(December 22, 2020) – At our Annual Parish Meeting, we elect new church leaders to join the St. John’s Vestry. The St. John’s Nominating Committee is pleased to share the 2021 slate of Vestry candidates and Convention Delegate nominees below. Bios for each individual can be found following the voting link on this page. Ballots will be accepted through the conclusion of the meeting on February 7, 2021.
This is an expired link to the 2021 Annual Meeting
Due to COVID-19, this year’s annual meeting will be held online only; all parishioners are welcome to attend. However, only qualified parishioners are invited to vote on our 2021 slate.
Please only vote once. ONE BALLOT WILL BE ACCEPTED PER EMAIL ADDRESS, and we will be checking for duplicates. If you prefer, paper ballots are available in the church office through February 5, and there will be a table at our in-person services on Annual Meeting Sunday.
We invite you to read more about this year’s slate below. You will be asked to vote for no more than five Vestry candidates and two Convention Delegate nominees. Special thanks to all of these dedicated parishioners for continuing to devote their time and talent to St. John’s.
Voting has now closed for the 2021 Vestry Slate.
LISA ASKINS
Lisa Askins was raised and was actively involved in the United Methodist Church for most of her life before joining St. John’s. Lisa and her husband, Jeff, joined St. John’s in February of 2019. They have loved and appreciated how welcoming and supportive the St. John’s community is. Lisa lived most of her life in Winter Park, Florida and joined Jeff in Tallahassee 10 years ago. Currently, Lisa and Jeff are serving as this year’s Stewardship Chairs. Lisa is also the chair of the Angel Food Committee and participates in Team 3 of the Altar Guild. Lisa and Jeff both work for Synovus Securities, Jeff is a Financial Advisor and Lisa is his assistant.
REBECCA BROWN
Rebecca and her family have been attending and active at St. John’s for more than five years. Rebecca has co-chaired Vacation Bible School and the St. John’s Market, been active in church outreach including Habitat for Humanity and The Kearney Center, and taught Sunday School. She is also active in St. Mary’s Circle, the Fruits of the Vineyard Implementation Team, and the St John’s Mentor/Lend a Hand Project leadership team. Rebecca is currently completing a one-year term on Vestry and would be humbled to continue to serve the parish in that role for another term if elected.
JEN GARRETSON
Jen Garretson has been a member of St. Johns since April 2017. She and her wife, Emily, moved from Rome, Georgia where they both were confirmed at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Jen was highly involved at St. Peters and knew she wanted to be a part of a similar community in Tallahassee. Jen and Emily found the familiar welcoming, inclusive, Christ seeking atmosphere the first time they visited St. Johns. After a Sunday morning full of smiles, scripture and a tour of the Bell Tower they knew they’d found their new home.
Jen is so grateful for the community that St. John’s provides for her family and Tallahassee. She has had the pleasure to assist with St. Johns youth, currently serves on the Usher team, is a part of the stewardship committee, and is a board member of Integrity Tallahassee. She has also really enjoyed merging her love of cooking with providing meals for members of the church community through the Angel Food Ministry and the New Baby Ministry.
Professionally Jen works as an accountant for the Department of Environmental Protections. A lover of rules and all things Excel, she earned her Bachelors in Accounting this year. Personally, she is involved in the foster community through Emily’s job as a Foster Family Support Specialist.
JR SAGINARIO
JR Saginario, and his husband Ken, joined St. John’s in 2018, having grown up in the Methodist Church. He currently serves on the Stewardship and Fr. Wallace Transitions committees, has helped out on Market Days and looks forward to the work of St. John’s Social Justice ministry.
Professionally, JR is a financial planner and he enjoys helping people make important financial decisions. The dedication to helping others started in the Boy Scouts of America where he learned early on, “he who serves his fellows, is among his fellows, greatest.”
JR hopes to carry forward the spirit to the vestry, supporting the framework in which we can all serve God by helping others and creating a more just and sustainable society.
Outside work and church, JR loves live music and attends nearly every concert of the FSU Orchestras, Jazz ensembles, Opera, Tallahassee Symphony and Bach Parley. In addition to music, he enjoys gardening, nature walks and travel.
MARCY MULDROW SANDERS
Marcy is a native Floridian, and grew up in the Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. After spending many years in a New Thought Church with her husband the call of liturgy became too strong to ignore in 2016 and she made her way back to St. John’s.
Professionally, she is a retired Navy Commander. Marcy has worked over 20 years in accounting, budget, finance and contracts and grants representing the State of Florida. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting, and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Epidemiology. She is a Florida licensed Certified Building Contractor and is a servant leader in Tallahassee. She has served on a few not-for-profit boards and is a member of Leadership Tallahassee.
She has enjoyed serving at St. John’s since becoming a member last year. She currently serves as the Invite Chair of the Invite, Welcome, Connect Committee. She is Co-Chairing the Becoming Beloved Community Consultation, and has served on other ministries in the church. She is the Parliamentarian of the Father David Henry Brooks Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians. She is committed to helping continue the inclusive legacy of St. John’s.
CHRIS SCHOONOVER
Chris Schoonover and his wife, Alli, joined St. John’s in 2013. They have the three children, Liberty (6), William (3) and Andrew (3), who were all baptized at St. John’s. Chris moved to Tallahassee from Orange Park, FL twenty years ago to attend Florida State University, where he served as Student Body President. Chris has served on several committees at St. John’s including the Stewardship Committee and the Invite, Welcome, Connect Committee. St. John’s and its importance to the Tallahassee committee plays a critical role in the Schoonover household. Chris is humbled by the opportunity to become a member of the Vestry and to deepen he and his family’s commitment to St. John’s for years to come. Outside of work, Chris enjoys cooking, fishing and hunting. Professionally, Chris is a member of the Florida Bar and a Partner at Capital City Consulting, a governmental consulting firm.
DAYNE SHELTON
Dayne and his family came to St. John’s in 2015 after relocating to Tallahassee. Raised in the Presbyterian church in Valdosta, GA, he was confirmed into the Episcopal church at St. John’s Bainbridge, GA where he served on the vestry. He and his wife Susan have 3 children, Davis, Mary, and Forester (all of whom are enthusiastic acolytes). At St John’s he serves as an eucharistic minister, usher, and Sunday school teacher. Having relocated a couple times over the years, he is excited to put roots down in Tallahassee and grow in his faith at St. John’s. Professionally, Dayne is a Finance Director for Georgia Pacific Corp. He has engineering and MBA degrees from Ga Tech as well as a CPA license. In his spare time, Dayne enjoys all things outdoors (running, fishing, and boating) and cooking.
GREG SPRINGER
Greg Springer loves St. John’s. He was confirmed in the Episcopal Church at St. Andrew’s Cathedral (Jackson, MS) in 2009, and he joined St. John’s shortly after moving to Tallahassee in 2018. At St. John’s, Greg sings in the choir, and he participates in various ministries and programs, such as the Centering Prayer Group, Greeter Ministry, Integrity Tallahassee, Invite Welcome Connect Ministry, Men’s Bible Study, and Small Group Formation Committee. He also serves on the St. John’s Choir School Advisory Committee. Outside of St. John’s, Greg teaches in the music education program at the FSU College of Music.
KATHY SULLIVAN
Bio available in office.
TRAE WYLIE
Trae was born in Rockledge, Florida, and moved with his parents, Jim and Sandra, and sister, Tiffany, to Tallahassee in 1976. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1985 and The Florida State University in 1990. Trae attended Faith Presbyterian Church until graduating from college where he was a member of the Youth Choir and Youth Group. He married his wife, Angie, in 1992 and they attended Christ Presbyterian Church.
After the birth of their daughter, Sydney, they began searching for a new church home. They fell in love with St. Johns after visiting in 2013. Later that year, Sydney was baptized on All Saints Sunday. In 2014, Trae and Angie completed Growing in Grace and were confirmed by Bishop Howard. Sydney received confirmation in 2018.
Since joining St. John’s Trae and his family have been immersed in St. John’s ministries. The entire family has worked in some capacity with the St. John’s Market for several years. Trae has served as a Eucharistic Minister, and more recently, at the request of the clergy became a Verger. He also served in 2018 as a member of the Stewardship Committee. Angie is currently Co-Director of the Altar Guild, and will become the sole Director of in 2019. Angie has also been involved in Invite-Welcome-Connect, Sunday school, and the Strategic Planning Committee. Sydney has served as an acolyte for several years in addition to other youth activities.
Professionally, Trae has enjoyed a long and diverse career in the legal field and is currently employed as a paralegal at Sniffen & Spellman, P.A.
CONVENTION DELEGATE NOMINEES
PAM JORDAN ANDERSON
The 60th anniversary, on January 1, of my Baptism by the late Father Harry Douglas reaffirms my love and care for the Diocese of Florida. I was confirmed by Bishop West, attended Sewanee thanks to a DuPont-Juhan Scholarship, and married to Paul by Father Bob Snell almost 35 years ago. We came to St. John’s from Advent in 1998 with our 4 children, Jordan, Elizabeth, Sarah Michael, and Katherine. I have treasured past opportunities to serve as a Sewanee Trustee, member of Standing Committee, Alternate Deputy to General Convention, and St. John’s Delegate to the Diocese of Florida Convention. Friends from across this Diocese are part of “my personal church” . . . those who have helped me become the Christian that I am today. I would be grateful to give of my time to again serve St. John’s, our Diocese, and God’s people as a Delegate to Convention.
JIM APTHORP
Jim Apthorp is married to Cheri Boyd Apthorp. They have seven adult children and thirteen grandchildren. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s and later active with church youth groups. He also served as an acolyte. As an adult, he served as Senior Warden at St. Stephen’s Church in Miami.
Jim has worked in government as Deputy Secretary of State, Director of State Lands, and as Chief of Staff for Gov. Reuben Askew. He served as Founder and Director of the LeRoy Collins Institute and Chairman on the FSU Foundation. He has also handled real estate in Miami and Tampa.
TOM BATEMAN
Tom Bateman was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition, served as an altar boy, and considered attending seminary before life’s challenges led to a change in direction. Tom is married to Mary Ellen Bateman. They became members of St. John’s in 2013. Tom was received and Mary Ellen was confirmed in the Episcopal Church at St. John’s. They attended the Growing in Grace class and the following year served as facilitators for the following Growing in Grace class. Tom and Mary Ellen have attended St. John’s on and off since moving to Tallahassee in the early 1980’s and, having found their church “home and family,” have faithfully attended and participated in the ministries of St. John’s since becoming members.
Tom serves as a Greeter and on the Do Justice Ministry. He has an ongoing interest in the Tallahassee Community Remembrance Project and participates in the Capital Area Justice Ministry. For the past three years Tom has served as one of St. John’s representatives on the Grace Mission Episcopal Church’s Advisory Board, has represented Grace Mission at the annual Alternative Market, and serves Grace Mission children and families at their annual Thanksgiving dinner held at Grace Mission and Christmas dinner held in Alfriend Hall. In 2015, Tom and Mary Ellen traveled on a pilgrimage to England with Father Dave, Mother Abi, and other St. John’s members.
Professionally, Tom is an attorney and retired judge. Currently he serves full time as a mediator, arbitrator, and neutral. Tom enjoys the outdoors, camping, hiking, birding, and travel to our nation’s National Parks.
Tom and Mary Ellen have been married for 37 years. They have four children and two grand-children.
VIRGINIA PERKINS
Virginia Perkins was confirmed at St. John’s in 1965 after being raised in the Methodist Church. She is married to Earle Perkins whose family has been at St. John’s for many generations. They have two grown sons, John and Lewis, who were baptized and confirmed at St. John’s. Their grandchildren were also baptized at St. John’s.
Virginia is currently serving on the Adult Education, Memorials, Cemetery and Communications Committees. In the past she was a member of the Vestry, and chair for the Altar Guild, the Needlepoint Committee and the St. John’s Bookstore board. She also taught Sunday School and was a delegate to the Diocesan Convention.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family at St. Teresa, reading, Pilates, bridge and gardening.
