The St. Edward’s vestry is comprised of 9 members. Leading the vestry are a senior warden and a junior warden. There is also a vestry secretary, who is responsible for taking meeting minutes. The St. Edward’s vestry typically meets once per month and vestry members serve for a 3-year term.
The role of the vestry in an Episcopal church, as detailed in The Vestry Resource Guide by The Episcopal Church Foundation is as follows:
“Vestry members are legal representatives and agents of a parish, charged with specific responsibilities by the canons of The Episcopal Church. They share leadership responsibilities with the rector. As legal representative and agent, the vestry functions much like the board of any nonprofit, with responsibility for finances and management of property and human resources. Many aspects of the vestry’s role are defined by entities beyond the congregation – local, state, and federal laws, and diocesan and Episcopal Church canons – as well as by the church’s own constitution and bylaws.”
“There is an important element of shared life and purpose in vestry leadership. You’re not just elected to the vestry; you are called to a sacred ministry in your faith community.”
Vestry is laity and clergy working in shared leadership creating a vision and plan of action to fulfill God’s ministry and we are thankful for all who answer the call to serve on vestry. Below you can get to know our current vestry members. Please feel free to reach out to them with any questions you may have about St. Edward’s.
Our Vestry candidates for 2026 are:
JULIE HOFF
I have been a member of St. Edward’s for the past 44 years. My husband Jerry and I, along with our two sons, David and Michael started attending shortly after St. Edward’s held its inaugural service at the Union Hall on Nissley Road in the fall of 1981. We were immediately drawn to the people of the newly forming parish and became committed to the mission of establishing a new Episcopal church in our area.
Since that time, St. Edward’s has been and remains an integral part of my life. I have participated in many ministries over the years, some in small ways, others in leadership positions. My Altar Guild commitment has been steadfast since I began it in the Union Hall days. I have served on Vestry under two rectors and served one year as Senior Warden.
Organizing the 40th anniversary celebration and assisting with the annual basket auction and cookie sale have been fun and rewarding experiences in my church life. Participating in the Lunch and Learn program has added a new dimension to my spiritual journey. It has opened my mind to new ways of thinking about and understanding my faith.
St. Edward’s is my church home and my church family. I have never felt that more than this past year through Jerry’s illness and passing. The love and support this community of faith has shown to me have uplifted and sustained me through some dark days.
I am committed to the future of this church. I want to see it grow in love and service to God and our neighbors. I am honored to be asked to serve on Vestry and look forward to seeing where God leads us!
BRUCE LYNCH
St. Edward’s has been my spiritual home since 2015 and I continue to be impressed with the warmth, caring, and dedication of the congregation and leadership here. After not attending church regularly growing up, my religious faith has grown as an adult and I feel a strong connection with the Episcopal Church. During my time at St. Edward’s I’ve been involved with the Men’s Spirituality Group and our Faith in Action Committee. I’ve contributed to ministries through the Committee such as the Race Against Racism, Soles for Souls, Feed Our Starving Children, Pridefest, and the Hempfield Area Food Pantry. I am currently part of the “Saving Lives: Ending Gun Violence” group within our Episcopal Church Diocese.
I am a Licensed Psychologist, and my career has been in the college student mental health field for the past thirty years. My responsibilities include providing personal counseling and crisis intervention to students, supervising other mental health professionals, and facilitating positive discussions about mental health topics. I’ve served in the Director of Counseling Services role at Elizabethtown College for the past twelve years. I previously worked in college Counseling Centers at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia (where Beth and I met and got married, and where our son James joined us!). My hobbies include playing board games and doing other activities with Beth and James, playing golf, and staying connected with friends.
I appreciate being nominated and I would be honored to serve St. Edward’s as a member of the Vestry. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute as we further develop the spiritual and interpersonal connections within St. Edward’s and the positive impact of our congregation in the surrounding community.
SUSAN MURRAY
My name is Susan Murray. I was born in Chester County, but was raised with my 5 siblings in southern Lancaster Co. I was raised Episcopalian; my grandfather was an Episcopal priest at Valley Forge Military Academy and many other churches throughout his long life. I married my husband Bill Murray at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in 1973. We lived in Allentown where he was a mechanical engineer at PPL until 2008 when he retired, and we moved back to Lancaster. I attended the Church of the Mediator, Allentown and volunteered doing many different jobs. My husband passed away in 2021, but I am grateful to be here close to my children, spouses and grandchildren, and my siblings.
I started coming to St. Edward’s about 2023 and I am grateful for this church family and incredible leader, Fr. Rick. He has been a great listener for the past few years.
ST. EDWARD’S VESTRY MEMBERS
MIKE FRESHWATER – Clerk of the Vestry ’27
I was born and baptized as an Episcopalian in Ohio. I have been a member of St. Edward’s since the early 1990’s. Having been a youth group leader through both my girl’s formative years, I then became a charter member of the famous St. Edward’s Praise and Coffee Hour Band. If you don’t know me, catch the band on the third Sunday of the month between services. You will spot me singing, playing guitar, or playing the hand drums. I’m also the designated limb picker upper, Celtic cross stainer, and jack of all trades around the church property.
My life partner is Deann Buffington. She lives in Lititz and is a member of Lititz Moravian Church. She might attend St. Edward’s on holidays or take in a service once in a while with me. Likewise, if she is a reader during a service at LMC, I might attend service with her (especially if they are having the Moravian Love Feast – coffee and Moravian Sugar Cake). We are grandparents to three wonderful, adorable, and amusing grandkids. The older two, Nora and Colin, live in New Jersey with Alison and Mike. The youngest, Avery, lives in York with Jaime and Mike (yep, both girls married a Mike!) We love spending time with them.
I enjoy travelling and visiting faraway places. Other vacations are usually spent with my family who all live in Tucson. My retirement occupation has been as a part time guide and bus tour driver for the Amish Farm and House, the original tourist attraction in Lancaster County. I have met dignitaries and celebrities from all over the world. When I get the time, I enjoy sailing, kayaking, biking and golf (pretty much in that order.)
I look forward to serving St. Edward’s again and hope I can contribute back as much as St. Edward’s has given me.
MARY GIBSON ’28
I grew up in Southern California and then spent most of my adult life in Chicago, where I built a career managing healthcare organizations. I’ve held administrative positions with teaching hospitals, medical schools, and medical practice plans at several large universities, including Northwestern University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the University of Washington in Seattle.
After living in Seattle for several years, I moved here to be closer to family and, as a history buff, have enjoyed learning about this area and states nearby. I recently retired from a “second career,” teaching health administration courses to adult learners in bachelor’s and master’s programs at the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. It was gratifying to help students be successful in their courses and gain the skills and knowledge to be successful in their chosen careers.
I have one son, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his family, and a sister who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her family. I try to spend travel time by alternating visits and especially enjoy being with my 3-year-old granddaughter, Stella, as well as my young-adult niece, Marianna.
While living on the north side of Chicago, I attended St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, which has served the community for over 130 years and reminded me of churches I attended in England on visits to family there. While in Chicago, I was active in several organizations, particularly Prevent Child Abuse America where I served as treasurer and president of the women’s board, spearheading fundraising efforts in support of abuse prevention programs.
Since moving to Lancaster, I’ve attended St. Edward’s remotely and, most recently, in person. My time here has been an enriching and vitally important one and I’ve enjoyed contributing to several outreach and fundraising opportunities and being a part of comforting spiritual community. If I have an opportunity to serve this community as a member of the Vestry, I’d be both honored and pleased to do so.
ETHEL LAWRENCE ’27
I was born in Philadelphia, PA. I have been an Episcopalian all my life. I’m a widow and I have worked closely with Peggy Hanzelman to start the widows group, which formed several years ago. I love working with the amazing woman of the needle arts group, who meet on Tuesdays. Recently, I have been helping with the finance committee.
Most of my life was spent raising my sons and building and managing several local businesses that served Lancaster and its surrounding communities for over forty years.
My hope is that life experiences will offer fruitful insights, in service to our parish as a vestry member, as we continue to steward and thrive as a strong and loving church family.
BLAIR LORD – Clerk of the Vestry ’26
I was baptized in the Episcopal Church (at All Saints’ Church of Belmont, MA) a couple months before my 11th birthday. Since then, I’ve been on a faith journey partly guided by the wonderful youth leaders and parish ministers in Belmont, and later in Newport, RI. I have fond memories of yearly events like Night Watch and 30-Hour Famine (the second one is more fun than it sounds). I also sang in the church choirs. While at Ithaca College, NY, I joined a Gospel choir, a bit of a stylistic departure and an enriching, horizon-broadening experience. During the summer breaks, I served as Assistant Camp Director of the Ministry of the Arts summer program at Trinity Church and as a Sunday school teacher at St. Columba’s. Although I’ve found myself most at home in the Episcopal Church, I’ve cherished participation with other denominations in their worship and celebrations of life in Christ. Before moving to Lancaster near the start of the pandemic, I lived in Brooklyn, NY, attending yet another All Saints’ Church.
While I’ve been involved in various church activities since childhood, my spiritual life has entered a more mature stage recently. This may be a result of dramatic changes, both personal and global, as well as facing the great questions of faith and listening for God’s voice, wherever It decides to come from. It might arise from encounters with people who hold different beliefs from me. It might come from saints who have already walked the paths we’re walking today. It might come from a piece of media that ignites conversations, curiosity, and excitement about diving deeper into the Word, guided by the Spirit.
Since coming to St. Edward’s (thanks to my mother), I’ve been blessed to be invited to join the choir, become a lector, and now lead adult spiritual formation through “Lunch with The Chosen.” I can’t adequately express my gratitude for the warm welcome I’ve received at St. Edward’s, especially from Father Rick, Michelle, Bob Mosebach, Karen Waddill, and St. Edward’s Choir. I intend to give back the love, and I pray with God’s help I will serve His will well during my time in this community.
JAY MILLER – Senior Warden ’26
I guess I am what you would call a cradle Episcopalian. Like my parents and my dad’s parents before him, I was born into the Episcopal church and attended St. Luke’s in Lebanon. I grew up in Palmyra, but that was the church we attended as a family. I participated in the boys choir at an early age and was a boat boy for my dad when he was the thurifer, which explains my love of incense. As I grew up, I participated as an acolyte, crucifer and eventually a thurifer. Back in those days at St. Luke’s for high masses like Easter, Palm Sunday, Christmas and a few others, we’d have both a choir and a clergy thurifer. Perhaps I shouldn’t be, but I’m proud to say my dad and I were able to turn the ceiling in the sanctuary blue with smoke. I present these examples and stories as a way to convey that I have always been involved and participating in one way or another.
I continued to attend St. Luke’s until I moved to Lancaster when Lori and I were married in 2014. Not wanting to drive to Lebanon on a regular basis, I found St. James in downtown Lancaster. Lori and I wanted to attend a church together as a married couple, so we both began attending St. James regularly. It wasn’t long before I became involved as a LEM and yes, a thurifer, and Lori began serving on Altar Guild.
During our time at St. James, Father Rick arrived, and we soon became friends. He was always there for me during some health issues, two heart attacks for those that don’t know, which further reinforced our friendship and health scares like that also brought a new found spirituality to me. During the onset of Covid, St. James was not holding services and St. Edward’s was, in some form, so we began attending both in person when possible and online each Sunday. When we were able to return to the sanctuary and became members of St. Edward’s, I found myself becoming involved as a LEM a lector and ushering. After meeting Randy Westgate at the onsite blood drive, I began my participation in the Praise Band, now called the Coffee House band. I very much enjoy my varied participation at St. Edward’s and look forward to furthering that participation as a member of your vestry, helping Father Rick grow our parish in love and community.
ROBERT C. MOSEBACH ’26
I consider myself a native Lancastrian, having grown up in Lancaster Township, and graduated from McCaskey High School. Not long after that life drew me away, first to school in Berks County, and then to work in Chester County, and more school at Villanova University. That was followed by a career in mechanical engineering and product management in the paper industry and two decades in Massachusetts where I met and married Jeanne; followed by work related moves to Florida, New Hampshire, back to Massachusetts, and finally home to Lancaster in 2011.
My mother ensured that my sister and I would grow up in the Methodist Church, but once away from home, at 19 years old, church took a distant back seat. It wasn’t until Jeanne and I were married, almost 20 years later, that I would return to the fold; and that it would turn out to be the Episcopal Church. St. Edward’s is our 6th church home, prompted mainly by job transfers.
In each location, church has played a major role and we have participated as fully as we could: many years of choir, altar guild, usher, vestry, Sr. Warden, search committee, Eucharistic Minister, verger, and formation opportunities along the way, and most recently Stephen Ministry.
I completed two years at the Stevenson School for Ministry and a year with the Vibrant Faith Institute to be certified by our diocese as lay preacher, lay worship leader, and lay catechist. I have been particularly interested in Christian formation and have worked with several churches in our convocation giving confirmation classes and other formation opportunities.
It has been my privilege at St. Edward’s to work with Father Rick and others to further our offerings for Bible study and our Friday Lunch and Learn sessions on Zoom, and our Men’s Spirituality Group. It will be my further privilege to serve on St. Edward’s vestry, and I look forward to what we might accomplish in the coming months and years.
DONNA RAY ’28
I am proudly a “cradle Episcopalian” I moved to Lititz from Southern New Jersey where I was an active member of Holy Trinity Church in Collingswood. I have served on Vestry and during my last 10 years in NJ I served as Treasurer. When I moved to PA, St. Edward’s was the first and only church I visited, I knew I had found my new Home. I was so impressed and happy with the warmth extended to me from my very first visit.
I am a retired from PECO/Exelon Corp in Philadelphia where I was a Fuel Analyst. I have one son Daniel who with my daughter-in-law Sarah and my 3 grandchildren – Norah, Brook and Ben live in Wenonah NJ. I do miss seeing them as frequently as I used to, but we make the most of our get-togethers.
I am thankful for the nominating committee’s invitation to be on Vestry, and I look forward to the opportunity to become more involved at St. Edward’s.
DAN SANDERS ’28
I would like to thank the nominating committee for inviting me to be a member of Saint Edward’s Church Vestry. I was born and grew up in Levittown, Pa. where I attended and served as a deacon in The Church of Christ. I was married to my wife Kay for 20 years. In addition, my stepson John lived with us also. I now have three granddaughters (one local) and three great grandchildren.
I worked for Verizon for thirty years in Customer Service and Tech Support and am now retired. While still employed and after retiring I was an active member of The Telephone Pioneers of America. Pioneers is a volunteer organization involved with community service projects including child reading programs, handicapped children, and helping those in need, along with fun, food and fellowship. In addition, I held multiple offices including Chapter President of Central Pennsylvania.
I also helped and worked as a chairperson for our Annual Sports Jamboree weekend for blind and wheelchair bound children for over twenty years at Indiantown Gap military base. While working along with State Police and National Guard volunteers I was introduced and recruited to the Selective Service aka Draft Board for a 20-year volunteer civil servant position as an arbitrator. My position would be to hear and help deliberate on cases concerning conscientious objectors in case the Draft was reinstated. This task would help to improve my skills in fair unbiased negotiations and alternate resolutions.
After my twenty years of marriage ended I was introduced to Mark Espie, my partner of over twenty years now. I started to attend Saint James Church with Mark and was confirmed into the Episcopal Church. On September 19, 2015 we became the first official same sex marriage at Saint James Church after the approval of Bishop Audrey Scanlon.
The onset of COVID brought about multiple changes for many people. Mark was hospitalized at LGH for six weeks, for which he is still dealing with Long Term Affects. Toward the end of COVID we made the decision to transfer our membership to Saint Edward’s. During this time of transition, we enjoyed (and continue to) the friendship and faith of Father Rick and the congregation. Besides caring for Mark at our home in Manheim Twp. I enjoy gardening, cooking, crafting, cars, antiques and decor. My hope and prayers as a new member of Vestry is to be mindful of the church’s past and be a kind, caring and creative voice in the future.
KATHLEEN MORETTO SPENCER ’27
I was baptized a Roman Catholic and remained a practicing Catholic until I married a divorced man 40 years ago when that was and still is grounds for excommunication. (My late husband, Jim was a professor of physical chemistry at F & M.) I was introduced to the Episcopal Church while attending a funeral at Saint James and where I felt I had come home. I was officially received at Saint James, and I have been an Episcopalian now for 15 years. The saying goes that “the Episcopal Church is Catholic light,” but to me it is “Catholic compassionate.”
I was born in South Philadelphia, all four of my grandparents emigrated in the early twentieth century to the US from the same small county in Italy. I grew up in Yeadon, Pa and attended high school at the former Saint Leonard’s Academy of the Holy Child in Philadelphia on a music scholarship. I received both an AB and an MA in music history from the University of Pennsylvania and an MS in library science from Drexel University. While a graduate student at UPenn, I took a year’s leave to work as the interim librarian at the former Notre Dame International School in Rome, Italy which is where I began my life-long love affair with the Eternal City. Later in life, I was also privileged to spend two extended periods in Rome at the American Academy, once as a visiting fellow and once as a participant in an NEH Summer Seminar for college teachers.
My working years were spent in academic libraries: for 2 years as a cataloger in the Music Library at SUNY Buffalo, and for 7 years as Assistant Director of the Yale University Music Library. While at Yale, I was awarded a year-long leave to participate as a management intern in the office of the University Librarian at UNC Chapel Hill. In 1982, I was hired by F & M and worked there for 14 years as the library director and after retirement for five years teaching courses in the history of the City of Rome in the departments of Classics and Art History. I retired as College Librarian Emerita and Adjunct Assistant Professor Emerita of Classics and Art History.
As a resident of Lancaster, I served on the Boards of the Lung Association, The Pennsylvania Academy of Music, The Lancaster Public Library, and The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. My most cherished volunteer accomplishment was my twelve-year tenure as Founder, Director, and Fundraiser of the concert series, Early Music at Saint James.
In retirement at Willow Valley Communities, I advocate for families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, and participate in memory and Alzheimer’s education for both staff and residents.
I have been a parishioner at St. Edward’s since Father Rick’s appointment as pastor. I attend the 10:00 am Sunday service and also the contemplative mass on Wednesdays at noon. I participate as a Stephen Minister, and when possible in the Friday Lunch and Learn.
As a member of Vestry at St. Edward’s, I will bring my experience at managing the library at F & M, a complex organization with a multi-million-dollar budget, and my board service in the Lancaster community.