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.
Each year, prior to our Annual Meeting, St. Edward’s posts to the parish the candidates for vestry election. This provides parishioners an opportunity to get to know the individuals the Nominating Committee has carefully discerned as candidates for election to serve for the upcoming vestry 3-year term, replacing retiring vestry members. Below, we feature this year’s candidates: Blair Lord, Jay Miller, and Bob Mosebach.
BLAIR LORD
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
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
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.
ST. EDWARD’S VESTRY MEMBERS
CATHERINE DONOHUE ’23
I am a life-long Episcopalian who has attended Episcopal churches in each town and state in which I have lived. My husband and I have attended St. Edward’s regularly, from the first week we moved to East Petersburg in January of 1999. Our four children were aged 2,4,7 and 8 years old when we arrived and now they are all grown, have moved away and we are enjoying being a family of two again. Over the 21 years in this congregation I have served as a Sunday school teacher, children’s chapel leader and a coffee hour hostess. This past fall, I was asked by Fr. David to serve on the Stewardship Committee and I am pleased to do so. Now I find myself asked to serve as a vestry member, and after prayerful consideration am willing to step forward to serve to the best of my ability. May we all grow together in God’s grace!
KAREN GRANT ’24
God is calling me, I hear it through these troubling times and in the community where we worship and live. I feel called to offer my experience and skills to the many decisions facing the vestry and our new rector. We are at a pivotal point in the life of St. Edward’s. I am committed to diversity, inclusion and growth at our parish. I would apply the skills that I have in my career in Health Care Management. This background would be useful to the parish as it deals with communications, leadership and organization. I have been a member of the the church for many years. Serving as a Sunday school teacher, an usher and on Altar Guild has been spiritually uplifting. Faith grows and I hope we will continue to nurture families and individuals into a flourishing congregation.
Blessings- Karen Grant
PEGGY HANZELMAN ’24
I moved to Lancaster in 2013, so I am a transplanted Lancasterian. After graduating from high school in Blair Co. I attended West Chester University. I met my husband and after marriage we both taught in the Bucks Co. area. When I had two sons I became a full time mom.
Our family was very active in our church in Bethlehem for 45 years. All of us were involved in some aspect of the church.
After a few years I became very interested in working with elderly people and in the last thirty some years I have had various jobs dealing and working with the elderly population. After my husband’s death I began full time work and after working for some time decided to retire to a retirement community to be close to my grandsons.
Since moving here I was introduced To St. Edward’s by my dear friends Sandra and the late Jay Klick. Since being here I have attended all of the services at one time or another to try to learn to know people. For the past six years I have served on the Pastoral Care committee and served as chairman. This is an important ministry to me.
Being a member of St. Edward’s has been very rewarding to me and if elected to be part of the Vestry I look forward to moving St. Edward’s forward in our ministry.
RICHARD IRONS ’25
In 1983, I became a member of the Episcopal Church at Holy Trinity in Coatesville, PA. During that time, I became a vestry member, and the two most important events at Trinity were meeting a deacon of the name Bill Duffy and going on a bus trip to see Bishop Desmond Tutu, at the Philadelphia Civic Ctr. In 1986 Gail and I moved to Mount Joy with our son & daughter. We became members of St. Edward’s that summer and enjoyed a new relationship with Rev. Tim Small. What started my involvement was a retreat called Kingdom weekend. In my early thirties I was involved with youth group, teaching Sunday school and also teaching an adult class spirited by the Kingdom weekend. THROUGH the many years here at St. EDWARD’S THERE HAS BEEN many spiritual moments in community with Rev. Aaron Zull, Rev. Stephen Casey to enjoy and serve. Fast forward to now retired, 4 grandsons, wife of 46 years, happy that Rev. Rick is here and wanting to help Rick in wherever the spirit moves him to help our community love and grow with the love of Christ in our hearts.
JOYCE KAMM ’25
My name is Joyce Kamm. I began attending St. Edward’s in August of 2020 at the invitation of Sam Fleming, a fellow resident at Steeple View Lofts in Lancaster. Prior to that I attended Saint James Episcopal Church where Father Rick and I worked together for a short period of time. I’ve been widowed twice, once at age 42, again at age 67. I have two living children, one adopted son who died at age 27 and four grandchildren. As most of you know, my oldest is in prison. For that reason, I became a member of Have A Heart for Persons in the Criminal Justice System where we advocate for improved prison conditions, as well as restorative justice in the hopes of improving our incarceration rate. One out of every 5 people imprisoned across the WORLD is incarcerated in the United States.
For many of the above reasons, I became commissioned as a Stephen Minister. Loss upon loss can make one very sensitive and empathetic toward others. As part of Faith and Action, I became the Team Leader of the CWS Refugee Welcome Team for St. Edward’s. It is a humbling and joy-filled experience walking with this lovely family.
I am currently the Church Administrator for Ruhl’s United Methodist Church, Manheim.
My faith journey within the church has been a very long and difficult one. I was raised in a very fundamentalist, legalistic way which I took very seriously. Like an abused wife, who keeps going back to the same kind of husband, because she doesn’t know anything different, I found myself always ending up in the same kind of church. In my search of almost 50 years for a church home, it was a breath of fresh air when I walked into the Episcopal Church about six years ago. The quiet, reflective atmosphere, the liturgy, Eucharist, and the contemplative mass at Saint James were just what my “soul” was searching for on my contemplative journey that began in 2011. Since moving to St. Edward’s, which only happened because you opened your doors first during COVID, I found my faith has deepened even further and come alive under the teaching and influence of Father Rick. I have discovered the Episcopal “way of love” to be the thing I have been searching for in church all these years. For that reason, I was confirmed at St. Edward’s some time ago. I am involved in Lunch and Learn and the Wednesday night Bible Study, both of which have expanded my learning and relationship with the Holy. I very much desire to serve in any way I can at St. Edward’s because I have finally “come home.” You are family.
VIRGINIA (GINNY) KLOEPPING ’23
I grew up in New York City and have attended the Episcopal church all my life.
I was educated in NYC public schools, followed by a BA in political science at Thomas More College (Fordham).
Most of my work experience has been in the insurance industry in the commercial underwriting side at the company level and underwriting manager on the agency side. I also worked in real estate when we lived in Pittsburgh.
Through the various churches, I was involved in a variety of areas, bazaars, rummage sales, cookie sales, greeting, coffee hour, treasurer (at small church), ECW, altar guild
We have been attending St Edward’s since 2003, and I have been involved in Greeting; Coffee Hour; landscape design and maintenance of bushes and small trees; Altar Flowers for Christmas and Easter; Memorial Garden Committee; recent fill in for Vestry opening and I am now serving a full term.
BETH LYNCH, Secretary ’23
St. Edward’s became a regular part of my life in the Spring of 2015. It is here at this place of worship that I was received into the Episcopal Church and that Bruce and I had our marriage blessed. St. Edward’s has become a pivotal part of my life. I find the parishioners welcoming, warm-hearted and profoundly generous with their gifts. I am currently the chair of the Social Outreach Ministry and a Lay Eucharist Minister. I just completed a 15-month stint on the Discernment Committee.
I have been in the world of education, recreation and athletics my entire working career. I currently am a substitute teacher in the Lancaster Area. I also work for GEARS (Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation Services) as the Director of the Camp Lady Bug and the creator/counselor of the following summer camps: Harry Potter, Pokémon and Do-It-Yourself. I thoroughly enjoy my family, Bruce and James and have a close relationship with my 4 brothers and 3 sisters. I enjoy reading, crafts, sports spectating and walking. I look forward to serving as a member of vestry for St. Edward’s, our community of faith.
MARY SNYDER, Junior Warden ’25
As a lifelong resident of Lancaster, I attended Grace Lutheran at Queen and James Street with my family growing up. While in elementary school, I joined the choir and preformed acolyte duties, there, until I graduated High School. About 7 years ago, I first attended St. Edward’s through the invitation of Dr. Randy Westgate. At the time my long-term partner, Alice, was grieving the death of her daughter and we both found a friendly warm welcome here. Alice then passed very unexpectedly in 2016 and the congregation was such a help to me, and St. Edward’s is truly my church “family.”
Currently, I am active with ushering and altar guild, the Friday Lunch and Learn, and the New Member committee. Over the years, I have also enjoyed participating in Krist Kindling and getting to know others that way.
When I have free time I enjoy bike riding and hiking, and was introduced to kayaking this year which I hope to do more of. I enjoy being near water of any kind especially the beach. I also enjoy photography and contributing to the Scepter. For all my working years I have been a mechanical inspector, and now work for a local company that produces medical devices and implants. My schedule is second shift (2-11pm) which doesn’t allow time during the week to participate in some church activities, but I join when I am able to.
I am looking forward to serving on the vestry as way to give back to this community that has supported me so much over the years.
RANDY WESTGATE, Senior Warden ’24
I have been a member of St. Edward’s since 1983. I have served on the vestry and social outreach and cultural events committees, and have lead the youth group in the past. I have lead our Praise Band since its founding 25 years ago. Raised Presbyterian, I have been a confirmed Episcopalian since I married my college sweetheart, and I’m now enjoying learning more about following Jesus by attending the Wednesday evening Bible study. I am the proud parent of 4, and the very proud grandparent of 4 as well, and still work practicing family medicine. I am active as a leader in Celebrate Recovery, and enjoy bike riding, fishing, and playing guitar and harmonica.