Make Sure to Join Us for our Annual Meeting and Vestry Election October 21st
Immediately following the one worship service that will take place that morning at 9:30am
Who is Eligible to Serve on the Vestry?
According to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Canon 11, Section 4:
Only lay persons who are confirmed adult communicants in good standing of the church, as defined in General Convention Canon 1.17., shall be eligible for election as Vestry Members of such church. However, regardless of eligibility of a person for election, no person shall be elected at a duly convened congregational meeting to consecutive full terms on a congregation’s Vestry or Vestry Committee.
So what does this mean in plain English?
“Confirmed Adult Communicant in good standing” means the following:
- You are age 16 or older.
- You have been baptized and confirmed in the church, and we have your baptism and confirmation duly recorded.
- You are active in worship, and have received communion at least 3 times this year.
- You have been faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God (meaning you are active and intentional about your participation in the life of the church and are known to the treasurer of the church).
Furthermore, this Canon states that you can only serve one consecutive full term (3 years) on the Vestry.
Barbara Augenblick
I moved to the area in 1978 with husband Mark and two children Amy and David (now thankfully adults). We started coming to Trinity at the invitation of Aileen DuPont, a neighbor. In the intervening years I have served on Vestries. I became a member of the Mary Neville Guild, joined the Flower Guild, Altar Guild, learned to be a lay reader and chalice bearer. I was a small cog in the wheels of many stable tours, Christmas auctions, finance and stewardship committees, mission statements and building and grounds plans. I even did a stint as Senior Warden. I can offer some institutional memory - until I forget.
Paul Coyer
I am honored to be considered for election to the vestry. I am a historian of international relations and specialist in the role played by religion and culture in international affairs. I was baptized at the age of eight, have a degree from an Episcopal divinity school (Yale), previously served on the vestry at St. John's Episcopal Church, New Haven, Connecticut, and have been active in leadership in other Anglican and Episcopal churches, including All Souls, Langham Place, London. I have been active at Trinity since January 2008, have sung in the choir from that point until recently, and been active in numerous other ways including the annual Stable Tour, Adult Forum, a two year gig as the singer for our own in-house classic rock band, “Via Media”, etc. My wife, Marjory, is a classical violinist from Venezuela, who has played violin in Trinity for services and special events for the past 15 years or so (and has hosted many Venezuelan-themed coffee hours!). Marjory and I were married at Trinity in August 2013, with the participation of many Trinity members, and we have long considered our Trinity family an important part of our lives. I hope to be able to contribute in substantive ways as our congregation moves into this next phase of our lives together and our ministry to the broader community.
Joe Fluet
With the upcoming loss of both Rob, our Rector, and Jane, our Parish Administrator, we are entering an important transition time in the life of our congregation. It is a time when our Vestry will benefit from members with experience in church work, Vestry operations, and Diocesan interaction. With this in mind, I have decided to once again stand for Vestry. I have been active in church work for more than 40 years; I served on Trinity’s vestry a few years ago; and, I served as Senior and Junior Warden in my previous parish during similar transition periods. I have also chaired several Rector Search Committees. I understand that serving on a Vestry is an honor, but not an honorary position. I hope I can help.
Louise Crane
I was so honored when asked to be a candidate for the Vestry of Trinity Church and thank those who proposed me for this position. I was confirmed into the Episcopal faith at Trinity Episcopal Church in Hattiesburg, MS in 1989. At Trinity, I served on many committees including, Parish Activity, Altar Guild, later the Flower Guild, worked with Christian Services Center preparing and cooking meals for the less fortunate, helped in the business office, the church school, and others. I first attended Trinity, Upperville, in 2012 when I visited the area. Since becoming a resident and marrying Carey, we have been faithful members worshiping here, as well as working on the Stable Tour, being ushers, and supporting all the fund raisers being held here at Trinity. I am also a member of Parish Life. While Carey grew up in Trinity, even being an acolyte many years ago, I have only begun my journey into the depths of the Christian fellowship and spiritual healing found here. I pledge, if chosen to be on the Vestry, to continue my journey and to help others achieve this same feeling of spiritual peace.
Hurst Groves
A native Hoosier, father (2 daughters), and grandfather (3 girls and a boy), I spent most of my career as a lawyer for Mobil Oil and its affiliates. I’ve lived in New York, Paris, Tokyo and Fairfax, and spent significant time in Latin America, the Middle East (almost a year in Qatar), Asia and Africa. In 2000, when Mobil merged with Exxon, I retired from the company and became the director of a new energy policy center at Columbia University. I commuted weekly to New York from Washington and Middleburg for the next six years. After my wife’s death in 2007, I began to spend more time with my daughters’ families in Takoma Park and New York, occasionally flying to New York in my single-engine Cessna. I continued to practice law, but on a part-time basis. For example, I acted as special counsel for Overseas Private Investment Corporation on a project supported by the Skoll Foundation to provide laptop computers to school children in the West Bank of Palestine. I’ve been an Episcopalian since 1968, when I joined Trinity Church in Wall Street. I was invited to sing in Trinity’s “family choir”, then directed by Larry King. This was a wonderful experience, since Larry was not only a fine organist and choir director, but also a highly regarded composer. We often tried out music he had composed to see if it appealed to the congregation. I’ve also sung in the choirs at St. Alban’s Tokyo and Emmanuel Middleburg. I have been a member of Emmanuel’s Vestry and was its Senior Warden for two years, before moving (with my fiancée, Barbara Sharp) to Trinity about 5 years ago. At Trinity, I’ve worked with the Finance and Outreach Committees, at the Stable Tour, and with Christian Myers to raise funds to pay for tuning our historic Aeolian Skinner organ. If elected to the Vestry, I hope to strengthen the funding for Trinity’s music program. Our organ will require a major refurbishing within the next 10-15 years that will substantially exceed the existing budget. Developing an endowment or other strategy to provide for these costs before they are upon us is important as we plan for the future of our beautiful church.
Jake Hambrick
I am honored to be nominated as a Vestry candidate. My family has been coming to Trinity since 2008. Many of my family members have played a role in facilitating church activities since. I have been away from the church for several years as I pursued an education in Texas, visiting several churches in my travels. Upon my return to northern Virginia, I met my wife Ashley and we began to pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord. Ashley and I recently got married at Trinity and have enjoyed growing deeper in our faith as a couple while being supported by the church community and congregation. As we went through couple’s counseling we enjoyed cultivating a relationship with Reverend Banse and appreciate his guidance. I am fond of Trinity for several reasons; the congregation, the ministry, and the architecture of the church. As a professional engineer, I would love to serve the Lord by helping to maintain our beautiful house of worship. I look forward to furthering my spiritual journey and will follow where the Lord leads me.
Peter Hitchen
I am delighted to be considered for the Vestry class of 2021. In 1997 I founded , and continue to own and operate, Tilton Enterprises which is an excavation company that specializes in equestrian projects, as well as BAC, a roll off and front load dumpster service that donates a portion of revenues to the Childhood Cancer Charities. I graduated from the Hill School and Loudoun Valley High and received my Bachelor of Arts from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. In addition to my work, I enjoy serving as a licensed professional Mate and Captain on sport fishing boats in Bald Head, NC. I am devoted to the community and participate in local nonprofit organizations, including our beloved Trinity Church, as well as serving on the Board of Buchanan Hall. I live with my wife Melanie and daughters Madilyn and Elaina in Marshall, VA.
Joe Markus
Joe Markus has been a member of Trinity Church for over 30 years. He is married to Sandra Markus with whom he resides on Trappe Road in Upperville VA. He has three daughters and four grandchildren. His daughter, Stacy, and her husband, Jason, have recently been attending Trinity with their three children. Joe has a varied business background which he has used previously, serving for 2+ years as chair of Trinity's Finance Committee.
