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My family has been members of St. David’s since 2004. Three of our children have been confirmed at St. David's, our youngest completed pre-school here, and I have devoted my time to supporting the youth of our Parish. For example, I have supported fundraising efforts for and have participated in our annual REACH mission trips. In addition, I have supported various family events, have been an adult mentor to our youth, and have led the High School Youth Group. Outside of St. David's, I own and run a successful federal government consulting practice, focusing primarily on strategy and performance. My business experience has prepared me well to understand the important issues that we face at St. David’s while keeping our people at the forefront of any solution. I am confident that I can work with you all to help us make the best decisions for our Parish. My focus will be on making St. David’s a place where everyone feels welcome and all of our families may grow in Christ together.
Before my wife Margie and I discovered St. David’s in 2004, our faith was an important part of our lives but one kept in a neat, tidy, Sunday-morning box. We were both raised as Roman Catholics, which provided us both with a clear sense of right and wrong from a very young age. However, as we grew into adulthood the practice of our faith was but one dimension of our lives; one that competed with two careers, travels abroad as expatriates, and then finally the hustle and bustle of raising 3 children. It is at that point, after having relocated to Northern Virginia in early 2004, that we started to attend St. David’s. It was the point at which our faith started to become an integral part of our everyday lives. I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and accepted a job with GE Aerospace in King of Prussia, PA. Twenty-five years later, I am a Program Director in the same general business unit although the corporate name has evolved to Lockheed Martin. Throughout my career, I have held a variety of systems engineering and program management roles developing and delivering complex, large-scale information systems. Currently I am the Deputy for a $700M business unit providing geospatial information solutions to government customers. My wife Margie and I have been married for 20 wonderful years, including 3 years abroad in London. After returning to the USA, we were blessed with 3 incredible children: Derek (12), Justine (10), and Owen (7). Upon moving to Ashburn, our first encounter with St. David’s was with Justine and the pre-school. We were very pleased with the nurturing environment and decided to attend services here. From the first time we attended a service we could tell that St. David’s was unique. We felt a real sense of community here that we had not experienced before. Since that time, our faith and commitment to St. David’s has grown each year. Today, we thoroughly enjoy celebrating at the Family Service and accompanying adult sermon each Sunday. Derek and Justine serve as readers, acolytes and ushers. Margie joined and now leads a Shepherd group, is a founding member of the GIRLS Group, and serves on the Communications and Fellowship Committees. I myself actively participated in the Truth or Consequences workshops, served as an adult leader on the REACH 2010 mission trip, participate in a Shepherd group, led the 2011 Stewardship campaign and most recently started training as a sound technician. I have been incredibly blessed in my life, and want to share that blessing through service to the parishioners of St. David’s. If elected to the Vestry, my priorities would include growth in the Stewardship of St. David’s through growth in our parish; strengthening and communicating a vision for St. David’s that will serve the needs of all members of our covenant community; and expanding opportunities for dialog between the Vestry and the parish at large. The relevance that my faith now has in my everyday life is a gift that I hope everyone can discover for themselves at St. David’s, and I want to help them discover it in any way I can.
I believe I can contribute in a positive manner to the Vestry leadership team of St. David’s given my volunteer and professional experiences as well as my organizational and communication skills. I began coming to St. David’s in 1999 with my husband, Rich, when Fr. Stephen McWhorter gleefully greeted us and remembered our names the following Sundays thereafter. It was such a refreshing, positive experience of God’s love and intent for our lives! I volunteered on the first “communications team” with Dwight Zscheile, held a church staff position for a year under Fr. Stephen (while pregnant with my son,) and have volunteered and participated in various capacities over the last 12 years (cottage meetings, budgeting exercises, strategy discussions, Ministry Fair with Mary Kay, Web site implementations, etc.) Most recently, I co-created, structured and then co-led for three years the Communications Ministry, which supports over 25 ministries. I stepped down from the Communications Ministry at the end of September 2011, although I continue to take photos at services for the Web site among other Web support activities. I am now ready for a new serving opportunity! My son attended St. David’s Preschool for two years, and I volunteered as Co-President and then President of the Parents of Preschools (POPS - parent board) those two years. I also co-chaired the annual Preschool Auctions and chaired the communications committee for two years. The auction is the preschool’s largest fundraiser for scholarships and extra educational student activities, and we raised as much money with a picnic silent auction as we did with a formal dinner live/silent auction with less cost, time and logistics. Following my tenure on the POPS Board, I was honored to be asked to serve on the Preschool Board of Directors, of which I am now in my second year of service. Education and professional experience: I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing from Auburn University (War Eagle!) My background includes being on both sides of corporate technology and PR agency marketing positions (from print advertising, brochures, Web sites, publishing, Public Relations campaigns, etc.) to the business side of running a services business as Chief Operating Officer (overseeing client services, operations/finance/admin, HR, etc.) After 13 years, I made the decision to stop working full time in 2004 to focus on family, welcomed our son, Connor, into our family in 2005, and in 2006 went to work part time for a little over a year as the Vice President, Operations for a fast growing $10M Web application services/software firm. For the past three and a half years I have been doing finance, administration and operations consulting part time for a social media marketing firm in Silver Spring, MD. My son is now 6 years old (and keeps me busy, amazed and grounded,) and Rich and I will celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary in May. A lot of great work has been accomplished by the Vestries over the past three years defining the direction and goals for St. David’s Episcopal Church, following the transition of rectors, including getting back to a balanced budget. My skills and experience will contribute to keeping our congregation on this positive path moving forward as we evaluate and execute next steps on the journey God intends for our community. I look forward to the potential opportunity to serve in this new capacity.
I am a man that has been blessed in more ways than I’ll ever be able to count. How is that, you ask? Where do I begin ….. I love my family here at St. David’s and I feel that same love returned to me. I have been blessed with the love of the same beautiful woman for 28 years and she is truly my ‘sunshine’, my friend, and my wife. My God has blessed me with a good education and the opportunity to start and operate my ‘life changing’ company for the past 11 years (I am blessed to have Him as my business partner). This company has allowed Sharon and me to travel, to work together side by side, and most importantly, to allow us to take the blessings given to us and do good things for others in His name. I am blessed to know a Love and an inner happiness that can only come from my God. I am blessed in the knowledge that I will never be alone. And I am blessed to be considered as a candidate to serve on the vestry of St. David’s Episcopal Church. Sharon and I moved to the Northeast from Texas (yes, we’re both Longhorns) where we were active in a small missionary church called Grace Episcopal Church. While there, we moved from our small historic building into the new sanctuary we built. We all prayed and worked hard to find the money for our new church and our new pews (sounds familiar doesn’t it?). Our prayers were answered and Grace Episcopal Church has a beautiful new building. What has been interesting these past 11+ years at St. David’s is that we have been a part of a very similar transition. I have served as co leader of one of the very first Shepherd Groups back in 1999 and my family and our initial group members are still active today in Shepherd Groups at St. David’s. Sharon and I have played a leading role in ushering at St. David’s, I have served (many years ago) as the St. David’s Outreach Ministry Leader while serving on the vestry, My wife and I have traveled on 5 St. David’s mission trips to Honduras, and I have traveled on all St. David’s trips to Bromley Mission in Liberia (West Africa) as a representative of our church. To date, I serve on the leadership of both the El Hogar (Honduras) and Bromley (Liberia) St. David’s international mission teams. I served alongside the brave souls that were nominated and accepted roles on the St. David’s Search Committee relegated to find Father Stephen McWhorter’s successor at St. David’s. This was a very intense effort that required a thorough analysis of St. David’s membership, a first tier screening of the many applicants, and eventual presentation of the most suitable candidates to the St. David’s vestry for action. One might ask – “Why should Richard Easley serve on the vestry?” I’d have to answer that with three reasons.
Finally, I have to add that my beautiful bride is currently the Communications Co-Director at St. David’s (yes, a volunteer position), and we both believe that the membership of St. David’s has been rising to the challenges we face as a church. We also believe that we should take the many blessings He has given our family and use them to help St. David’s and His Love shine just a little brighter.
My wife, Katherine, and I have been attending St. David’s since 2000. We have been in our family-based Shepherd Group for the past six years, which has grown to ten adults and ten children. Katherine, Connor and I generally attend and thoroughly enjoy the 9:00 AM Service, Adult Homily, Wednesday Night Discipleship Classes with Rev. Mary Kay Brown, and Family Fellowship Nights. Our son, Connor, also attends the St. David's Preschool. While at St. David's, I have been involved in the following:
This work has given and continues to give me tremendous involvement and insight into the goings on across the entire spectrum of St. David’s. Professionally, I have 17 years of experience in both large and small companies in performing the functions of financial analysis, business analysis and technology project/program management. I have been a technology program manager for eight years and am also a Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP.) For the past six years, I have been a program manager for San Diego-based Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. implementing smart card-based Automated Fare Collection (e.g. SmarTrip) systems across the Washington/Baltimore regional rail and bus transit systems. I also manage the day-to-day operations of our Washington/Baltimore regional office. Earlier this year, I felt an unplanned but tremendously strong call from God to be a part of the Vestry. I had the fortunate opportunity of attending the Vestry Retreat in February on behalf of the Communications Team and the parish as a whole. It was a tremendous experience and I felt warmly welcomed as an integral part of the retreat. Being part of the retreat also reinforced God’s call and my need and desire to further share my gifts of Service, Administration and Leadership (as well as logic and organization) as a member of the Vestry. I feel extremely blessed to have been selected by the Vestry members to fill the open Vestry position and hope to continue to serve the parish well in this capacity.
Since our family (Janie, Cort, Patrick and me) moved to Ashburn in 1999, we’ve felt a calling to St David’s. Just after we moved here, we were told by an old friend in Warsaw, Va. that our former church there had given alter linens to a new church plant in Ashburn, and that the Rector (Fr. Stephen) was “doing amazing things”! We visited the next Sunday and sat in folding chairs in Mercer Hall for the service. I can still remember the lovely lady with a big hat sitting in front of us (Cora Kohlhoss) who greeted us during the Peace with a huge warm friendly smile. And then Rich and Peggy Boyd (from the visitor’s welcoming team) knocking on our door with a loaf of fresh baked bread within hours after we had just gotten home. It’s simply impossible to think about St. David’s without appreciating its rich heritage, and how warm and welcoming our parish family is to everyone. Not too long after we officially transferred our membership, we indicated to Fr. Stephen that we would like to become more involved with the church here. Janie and I were active in all our former churches as we moved about. I soon began to Lay Read and Chalice, and eventually Stephen asked Janie if she would be interested in leading the Youth Program, as our boys were early teens, and we were immediately “immersed” in the life of St. David’s. Working with Janie as part of the St. David’s Youth movement during 2000-2005 was one of the highlights in my own spiritual growth. Seeing our young people’s excitement when we began to create their own monthly newsletter, hosting “refreshments” after the Sunday morning services, renewing the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper event, hosting Parrish Baked Potato and Salad nights, and feeding the homeless was priceless. We even initiated the Reach Mission trips in 2002, and at one time had over 35 Senior High teens going to trip. And I can remember the Youth group starting Love in A Shoebox ministry and having hundreds of shoeboxes filled with gifts to send to the needy during the holidays. How strong and enthusiastic our young people can be in their faith! At one time we had over 80 active young people in junior high and senior high youth groups. Active youth usually translates into active parents, and we began to see new families coming to St. David’s because their teens had become involved in the Youth movement here. We’ve now been members for nearly 12 years. We were thrilled when Mary Kay accepted her new leadership role as Priest-In-Charge, and as always are so inspired by Fr. Johnson’s ministry and wisdom. The outreach from St. David’s to our church members, our community and the world has remained a constant since we’ve been here. Welcoming all with open arms to share the Gospel message has been a cornerstone. Personally, I have been an Episcopalian my entire life of 55 years. I’ve served in the following capacities here at St. David’s:
If elected to serve again on our Vestry, I will pray for God’s guidance to: a) hold firm to the principles and canons of the church, as I am, and will always be, a traditionalist, but open to change if it is for the good of the whole, b) care for our own community of believers and look for opportunities to share the Spirit with those who do not yet know the Lord, as we are all caregivers and missionaries, and c) encourage the faith our youth as the lifeblood of our Parish, for through them we sustain our lasting heritage.
My name is Nancy Ruttenberg. My family and I have been members of St. David’s since 2001. I am a wife, a mother and a nurse. Eric and I have been married for 18 years and our faith has been the foundation of our marriage. I am the mother of two extraordinary girls who remind me every day that God is good. As a pediatric nurse, I have experienced miracle of healing and the gift of peace that faith can bestow. Who I am is why I feel at home at St. David’s. It is a place where the Spirit thrives and as a result the community of St. David’s continues to grow. Being an active member of a church is a value I have learned from my mother, who served on every committee known to man. She taught me never be a pew sitter. As a result, I currently serve on the Altar Guild, Verge, and help coordinate the acolytes for the 10:45 service. In the past, I have been a youth mentor, a shepherd group member, LEM minister, delegate to the Dioceses of Virginia and a Crown graduate. Serving on the Vestry, although an enormous responsibility, is simply a natural progression of my active faith. I also have the advantage of living with a former Vestry member. Miraculously, he has not dissuaded me. Rather he has encouraged me to be a part of the current Vestry. Aside from being an active member of St. David’s I am currently a Resource Nurse for Loudoun County Public Schools. I supervise the Health Clinic Assistants in the elementary schools and develop health-related training programs for school personnel. This is my 9th year working in the school system. I love being a part of a coordinated team that focuses on the optimal well being of a child. Nursing has a way of providing daily reminders of the good that exists in the world. My other full time job is being a mother to Caroline (17) and Julia (14). Anyone who is a mother or who has had a mother can empathize with the enormous responsibility that encompasses this job. My goal is to instill in my daughters the values of faith and service that my mother passed on to me. If I am selected as a member of the Vestry, I will bring a high level of commitment to the position. I have a collaborative spirit that allows me to work well in groups with differing opinions. I do not have a specific platform or agenda. My goal is to serve in the best interest of the entire community of St. David’s. I would like to see the local outreach programs expand, because I see a deep and growing need in our deceptively affluent area for not only economic but spiritual help. As the mother of teenagers, I would like to expand our youth programs because they are the future of any church. I would also like to help cultivate an atmosphere where every member feels inspired to be an active participant in the St. David’s community. I feel honored to be nominated as a member of the Vestry and would be privileged to serve God and the St. David’s community.
Personal / Professional Accomplishments related to my service on the Vestry: I have been a practicing Episcopalian (and very involved in the church) my entire life. As a young adult, I participated in the Young People’s Fellowship (YPF, a ministry designed for the youth of the parish) and as an acolyte for many years. Since then, I served on the Vestry (at Saint David’s Episcopal Church in Gales Ferry, CT). I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and sincerely hope to have the privilege to serve all of you, and our broader community, in this capacity at St. David’s. I have an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an MBA from the Wharton School. I served in our nation’s nuclear submarine force for 6 years to begin my career. Since then, I’ve held executive positions at several outstanding organizations, among them Westinghouse, Gateway, and AOL. I believe that my background and education would serve me well on the Vestry for our church. I feel that I would bring a strong sense of perspective, balance, and financial acumen to our church leadership team. My involvement with St. David’s: Since October 2010, I have enjoyed the privilege of serving as the Treasurer here at St. David’s, working alongside our CFO, clergy, Vestry, and many others. I have been an active member of the St. David’s community since 1995. During my time at St. David’s, I have been active in many activities, among them (a) discernment committee for Holly Hanback (the precursor to her candidacy for ordainment as an Episcopal deacon), (b) Truth or Consequences workshop facilitator, (c) active in support of our church’s causes, programs, and charities, among them the Loudoun Interfaith Relief food pantry, Relay for Life, and Shepherd Group. I have always given of my first fruits to our church and our community. Why I’m running for Vestry: I very much want to expand my Christian leadership in our church. I’m running for our Vestry for the continued opportunity to serve God, His Christian community, and each one of you. My Vestry priorities: Continue to evolve and improve our Christian faith community, including the following: (1) continue our investment in, and recognition of, outstanding leadership for our church, (2) maintain and nurture a strong Christian foundation among our children and young adults, the future of our parish community, (3) support a strong financial framework for our church, and (4) build upon our momentum in spreading God’s word, within our church, among other Christians, and among those who do not yet know Him. I would be honored and privileged to serve all of you in this capacity if called to do so. Many thanks for considering my candidacy.
Kelly Smith-Moore My journey to St. David's began in the early 1990's along an interdenominational path. As the United Methodist church pianist accompanying an ecumenical Thanksgiving service at Ashburn Presbyterian, I was introduced to our founding rector Father Stephen McWhorter, who preached that evening. In the late 1990's, the need arose to find a new church home where the Gospel was being preached; I met with Stephen regarding this, and so assured I came to St. David's. I was one of the many taken under Dee Drummond's wing and she guided me through, what were for me at the time, the mysteries of the Book of Common Prayer. I found that the beauty of the liturgy and focus on the Eucharist filled something in my soul. At St. David's, I've served as Lay Reader and Lay Eucharistic Minister, been active in Pastoral Care, sung in the choir, played in brass ensembles and served as substitute and interim organist, a humbling experience for one who is really a pianist. My husband (of going on 20 years now) Jerry and I support St. David's through pledging. We moved to Ashburn Village from Old Ashburn in 1994, and share our home with the most easy going border collie in the world and a spirited ginger cat. A medical technologist by profession, I've served as Hematology Department supervisor at Quest Diagnostics/Nichols Institute in Chantilly, Virginia, and as a field technical service specialist for the US division of Diagnostica Stago, a laboratory instrument manufacturer based near Paris, France. These positions gave me valuable experience in dealing with diverse personnel, technical and customer service issues, as well as further developing my lecturing and writing skills. Having committed to readjust my work life in terms of commute, business travel and leadership demands, I accepted a med tech position back at Quest in spring of 2010, where I'm learning the intricacies of leukemia and lymphoma analysis by flow cytometry. It's very challenging and worthwhile work, and a constant reminder of people who are facing serious medical issues. I say lots of quick prayers at work for our patients and their families. My first inclination when invited by a vestry member to allow my name to go forward for vestry nomination was, "Oh, thanks, but I don't think so!". My spiritual growth as it applies to being part of a church family has sometimes been a very rocky road, and I must confess there have been times of great disillusionment for me as I witnessed the hurtfulness that can occur within the church at every level, including leadership. Can't we, as Christians, do better than this?, I wondered. Can't I myself do better than this? I believe the answer lies in great part on focusing on the familiar verses from the Gospel of Mark: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these". No catch phrases, no buzz words - and not always easy to accomplish on a daily basis, at least for me, but clear direction from our Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps my favorite quote from missionary Oswald Chambers is this: "It is not so true that 'prayer changes things' as that prayer changes me and I change things". Being part of the continued positive change occurring at St. David's means involvement, so I accepted the invitation to be considered for a vestry position. What I believe I would offer to the St. David's vestry in general would be my listening, diplomacy, confidentiality and presentation skills. Of particular importance to me is ensuring that the Gospel is proclaimed through word and music at our worship services in such a way that it reaches and transforms everyone in our diverse congregation and community. |
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Leslie Darr, Senior Warden
Jerry Mamrol, Junior Warden
Richard Easley
Rich Goodwin, Senior Warden
Conrad Jones
Dave Schmidt
