chasing rather keeping up with my children.
Years as an Episcopalian: 16 years
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 18 years attending St Martin's, PAST YEARS: member of St Margaret's, children's chapel guide, vacation bible school shepherd, adult Sunday school teacher, member of adult education committee, chairman of adult education committee for three years, CURRENT: teach 5th grade Sunday school.
Personal statement: Tim and I chose St Martin's or rather St Martin's chose us just as we decided to get married. We needed a church home and like many others found St Martin's to be a warm and welcoming place. Our first service here was what I call "The Ministry of the Coffee". Tim and I made coffee every Sunday morning before church for a few years. Tim and I together have taken part in many areas of the church since making coffee but I still consider the coffee on Sunday to be a ministry. We were married here and all three of our children were baptized here. My passion is to find ways to allow the Holy Spirit to guide my everyday life. I have a strong faith in God and believe that prayer changes lives every day. I believe the church community should provide rest and restoration for the soul. I believe the church should be a place where all people are welcome regardless of their choices or challenges in life. As a member of the vestry, I would strive to help St Martin's to be a source of that renewal.
Address: 475 Mossy Vale Way, NW, Atlanta, GA 30328
Spouse: Joe
Children and ages: Adult sons, Michael and Kevin
Occupation: homemaker
Special interests: family, friends, activities at St. Martin's, needlework, travel
Years as an Episcopalian: 48
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 40 years. Daughters of the King, Altar Guild, St. Mary Magdalene Chapter, Pairs & Spares, FEAST Groups, Bible study groups
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: St. Alban's, Monroe, GA, Sunday school teacher.
Personal statement: I am a University of Georgia graduate, a former elementary school teacher as well as school secretary. Some of my greatest joys come from being a wife, mother, grandmother and member of St. Martin's Church. This church has been and is now a oarge part of the life and I would like to see us continue our rich traditions of extending Christ's love to each member of our church family as well as the wider community. Many here are already working tirelessly to achieve these objectives. It is a great privilege to be a part of St. Martin's and my hope that in these years of transition and challenge we can truly strive to make this great church exactly what Our Lord wants it to be. I feel honored and humbled to be one of your vestry nominees and if elected will try to fulfill these obligations to the best of my ability.
Address: 805 Olde Clubs Drive, Alpharetta, 30022
Children and ages Gina Elowe and Beth Taylor (adult children). Grandchildren: Grace - 13; Alex - 11; Brooke - 11; Jamie - 8; Grey - 4
Occupation: educational administrator - retired
Special interests: Small group ministry, reading, physical fitness, yoga, cooking, travel
Years as an Episcopalian: 30
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 30 Daughters of the King, past president; Stephen Ministry, Christcare Group equipper, Office volunteer, substitute in Children's chapel.
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School Volunteer
Personal statement: for as long as I can remember, I have been a church-going Christian. I did the things I was supposed to do and led what I thought was a pretty clean life. I married young and had babies and just generally swam at the top of my faith - the froth part. As I aged and as life became more and more complicated, I realized that in order to maintain the faith that had sustained me in the earlier years that I would have to dive deeper into the calm, still depths that others around me seemed to be experiencing. And so my real journey began. Now I am at a point where I want to begin to give back to St. Martin's all that I have taken over the years. St. Martin's has been with me through the easy and tough times in my life. My daughters were married here and then so was I. The sad times through the loss of my husband and other dear friends that I experienced were bearable only because of the sustaining words of Christ as delivered by the clergy of St. Martin's. If I have developed skills that would be useful to this incredible place, I would be honored to use them now in service to the church and in faith to Christ Jesus.
1872 Colt Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30341
Spouse: Kathryn Johnson, Children: Sarah Johnson 14yrs old, Anna Johnson 12yrs old
Occupation: Project Electrical Engineer - Crown Electric, Inc
Years as an Episcopalian: 8yrs
Interests: Golf, Tennis, Walking, Anything my children are doing
Years at St. Martin's and activities: 10yrs, I am currently the president of the Men's Club (Knights of St. Martin's), Men's Retreat, Golf Tournament.
Personal Statement: Kathryn and I both became confirmed at St. Martin's Church. in 1999. This is our 10th year at St. Martin's. My daughter Sarah is involved in the J2A program and my daughter Anna is involved in the Rite 13 program. As a family we have been involved in Bazaars, many outreach opportunities, Sunday School and the annual Kanuga. Retreat. St. Martin's has become a large part of our lives and I would be honored to serve on the vestry.
Address: 4581 East Brookhaven Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319
Spouse: Dr. Ben Jernigan
Children and ages: Lizzy 16, Ben 14
Occupation: Environmental Engineer - Corporate Environmental Program Manager for Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Special interests: My special interests at this point in time in my life are primarily to be as involved as possible with whatever my teen-aged children are involved in (homework help, baseball games, school plays, cheerleading events, parent meetings, driving to Young Life retreats, etc, etc!). I do take time for myself for my book club that has been together for 14 years now, girl friends, and snow skiing once a year. I'm currently serving as the treasurer for the Alliance of the Georgia Dental Association and am involved in alumni fundraising for my high school. My daughter and I are active members of the Buckhead chapter of the National Charity League. I look forward to gardening, traveling and picking up golf again when I retire
Years as an Episcopalian: Life-long Episcopalian
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: We have been members of St. Martin's Church for 14 years. Ben and I have chaired the Book Store at the Bazaar, led an adult Sunday School class with the Duffys and led the children's Lenten program. We attend Sunday School and our children are both acolytes. I am currently on the Youth Fellowship Council. Our children attended St. Martin's Episcopal School and I was an active member of the SMES Board of Trustees for six years. During the years I was on the school board I was a member of the Head Search Committee that brought Fr Hamner to SMES and also served as Secretary and Personnel Chairman on the Executive Council.
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: I grew up attending Holy Innocents and then St. Anne's Church. As a teen I was active in EYC and Young Life
Personal statement: The St. Martin's school and church community has been a very important part of our family life for the last 14 years. I am so thankful for the blessing of parish and school friends, teachers, and an amazing staff of spiritual leaders, both past and current. It has been wonderful for Ben and I to watch our children grow in faith and character in this Christian environment - an environment that is challenging and has high expectations of our involved members, but is at the same time incredibly loving and nurturing. We never stop growing and learning, no matter what age we are and I look forward to many years of continued personal and spiritual growth in the years to come at St. Martin's. It is an honor to be asked to consider serving on the vestry and if I am elected I look forward to giving back to the community that has given so much to my family and to me.
Address: 3708 Summitridge Dr. Doraville, GA 30340
Spouse: Rick, Children and ages: Hannah - 15, Sara - 11
Occupation: Advertising Account Supervisor
Special interests: Reading, scrapbooking, music
Years as an Episcopalian: 34
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 9 Years. Taught Godly Play, Facilitated Growing Kids, God's Way, EFM, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Bell Choir
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: I was in the choir at Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore.
Personal statement: About a year after Rick and I moved our family to Atlanta (back to Atlanta for me), we came to St. Martin's one Sunday to meet my godmother and never left. In the 9 years we have been members here, St. Martin's has been a place of enrichment and joy for all of us. My involvement as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and as a Eucharistic Visitor has been especially fulfilling as it has given me the chance to bring St. Martin's to people who otherwise are unable to participate in our ministry. I am thankful for all of the ways that St. Martin's serves my family, and the opportunities St. Martin's gives me to serve our community, both at church and in the world around me.
John P. Harrison (photo to come)
Address: 4815 Blyth Ct., Dunwoody
Spouse: Jody Children and ages: Emma (8) and Thomas (6)
Occupation: Association executive
Special interests: swimming, running, piano, family outings
Years as an Episcopalian: 30 Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 4, Adult Sunday school teacher; member Education Committee
Activities in former parishes and elsewhere: Cathedral St. Philip, Sunday school teacher nd Confirmation instructor; attended seminary at Emory University (Candler) on United Methodist scholarship (1980-81); YMCA worker and missionary to Middle East (1984-1989)
Personal statement: The Episcopal Church has been able through the centuries to formulate for herself a useful niche in the global Christian community as a bridge between the lower-church Protestant denominations and the more orthodox Catholic traditions. We have been a uniting force in a worldwide Anglican Communion in its march with the Gospel. We do well to keep that Communion and continue that march.
Address: 2773 Townley Circle_Atlanta GA, 30340
Spouse: Ashley Fricano
Children and ages: 2 daughters - Ripley 11, Carter 9
Occupation: Operations Controller for Eurest Dining Services a division of Compass Group.
Special interests: Family activities, music, biking, golf
Years as an Episcopalian: 3
Years at St. Martin's and activities here: 11 Years. Involvement in various fund raisers and events
Personal statement: St. Martin in the Fields Church has been a large part of my life for the past 11 years. The St. Martin's community is a fantastic collection of people that I am proud to be associated and worship with. I am running for the vestry to increase my involvement in St. Martin's Church, help improve where possible and assist in the growth of our community.
