Staff

Staff

Mary Canavan Rector	Barbara Gibbons Parish Administrator	Mary Merkle-Scotland Director of Children's & Youth Ministry
David R. Mikus Sexton	Paul Jordan Organist, Chancel Choir Director	Leah Ann Portley Preschool Director
Jim Olden Guitarist	Joy Weaver Director of Spirit Choir	The Parish Vestry

Mary Canavan – Rector [back to top]

The Rev. Mary Canavan, our Rector, came to St. Andrew's in February, 2009. Previously, she served as Vicar at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pascoag, Rhode Island and was the Associate Rector of St. Paul's Church in Wickford RI before that. Pastor Mary attended General Seminary in New York City and was ordained to the priesthood in 1999.

Pastor Mary's broad experience in pastoral care, adult education, parish growth, stewardship, and children's ministries is being put to good use at St. Andrew's. Being a part of the happy and healthy church family at St. Andrew's is one of the most important things in Mary's life. Another joy for Mary is raising her two children. She adopted them both from Vietnam. Her son was only a few months old when he accompanied Mary home from Vietnam. Then four years later she returned to Vietnam to bring home her daughter.

Mary and her two children reside in the newly renovated Rectory where they are an integral part of St. Andrew's ministry.

Barbara Gibbons – Parish Administrator [back to top]

Barbara joined the St. Andrew's staff as Parish Administrator in 1998 and loves her involvement with all the parishioners as well as overseeing the daily operations of the parish office.

Born and raised in Bucks County Pennsylvania, she is the mother of three--Laurie, Catie and Chris. Laurie resides in Madison with her husband, Tom. Catie is employed by Incremedical in Essex and Chris attends the University of Connecticut. Residing in Madison for over 25 years, Barbara and her children have been members of the St. Andrew's family for over 20 years. She enjoys cooking and relaxed walks along the shore with her two golden retrievers.

Mary Merkle-Scotland – Director of Children's & Youth Ministry [to top]

Mary assumed the position of Director of Children's and Youth Ministry on October 1, 2008. She comes to St. Andrew's with eight years of experience in youth ministry in Colorado and holds a degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She has designed programs and training materials for young people and for adult volunteers. Mary directs the Church School, planning activities with teachers and families, and working with the youth groups.

Residing in Madison, Mary, her husband Ian, and four daughters are members of St. Andrew's.

David R. Mikus – Sexton [back to top]

David Mikus has been the Sexton since 1987 and previously served as St. Andrew’s Verger for many years. The Sexton is responsible for maintaining the “physical” church.

David works for the U.S. Forest Service at a forest research laboratory. He is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and has attended Middlesex Community College and Southern CT State University. He has a degree in Environmental Science. He lives in Clinton with his wife, Tina, and enjoys the outdoors, running, baseball, singing in the opera chorus and taking care of St. Andrew's.

Paul Jordan – Organist, Chancel Choir Director, and Keyboard [to top]

Paul comes to St. Andrew's with much experience as a world class organist, giving over 100 organ concerts on four continents. He also is extremely proficient and gifted on the keyboard as well as an vocalist, conductor, recorder player, and harpsichord player.

Paul has a Master's Degree in Sacred Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts. He served as Director of Music for United Church on the Green, New Haven and at several Episcopal Churches. He retired as Professor of Music, State University of New York after 22 years. Paul has produced many recordings of his work.

Leah Ann Portley– Preschool Director [to top]

A resident of Madison, Leah Ann Portley has been a parishioner at St. Andrew's since 1997. She led the church school program from 1998 to 2008 and has directed St. Andrew's Preschool for several years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion, Sociology, and Psychology from Swarthmore College and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Her greatest joys are her husband, Sean, and caring for her three daughters: Makayla, 9, Korinne, 7, and Katrina, 4. Leah Ann enjoys the beach, good conversation, and camping.

Jim Olden – Guitarist [back to top]

Jim Olden was born and raised in Bricktown, NJ, where he grew up playing guitar with the church and school choirs. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from The College of New Jersey (formerly Trenton State College) and spent several years in the Trenton area as a working musician and teaching privately. In 1999, he moved to Connecticut to attend the Hartt School of Music and earned a Master of Music in classical guitar. Jim currently is the orchestra director of Orange Public Schools where he had the great fortune to make the acquaintance of June Hale. Recently married, Jim resides with his wife Marie in Milford under the strict supervision of their cats, Mia and Toby.

Joy Weaver – Spirit Choir and Musicals Director [back to top]

Joy is familiar to St. Andrew's audiences and children from her previous roles in leading our summer camps and musicals. In addition to her enthusiastic personality and talent for bringing out the best in kids, she has a deep and accomplished musical background, having worked professionally in many aspects of the theater. Joy loves the 9:15 a.m. service and the accompanying spirit-filled music. Her goal: getting everyone to sing either in the choir or in the congregation!

The Parish Vestry [back to top]

Senior Warden	Rob Card
Junior Warden	Matt Parthasarthy
Treasurer	Bill Downes
Clerk of the Vestry	Olivia Scaros

Charles Albright
Sandra Butler
Rich Fisler
Jenny Gerst
Geoff Gregory
Terry Sinclair
Martha Stewart
Robert Stimpson
Margaret Walden