Vestry

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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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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Bill Ashworth

Hello, my name is Bill Ashworth. I first visited St. John's in March of 2006 having reconnected with a childhood classmate from Orinda, CA and now a longtime member of St. John's. Since joining St. John's in November '06, I have regularly attended the 10am service and am currently participating on the following activities and ministries: Coffee Hour Host, Wednesday Evening Bible Study, EfM, Welcome Committee, Foyer Dinner Group (chairman), and Ushers.
In late 2005, in my capacity as Chair for the 40th High School Reunion Committee, I contacted Kathy Halloran, a classmate who'd been a neighbor 50+ years earlier but who had moved to Colorado in the 70s. Well, although she didn’t come back to California for the reunion, emails led to phone calls, which led to convenient business trips, and Kathy and I became engaged in the late summer of 2006. In the presence of our four children (my sons Owen and Gordon and Kathy's son Mark and daughter Kelly), we were married in a small family wedding in California in February of 2007 and Father Rol presided at our Blessing Ceremony in the St. John's chapel in September. Away from St. John's, Kathy and I enjoy hiking and camping, wilderness river canoeing, and reading.

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Mary Griffin

I’ve attended St. John’s since I was a little girl but have only become a truly active member of the parish in the past ten or so years. St. John’s is a refuge and a huge extended family for me and I have enjoyed becoming active in a variety of ministries including, at various times, Pastoral Care, ushering, Episcopal Church Women of St. John’s, Brazil Nut Cake baking, Stewardship, Education for Ministry, the Outreach committee, and the Foyer Dinner Groups. I’ve served on the Vestry since 2008. I suppose the most compelling aspects of St. John’s life to me are its In-reach and Outreach, manifested in the strong sense of an inclusive, accepting and loving community found here, and in our ongoing efforts to serve the underserved within the Boulder community and beyond.

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Paul Stapleton - Treasurer

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Emily Verplanck

A job offer as research assistant at the University of Colorado Geology Department brought us to Boulder in 1987, when I was 6 months pregnant with our first child. The Episcopal Church has been an integral part of my family for many generations, so when our son turned one, my 90-year-old grandmother asked me when he would be baptized. After quickly exploring the options, I found St. John’s! It reminded me of the church I grew up in, so I felt comfortable here.

Twenty-two years later, our two youngest children are very active in the St. John’s Youth Group. As a result of their involvement, I have become much more active in the church. By serving on the Youth Advisory Committee for the past 3 years, I have come to know many wonderful people and experience a variety of St. John’s activities. The youth group has led me to help organize the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and numerous Youth Group Kick-off celebrations. I also joined the incredible youth mission trip to Haiti in 2007. What an exhilarating feeling when we celebrated the completion of the playground with our Haitian friends!

St John’s Episcopal Church provides a connection to my past, a sanctuary for the present, and hope for the future. I feel fortunate to have an opportunity to give back to St. John’s while serving on the vestry.

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Lisa Gills

My husband, Mike Gallagher, and I have been members of St. John's for nine years — since we moved here from Florida. I have served on the outreach committee and am currently a Sunday school assistant. I was a member of the first Just Faith courses at St. John's and feel that the experience was like being on a superhighway in terms of my own spiritual growth. Also, I have felt the support of the good people and clergy of St. John's through many different milestones in life — from the joys of building our family and baptism to the stress of illness and grief.

Quite a few people know me as "Christopher's mom" — he's the little red-headed boy full of curiosity and energy often seen at Sunday school, celebration service, Easter egg hunts, and even mid-week for a music class. Mike and I are delighted with St. John's children's ministries and the opportunities Christopher has to be part of a religious community. I am excited to see St. John's making bold changes in the children's programs and hope to be a part of the thoughtful transition as the church continues to put emphasis on spiritual education.
My professional background is in fundraising and communications for local, state, and national non-profits such as the Nature Conservancy of Colorado, Florida Aquarium, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. I am currently a grant writer for East Boulder County Artists. Prior to that, I was the development director for the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity.

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Ann Ross-Lyon

After nearly 30 years of living, raising my sons and nephew as a single mom, and building my company in the Lincoln Park area of urban Chicago, I moved to Boulder in 2005 following a back and forth love affair with the town from 2002 through 2004. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Memphis, educated in Boston and Illinois, and working in New Hampshire, Boston, and Chicago, I am comfortable just about anywhere but happiest in Colorado. My older son transferred to CU in 2002, which is how I became familiar with the town of Boulder after skiing Summit County with my boys for years.
My company is an executive search firm based in Chicago in the advertising and marketing disciplines. I have a fair amount of experience in managing people and budgets, setting priorities, dealing with all kinds of people….getting things done in business and family contexts.

St. John’s ended my search in Boulder for a church family that is as generous, inclusive, and just as God’s grace. It is here that I not only find comfort and courage but also may serve. My faith journey has been long and winding, and now it has brought me to the communion of St. John’s.

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Caryl Stalick

I recently moved to Boulder from the Washington, D.C. area to be closer to my little grandson and his parents, my daughter and son-in-law, and to be a bit closer to my son, who lives in Austin, Texas.  As a longtime Lutheran, I sang in my church choir and served on the worship, music, and arts committee.   When I began looking for a church in Boulder I visited several and ultimately chose St. John's.  I was attracted by the joyfulness of the congregation, the enthusiastic preaching of the gospel, and the traditional liturgy and music.

In Washington I worked for the international satellite telecommunication organization, Intelsat, as a technical editor.  During that time I also served as program director for a Norwegian cultural organization.  After retiring from Intelsat I moved to a small town not far from Washington where I served on the main street board of directors as the town began its revitalization.  I also served on the historical society’s financial committee, helping to develop fund-raising activities.  My special interests are historic preservation, architecture, and community building.  I have a Bachelor of Arts degree from American University in Washington, D.C.
I am excited to be in Boulder and I look forward to helping to make St. John’s an even more vital and nurturing place, both for parishioners and for the community!

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