Vestry

Sam Owen - Senior Warden

A member for over three years, Sam serves as Senior Warden. Before moving to Boulder, he served on the Vestry of St. Christopher's by the Sea Episcopal Church in Key Biscayne, Florida, where he also served as Junior Warden and treasurer. Sam has chaired the St. John's Stewardship Committee and is a tutor in the Ignite Your Potential ministry."St. John's is a community that is constantly discovering ways to manifest the teachings and love of Jesus Christ," he said. "It is here to help each of us become a more free and authentic human being through service to others."

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Mark Biggers - Junior Warden

Mark joined St John's in 1999 when his family relocated from Singapore to Boulder. Mark is married to Pat and they have one son, Daniel, who is currently pursuing a graduate degree in political science. Mark and Pat have been members of Episcopalian churches where ever they have lived.   Mark has previously served as the Junior Warden and enjoys being able to use his engineering and construction background to help address the buildings and grounds issues at St John's.

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Mark Monroe

Mark Monroe and his family have been attending St. Johns for the last 3 years. He works at Sun Microsystems where he helps Sun and other computer companies become more environmentally friendly. The Colorado Monroe family includes Sharon, a Realtor with RE/MAX Alliance in Boulder; Coleen, a freshman at CU; Delaney, a junior at Monarch High in Louisville, and Jake, a freshman at Monarch. Mark also sings in the 10:00 choir; cantors, acolytes, and reads for the Monday Evensong service; and helps out with the Youth Group and Youth Committee. Sharon and Mark are active participants in the foyer dinner groups, too.

They love the people, the energy, the music, the spirit, and the loving feel of St. Johns. Mark is honored to help with management of the temporal matters that St. Johns has to deal with, and to do it with and for such a great group of friends in the Spirit.

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Sarah Kiefhaber

My daughter Kathryn and I began attending St. John’s in 1992, soon after the death of my husband, Nikolaus. I was drawn to St. John’s by the wonderful music and by the parish’s openness and tolerance. Kathryn joined the children’s choir that year at the age of 5 and sang in it until she entered the sixth grade. I have sung in the adult choir for many years now and play the organ for the children’s chapel service once a month. I have participated in the foyer dinner groups, graduated from the EFM (Education for Ministry) program and served as a facilitator for the first Via Media course. I also served on the every-member canvass. All of these activities have allowed me to get to know many interesting and wonderful people at St. John’s.

I have worked as a software engineer for 27 years. I am an amateur musician, singing in an eight-voice a capella group called Harmonia and playing piano for fun (often with Kathryn, who plays the violin). I have been an Episcopalian all my life (with time out as an agnostic while a teenager). I love the support of spiritual seeking in the Episcopal church. I hope to give something back to the St. John’s community by serving on its vestry.

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Tom Wirsing

I have been a lifelong Episcopalian.  I grew up in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Roanoke, Virginia.  I have lived in Europe and Asia, have traveled in at least fifty foreign countries, and have remained an active Episcopalian.  I have served my previous parishes in a number of capacities.  My wife Melinda and I moved to Boulder in December, 2005, and joined St. John’s shortly thereafter.  In addition to being a member of the vestry, I am an usher, a participant in the Foyer Dinner Groups, and am on the St. John’s Stewardship Committee.

Melinda and I live on a 45 acre ranch six miles north of Boulder, where we graze Angus cattle, and where I have a well-equipped workshop in which I build furniture and enjoy turning wood.

I love the diversity and inclusiveness of St. John’s, and draw much personal energy and strength from the Church. I am both humbled and gratified to serve as a member of the vestry.

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Pam Kane

A member for over 13 years, Pam has served on the Youth Program Committee and as co-chair of Daughters of the King. She taught Sunday School, served on the Altar Guild, and participated in Friday Moms when her children were young. She has remained active in youth programs while her children have served as acolytes and worked on fund-raising, service projects and mission trips.

"Being part of this parish family truly has been a gift for my family and me," she said. "I am honored to serve on the Vestry and will work to keep St. John's on its positive path."

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Rick Myers

Attending St. John's for over eight years, Rick takes a leadership role in outreach programs. Through his dental practice, he has reached out to people in poverty-stricken areas of Haiti and other Central American countries. He and his wife, Suzanne, have provided dental services to natives of Petit-troup de Nippes and surrounding areas as part of the Colorado Haiti Project. Rick also traveled to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica to provided needed dental care.

Rick helps out in the St. Johns soup kitchen and is also involved with Bridge Buddies and foyer groups. "I want to be involved in helping St. John's be an effective, compassionate and caring ministry in Boulder."

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Paul Stapleton - Treasurer

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Barbara Downing - Secretary

My name is Barbara Downing. I am a school psychologist for the Denver Public Schools. St. John's is my spiritual home, and I thrive on the feeling of community I experience there. I am committed to being the clerk to the Vestry because it is a servant ministry to this vital leadership group.

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Rob Bennett

It was only a few years ago that Lauri, Sarah, and I moved to this area and started looking for a church. In such a short time this has become our spiritual home, and you have become our spiritual family. I am gratified at the invitation to participate in the vestry and to serve our spiritual family in this way.

My wife Lauri works at Sun Microsystems in Louisville, likes to ride horses, decorate our new home, and think of things for her husband to fix or do on the weekends. Sarah, our nine year old daughter, is busy with school and Girl Scouts, choristers and other kid stuff. I am the owner of a startup business here in Boulder called Your Concierge. We offer a large variety of home services and personal services - the effort of getting this business off the ground keeps me very busy. What time remains goes mostly to Lauri (and her list), Sarah, and activities relating to St. John's.

Seemingly yesterday, I mentioned to Rev. Nancee that I would love to be more involved here at St. John's. As of now I am a Sunday school teacher (3rd grade), active in a Pastoral Care Team project, halfway through my first year of EFM, and working on the Three Bishops Fund for the Colorado Haiti Project (as of 1/5/06).

Fr. Rol asks for a favorite memory of St. John's. Certainly, listening to our beloved Rev. Gayle preach during the stewardship campaign a few months ago tops my list. Rarely have I heard so much laughter and seen so much seat squirming all at one time.

Last October I was honored to serve as a delegate at the 118th Diocesan Convention in Grand Junction. As a life long Episcopalian, it was a thrill to serve in this way â?? and it was there that Herby suggested vestry service to me. I dearly love this church and want to serve it anyway I can.

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Bob Morse

My wife, Sue, and I moved to Boulder from Boston in 1994 and had been searching for a worship community. We were thrilled when we discovered St. John's. The worship and the spirit of warmth, welcome and engagement with the community told us we had found a spiritual home. Not only did it become home, St. John's has also had a very personal impact on my life. The prayers and visits of clergy and parishioners helped me to recover from heart surgery. The examples provided by many continue to help me examine my spiritual life.

I believe can be a strong contributor as I have recent board experience. I am currently serving as grounds chairman on the board of my local condominium association, where my experience as a landscape architect has proved useful. I view service on the vestry as an opportunity to give back by helping nurture the spirit of St. John's.

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Myles Roche

My wife, Jean, and I moved to Colorado in July, 2001. During our forty years in St. Louis, we were very active at St. Michael's and St. George, an Episcopal church similar to St. John's. I served as a greeter and usher, in addition to participating as a member of several committees. I served as chairman of the Every Member Canvass and was elected to the Vestry for a three-year term. Our adult children, a son and two daughters, live in Missouri, Georgia and Illinois. Each of them currently has one child, and we are thoroughly enjoying our new role as grandparents.

Some of my favorite memories at St. John's are Mother Nancee marrying our daughter Barbara, attending the 100th Anniversary celebration and dedication of the new building, and actively working on this year's Stewardship Campaign. The main reason I am willing to serve on the St. John's vestry is that I have always been a firm believer in giving something back to the organizations in which I am a member. My entire professional career has been in sales, as employee, manager and, now, as an owner of a small business. Hopefully, my experience will be helpful to St. John's as we continue to grow and to carry out God's work in our community and beyond.

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Nan Fogel

I was born and raised in Wyoming. My first husband, Oak Thorne, and I moved to Boulder in the spring of 1954 (and joined St. John's that same year!). Oak and I had three children, Susan, Jonathan and Sarah. My son, Jonathan and his family live in Boulder and I take great pleasure in spending lots of time with my grandchildren, Mathew and Julia. My youngest daughter, Sarah, and her family live in Sheridan, Wyoming. My eldest daughter, Susan, suffered from schizophrenia and took her own life 13 years ago. Her daughter, Diana, is a great gift to me, and I treasure my relationship with her.

All three of our children were baptized and confirmed at St. John's. They attended Sunday school and I was a volunteer teacher in the Sunday School. I joined the altar guild and I continue working in that capacity. I helped with brazil nut baking in those early years. I have been an active participant in Centering Prayer and have done the 2 week silent retreat at the monastery in Snowmass, Colorado. I am a reader at the 8:30a.m. service in the chapel once a month.

In addition to serving St. John's, for three years I was on the board of the Boulder Day Nursery. I have been a member and on the board of the National Alliance for Mental Illness for 13 years, as well as on the board of the Chinook Clubhouse, a clubhouse for the mentally ill. I was also enrolled at the University of Colorado law school for 2 months, 20 years ago. I clearly decided that is not where I wanted my life to go!

Oak Thorne and I were divorced in 1975. We remain good friends. I married Walt Fogel in 1984. Walt died nearly 3 years ago. St. John's is a very important part of my life. I have learned acceptance there, and feel great peace and joy.

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