“Support the church's mission by word and deed.”

Interim Rector

Reverend Pamela “Pan” Conrad

Dear Memorial Church Family, 08/28/24

This past Sunday with great joy and sadness, we celebrated Rev. Grey Maggiano and his family’s final service with our community. In his final sermon, he reminded all of us that our church already has what it needs to sustain ourselves, and perhaps even grow in new, surprising ways. Now it is more important than ever to turn to the person sitting next to you in church -or in the Zoom box- and tell them how glad you are to see them. Love sustained us before, and love will sustain us moving forward.

And as the saying goes, “when God closes one door, they open another one…” the vestry is pleased to announce that this week, they signed an agreement with the Reverend Pamela “Pan” Conrad who will serve as our Interim Rector beginning on September 3rd. Reverend Conrad comes to Memorial with a remarkable career having served as rector of St. Albans Episcopal Church in Glen Burnie and most recently as an Interim at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church on Edmondson Ave. in Baltimore. She has master’s degrees in music composition, geology, divinity and a Doctorate in Geology and Mineral Physics. As a member of the Mars Perseverance Rover Mission she often uses her passion for science to connect people’s faith with the wonders of creation. We are very excited welcome Reverend Conrad to Memorial and hope you will join us for her first service on September 8th at either the Faith at 8 service or worship at 10:30 a.m.

Finally, the vestry is committed to maintaining our connection as a caring faith community. We wanted to check in with all of you to see how of you are doing in this period of transition. We were hoping you might consider taking a brief survey by clicking here to let us know how you are and if you would like to have someone from Memorial reach out to you.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the vestry with any questions or concerns you might have.

With God’s love we hold strong.

Peace,

Stacy Wells, Beth Torres, Steve Howard, Dave Toia, Keenan Dworak-Fisher, Scott Purnell-Saunders, Tom Penniston, Ryan Sturm, David Dimmock, Amy Krulak, Wendy Yap

Vestry Response to Grey's Departure

Dear Memorial Church Family, 7/9/2024

It is with equal amounts joy and sadness that Grey informed the vestry that he, Monica, Isabella, and Nicolas will be leaving Memorial at the end of August to follow his calling to a congregation in North Carolina. As the spiritual leader of our parish, Grey has shepherded this community since 2016, and has been a moral compass, prophet, and caretaker to all of us. He has worked tirelessly to serve our community spiritually and emotionally, with kind gentle humor. We are deeply saddened to see him go and yet grateful for the incredible gifts he and his family have given us.

Memorial has a meaningful history of demonstrating unconditional love and caring for others,

as the service on June 30th showed, by detailing the history of the LGBTQIA+ community within our church. During this time of transition, it is more important than ever to remember the lineage of love and compassion that has carried our congregation for decades and will continue to define our future.

The process of selecting a priest to serve as the rector for a church involves deep discernment, which will be undertaken in the upcoming weeks and months. The vestry is committed to keeping Memorial’s spiritual family informed and involved in the conversation as we move forward. We need your voices, ideas, and prayers as we collectively navigate this process. Grief, confusion, and uncertainty are all natural parts of losing a parish priest, especially one we love so deeply. This is also a chance for our congregation to delve, with hope, into Memorial’s next chapter— the threads of Grey’s wisdom are woven into the fabric of our community, and we bear a joyful responsibility to share those gifts with others, to offer unconditional safe-haven and hope in Baltimore.

The vestry is committed to listening to the wider congregation and will share updates on the process of selecting a successor. Memorial will be guided and supported by the diocese of Maryland. The vestry is committed to being a visible and supportive presence at worship services as we continue this process together. Please reach out to us with any ideas or concerns you might have.

Questions and concerns can be directed to:

Stacy Wells, Senior Warden: srwarden@memorialepiscopal.org

Beth Torres, Junior Warden: jrwarden@memorialepiscopal.org

(or any member of the vestry)

A final service celebrating the Maggiano’s ministry and time with Memorial will take place on Sunday, August 25th beginning with worship at 9:30 a.m. and followed by a gathering afterwards.

In love and appreciation,

Stacy, Beth, Steve, Dave, Amy, Scott, Thomas, Ryan, Wendy, Keenan and David

What is the Vestry? What Does it Do?

In canon law, the vestry is the legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property. Property matters (use, upkeep, renovation, renewal, reconfiguration, preservation, etc.) are important, and the vestry is responsible to assure careful management of the church’s assets.

Members of the vestry actively assist the rector to lead the day-to-day work of the church’s various ministries, and they help enlist the membership of the church in joining that work. The church can only do its work if it is healthy and vibrant, both in terms of its membership and its finances. So the vestry continually examines human and financial resources and takes action as necessary to make sure that they remain strong enough to carry out the church’s mission. The vestry cannot execute its duties without careful and purposeful attention to evangelism and stewardship.

Prospective members of the vestry are identified by a vestry-appointed nominating committee, are approved by the rector, and then elected by the congregation at its annual meeting. The term of service is three years; new vestry members are assigned to a “class” according to the year in which their service ends. They may optionally serve for one additional consecutive three-year term. Vestry members who are elected to fulfill the unexpired term of a previous member are eligible to be reelected to two additional consecutive three-year terms after the partial term for which they were originally elected ends.
During the initial year of vestry service, new members typically identify an area of ministry in which they wish to actively take part, or lead. The needs of the church at a given time, and the talents and inclinations of the individual vestry member influence the choice and timing of ministry leadership. Opportunities abound to become involved in events, ongoing ministries, and the administrative work that is necessary for the functioning of the vestry and the church. We invite all new members to thoughtfully engage with these opportunities; it is where much satisfaction of vestry service is to be found, and it strengthens our collective bonds of community.
Expectations of each vestry member include:
Financial support of the church at a level appropriate to one’s circumstances—ideally, every vestry member is a pledging member;
Attendance and participation in the regular monthly meetings of the vestry, as well as special meetings as may be necessary;
Attendance and participation in the annual vestry retreat;
Attendance at the annual parish meeting;
Regular attendance at Sunday services;
Participation, as one is able, in parish activities, such as coffee hour, fundraisers, education programs, and special worship services;
Assuming the role of ambassador or liaison between parish members and the vestry;
Take an active role in at least one ministry (or committee) of the church;
Working always in partnership with the rector and other vestry members toward realization of the mutually discerned mission, values and goals of the church;
Including the rector, other vestry members, and the parish community in one’s prayer life.
If interested, please complete the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Your vestry is committed to serving this community and being in dialogue with you! At the next vestry meeting we will be discussing ways to help support the youth ministry and we want to hear from you.

Memorial is our collective spiritual home and the vestry wants to make sure your voices are being heard and included in decisions that affect this community.

To encourage an open and honest conversation, please respond to our survey related to the upcoming May vestry agenda so your voice can be included in the discussion. Please use this QR code to access the brief (we promise) survey.

SURVEY

CLASS OF 2024 - 2025:

Scott Purnell - Sanders, Member

CLASS OF 2027:

David Dimmock, Member

Steve Howard, Treasurer

David Toia, Registrar

VESTRY officers

2024 - 2023

Senior Warden

Stacy Wells currently serves as Memorial's Senior Warden and manages training development at the Federal Aviation Administration. She lives in Bolton Hill with her kids, Nate (15) and Mary Anne (13.5). You might see her being dragged around the neighborhood by her two pups - Beatrice (Bea) and Bennett (Benny). Her favorite role at Memorial is singing in the alto/best section of the Choir.
***srwarden@memorialepiscopal.org***

Junior Warden

Beth Torres is entering her second year as Junior Warden. She is happy to be indulged by being allowed to sing alto in the choir. A native of New Jersey and lifelong Episcopalian, Beth is an Army Veteran who spent 32 years in the Army band program as a horn player. To support her habit of living in Bolton Hill, she works at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the small business office. Beth plays principal horn with the Greenspring Valley Orchestra and the Baltimore Philharmonia, and is the horn player with Quintessence woodwind quintet. She holds degrees in horn performance, music history, MBA, and Strategic Studies.
**jrwarden@memorialepiscopal.org**

Treasurer

Steve Howard has been a member of Memorial since 1995 and is an active participant in the 10:30 Sunday service and the Tuesday Peace and Justice service. He occasionally appears as an usher, chalicist, or audio technician, and he serves on the finance committee and the justice and reparations task force. Past roles include co-chair of the search committee, junior warden, and youth group leader. He has served in many diocesan positions, including vice president of the Diocesan Council and chair of the Millennium Development Goals Committee, Episcopal Service Corps, and he currently serves on the Samaritan board. When not doing church or civic things, he is a partner in True Chesapeake Oyster Co., and a big advocate for sustainable shellfish. Steve and Monty have lived around the corner from the church since 2005.
**treasurer@memorialepiscopal.org**

Registar

David Toia serves as Registrar on the Vestry at Memorial. The son of an Episcopal priest in Bucks County Pennsylvania, he grew up in the rectory of Good Shepherd Church in Hilltown where his father was minister and his mother played with the folk group. Growing up, David studied piano, percussion, and voice, and sang with several touring choirs. He graduated Cabrini College with a degree in Communications and worked for several years as a radio engineer and producer with several radio stations in Philadelphia. He went on to complete his Masters in Humanities at Arcadia University, where he met his wife Justina. David has worked for several school districts in Pennsylvania, a private school in Maryland and is now the Manager of Immersive Media with the Center for Teaching and Learning at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Much of his current work includes running the Center's video production team and designing virtual reality content. Additionally, David is an adjunct instructor with the Johns Hopkins School of Education where he teaches Gaming and Simulation Design for Education. David, Justina, and their son Grey, live in Mt. Washington.
**registrar@memorialepiscopal.org**

vestry members

2024 - 2025

Amy Krulak

Amy Krulak is a lifelong Episcopalian who has been a member of Memorial Episcopal Church her entire adult life. She and her husband Alastair were married here April 30 years ago. Their three children Zoë, Gordon and Silvia were baptized here and the whole family performed in the first several musicals.

In her professional life as a clinical social worker Amy has been employed by Baltimore City Schools for the last 27 years. Amy has also been involved with the Samaritan Community as a Board Member and volunteer over the last 26 years. Her commitment to Memorial Episcopal Church and the community is strong and dedicated to it’s health and vibrancy.

Stacy Wells

Stacy Wells currently serves as Memorial's Senior Warden and manages training development at the Federal Aviation Administration. She lives in Bolton Hill with her kids, Nate (15) and Mary Anne (13.5). You might see her being dragged around the neighborhood by her two pups - Beatrice (Bea) and Bennett (Benny). Her favorite role at Memorial is singing in the alto/best section of the Choir.

Beth Torres

Beth Torres is entering her second year as Junior Warden. She is happy to be indulged by being allowed to sing alto in the choir. A native of New Jersey and lifelong Episcopalian, Beth is an Army Veteran who spent 32 years in the Army band program as a horn player. To support her habit of living in Bolton Hill, she works at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the small business office. Beth plays principal horn with the Greenspring Valley Orchestra and the Baltimore Philharmonia, and is the horn player with Quintessence woodwind quintet. She holds degrees in horn performance, music history, MBA, and Strategic Studies.

Scott Purnell-Saunders

VESTRY members

2025 - 2026

Thomas Penniston

Tom Penniston is originally from Palmer, AK, and was raised Catholic. He and his amazing wife, Erin, who he met as an undergraduate student in Knoxville, TN, began attending Memorial when they moved to Bolton Hill in 2009. Since that time, all three of their beautiful children have been born in the city, baptized at Memorial, and raised in the neighborhood and church.

Tom and Erin moved to Baltimore to attend graduate school, having returned from Peace Corps service in the Easter European country of Moldova. Tom went on to earn his doctorate and works at UMBC as the Coordinator of Learning Analytics. He is dedicated to civic engagement and helping breakdown the barriers that divide us within and across communities.

Wendy Yap

Wendy first visited Memorial Church in 1995, when she attended Festival on the Hill. Inside the sanctuary, she was astonished to find retired racing greyhounds awaiting adoption. She returned to attend Sunday services and was drawn to the music and Episcopal liturgy, and to Father Barney Farnham's commitment to build an inclusive urban church. A few years later, she and husband Seth were married at Memorial. After living in Boston for a number of years, they returned to Baltimore and to Memorial, with children Christine and Julian in tow.

Wendy is originally from Seattle, but spent her formative years in Singapore, where she attended the Methodist Girls' School. She is an operations manager for CDI Labs in Baltimore, a biotech company. Wendy was confirmed as an Episcopalian in June 2021, and enjoys serving as a Memorial Church greeter. She has served on Memorial's Vestry since 2021, and is learning from her peers how to strengthen the church and community through outreach.

Ryan Strum

Ryan Sturm is a father of three children; James, 6, Dory, nearly 4, and Charlie, nearly 2. Husband of one, Sophia, his wife, who is nearly 40(!!). He spends his time cooking delicious meals, playing disc golf, and trying to please his wife and children. Ryan attended Baltimore Lutheran High School, now Concordia Preparatory, and has an Episcopal upbringing, having been baptized and confirmed at St Johns Western Run Parish in the 1990s. Ryan also enjoys playing the guitar, though his fingers are now soft and only grace a fretboard a few times every month. Previously, he was a rising trumpeter, playing for marathon runners at Epcot Center in 1999 and the London Marathon in 2001, and he enjoyed a minor scholarship for playing in both Concert and Jazz bands at his small college. Having met his lovely wife at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, in 2002 as friends, they reconnected in Baltimore in 2010 and have since become slightly more than friends (at times), and since they both have Episcopal upbringings, it has been only natural that they found themselves feeling at home at Memorial Episcopal here in Bolton Hill. Residents of Mount Vernon, you might find them walking and panting, or testing their parallel parking skills, to attend church at Memorial. They have had two children at Bolton Hill Nursery school, with a third slated for entry next fall. They have also had two of their children baptized at Memorial, and really enjoy the Memorial community, and are excited to become further involved in the future of the church!

Keenan Dvorak-Fisher

Keenan Dworak-Fisher and his wife Sally Dworak-Fisher first came to Memorial in 2005 when they were enthusiastic members of the Connect prayer and discussion group. They were drawn to Memorial by its eagerness to embrace the full meaning of Christ’s message of love, especially the inclusiveness within the church and its commitment to creating a more just society. They have lived in Baltimore since 2002, first in Federal Hill and now in Otterbein. Their son, Zeke, is in the 8th grade at Roland Park Middle School. Keenan works as an economist for the US Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington DC, where he directs the National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) program. The mission of the NLS is to provide high-quality data to support meaningful research in the social sciences, and Keenan loves that this work puts him in contact with researchers from a wide variety of fields who use NLS data to study economic, demographic, and social topics throughout the life course of the surveys' subjects. He is looking forward to bringing his analytical skills to help Memorial continue applying its resources wisely and justly in the world. In his spare time, he likes reading, running, and harassing Sally and Zeke with his extremely bad Dad jokes.

VESTRY members

2026 - 2027

David Dimmock

David came to Baltimore in 1976 as a fresh college graduate, to visit his brother and play in a pit orchestra for a community theater musical. He subsequently won a lottery drawing for a "dollar house" renovation project in Otterbein and never left town. His first association with Memorial was playing in the pit for Annie in 2010. He joined the church choir in 2013 and has been here ever since. David is retired from Northrop Grumman, where he worked for 35 years in program management. He lives in Guilford with his wife Megan and their beloved dog, Dexter.

Steve Howard

David Toia

David Toia serves as Registrar on the Vestry at Memorial. The son of an Episcopal priest in Bucks County Pennsylvania, he grew up in the rectory of Good Shepherd Church in Hilltown where his father was minister and his mother played with the folk group. Growing up, David studied piano, percussion, and voice, and sang with several touring choirs. He graduated Cabrini College with a degree in Communications and worked for several years as a radio engineer and producer with several radio stations in Philadelphia. He went on to complete his Masters in Humanities at Arcadia University, where he met his wife Justina. David has worked for several school districts in Pennsylvania, a private school in Maryland and is now the Manager of Immersive Media with the Center for Teaching and Learning at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Much of his current work includes running the Center's video production team and designing virtual reality content. Additionally, David is an adjunct instructor with the Johns Hopkins School of Education where he teaches Gaming and Simulation Design for Education. David, Justina, and their son Grey, live in Mt. Washington.