Notice of Annual Meeting & Elections
January 11, 2017
Sunday, January 29 @ 11:45 a.m.
after a 10:00 a.m. combined service
(No 8, 9, or 11 a.m. services this day)
St. James Cathedral's 2017 Brunch and Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2017, after a 10:00 a.m. combined service. There will be no 8:00, 9:00 or 11:00 services on that day.
The Annual Meeting will include elections for Cathedral Chapter, Diocesan Delegates, and the Finance Commission. The Cathedral Nominating Committee is putting forward the following slate of candidates. (Biographies are below.)
CHAPTER MEMBERS
Vote for four: Three 3-year terms; One 2-year term
Mary Evans
Andrew Long
Stacy Sharpe
Jilliann Smith
2017 CONVENTION DELEGATES
Vote for three for 1-year terms
Bill Cosper
Timmothy Holt
Debrah Jefferson
2017 CONVENTION ALTERNATE DELEGATES
Vote for three for 1-year terms
Beverly Cox
Mary Jo Hoag
Charles Peterson
FINANCE COMMISSION MEMBERS
Vote for two for 1-year terms
Craig Elder
Anya Kleymenova
BILL COSPER
Convention Delegate
I’ve been a Cathedral parishioner for a little over 25 years. From my first Sunday here, I felt at-home in a way I never expected and St. James has ever since always been a major factor in my life. Much of the Cathedral’s journey has often reflected aspects of my professional and personal life in ways that continue to astonish, encourage and educate me. I’ve gained many of my dearest friends and most important personal relationships through St. James.
I’ve been a member of the Cathedral Chapter for two years, having previously served a full term several years ago. I’ve been an acolyte for 20+ years and now serve as the verger for diocesan and special services. I have enjoyed helping with a variety of other ministries, particularly stewardship and communications, and was a delegate to Diocesan Convention in 2015 & 2016.
I believe with all my heart that St. James is at the doorstep of a new age of energy, service and witness– exemplifying the love, justice and welcome of Jesus in who we are, what we do and how we serve. To cross that threshold and truly fulfill our calling, our congregational priority must be building more-connected engagement with and among all our Cathedral family, collectively investing all more deeply in our community.
Beverly Bond Cox
Alternate Convention Delegate
I have been an Episcopalian since 1989 and at St. James for 6 years. My husband and I began attending St. James because of its close proximity to our downtown condo and the uplifting music, preaching and camaraderie. After our first visit, we were drawn to return again and again until we realized that St. James was the right fit for us and that it was a joinable parish. Since becoming a member in the Cathedral Community, my activities have included lector, healing minister, acolyte, communion server and, for the past two years, a Chapter Member. It is as a Chapter Member that I have been privy to the business of the Cathedral—the many blessings, the many challenges, and the great potential. I am very excited to be a part of further discernment and actualization of God's Love within and outside this community. My love and appreciation for this community continues to grow.
By profession, I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois with a PhD from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Master of Divinity from Bexley Hall Seminary-Columbus. Also, I am trained in Spiritual Direction and have completed a 2-year Jungian Psychotherapy Training Program at the Chicago Institute. My career path has included work across the age span from infants to adults and across a variety of settings, including private practice, colleges, public schools, a medical school, state facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities, prisons and police departments. Currently, I am employed as a Psychologist with Jackson Park Hospital.
Craig Elder
Finance Commission
Craig Elder has been attending St. James since moving to Chicago in March 2015 having transferred from St. Paul’s Church in Milwaukee, WI. He previously attended Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Jonesboro, AR. He is on the Usher Team at St. James. At St. Paul’s he served as an Usher, Chalice Bearer and served on the Vestry as Junior and Senior Warden. He is married to Arista Elder and has an adult son, Nathaniel, who lives in Memphis, TN.
Craig is a Director at Robert W. Baird serving as a senior fixed income analyst in the Private Wealth Management Equity and Fixed Income Research Group. He is a member of Baird’s Investment Policy Committee and serves on the PWM Fixed Income Credit Committee. He holds a BBA in Business Administration with a major in Finance from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis and received a MBA with an emphasis in finance from Christian Brothers University in Memphis. Craig is a member of the Fixed Income Analyst Society in New York, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the CFA Society of Chicago and the CFA Institute.
Mary Evans
Cathedral Chapter
Mary found St. James Cathedral soon after moving to Chicago in the summer of 2015 and is a regular at the 9:00 service. She is proud to have served on the Search Committee that brought Steven (and Lieve) Buzard to the Cathedral and is currently a member of Cate Anthony’s discernment committee. She has also enjoyed serving our Summer in the City participants and occasionally assisting in Sunday School.
Following a 30+ career in higher education administration and development at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, Mary came to Chicago to lead the Committee of 200, where she continues to serve as a consultant to the C200 Foundation, supporting the advancement of women in business. She has two grown sons and has already convinced one to join her here in Chicago.
Mary’s hope for St. James is that we can continue to build an inclusive and supportive Cathedral community engaging and serving our local community. In particular, she looks forward to offering expertise in fundraising and program development to the Chapter.
Mary Jo Hoag
Alternate Convention Delegate
I am happily retired and busy giving tours and donating time with the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF). As a CAF docent, I’ve served as Docent Council President and presently am a chairperson for a docent committee. Do you know about the amazing history of St. James Cathedral? I give tours of our beautiful building and its just such an important Chicago historical church! I serve in a leadership position with the Associates of the Congregation of Notre Dame Sisters (CND). The CNDs were my teachers growing up and now are good friends and spiritual mentors. I’m a firm believer that if you love a people, cause or a movement, you express that belief through the donation of time and treasure.
That brings us to Saint James and our faith community. I love St. James, our generous members, the comfort of an ancient ritual beautifully done and our movement to social justice. Just being at the cathedral enlivens and enriches my faith life. From the moment I walked through the doors, I sensed the welcome (of all) and the lively faith contained therein. I have been worshiping at St. James for about 18 months and was officially welcomed into the church at the Easter Vigil, 2016. This is my spiritual home and I will do what I can to strengthen it and make it a place for all.
Timmothy Holt
Convention Delegate
I am a retired physician with a specialty in geriatrics. I am a writer and have published medical articles as well as poetry, short stories, and novels. I have served on numerous non-for-profit boards, including American Medical Association, Catholic Health Association, and the American Geriatric Association. At Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans I helped evaluate grant requests from community organizations seeking funds from the community endowment.
I have served on the Cathedral Chapter for three years, currently as Senior Warden. I am a member of the Stewardship Committee, Wisdom Group, Welcome Committee, and Altar Guild, and am an acolyte and Education for Ministry mentor.
Debrah Jefferson
Convention Delegate
I retired from Chicago State University in 2013 as associate vice president for academic affairs and contract administration. I hold a Ph.D. degree in computing and instructional research from Purdue University and have over 40 years of experience in higher education and the corporate workplace. Currently, I am a part-time executive director for an employee educational program at UPS, which encompasses five community colleges and two universities.
I am a life-long Episcopalian and became a member of St. James Cathedral in the early ‘90s when I relocated to Chicago. I have served on both the usher and acolyte teams, most recently as a head acolyte, sub deacon, and member of the verger team. In 2015 and 2016 I was a delegate to the Diocesan Convention and was a member of the Stewardship Team for 2016.
Anya Kleymenova
Finance Commission
Anya Kleymenova has been a member of the Cathedral for the last two years. She moved to Chicago from London and was previously a member of the Lambeth Mission St Mary’s in the North Lambeth parish of London, UK. At St. James, she is a member of the Altar Guild and Finance Commission and also helps with the Sunday School. Anya joined the Finance Commission in July 2016.
Anya is an Assistant Professor of Accounting and Centel Foundation/Robert P. Reuss Faculty Scholar at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She teaches the core financial accounting course to Booth MBA students. Her research specializes in financial institutions; disclosure regulation and liquidity; real effects of disclosure; and real effects of regulatory changes on banks’ behavior. She was a researcher at the Bank of England and, prior to her doctoral studies, worked as a competition and financial economist at Charles River Associates (CRA) in London and Washington, DC. Anya received her PhD degree from London Business School. In addition, she has an undergraduate degree in Finance from Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business, MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and MSc in Finance and MRes in Accounting from London Business School.
Andrew Long
Cathedral Chapter
I’ve been worshiping at St. James with my family, Claire and James, since Easter 2014, when we moved to Chicago. Prior to that, we worshiped at St. Peters Del Mar in California for 15 years. I was invited this year to assist with the Summer in the City program, and have historically be active in homeless ministries, as a volunteer in Chicago, and on the organizing committee of our parish Interfaith Shelter program in California.
Professionally, I trained as an engineer, and now work as the operations lead of a consulting practice. Consistent with this career path, I’m practical, pragmatic and action oriented, leading to a focus on getting things done and the processes to achieve those aims. I have a bias to the “hard skills” rather than the “soft” skills, when those are of service.
I look forward to contributing to the church in any way I can, and would be honored to serve if I am called.
Charles Peterson
Alternate Convention Delegate
I am a Professor of Communication Arts at North Park University in Chicago. My PhD is in Radio-TV-Film from Northwestern University. Research interests include ownership and control of mass media, Sami and Eskimo indigenous cultures, and Scandinavian Studies. Undergraduate studies included music, physics, and the pipe organ.
We have been members at St. James for 3 ½ years. I have served on the Altar Guild, Stewardship Committee, Chapter, and as an acolyte. Sharon and I were attracted to St. James because of the beautiful sanctuary, the attention to liturgy, great choir and organ, and challenging preaching. Our shared goal is to strengthen the mission of St. James Cathedral in Chicago by supporting the strong traditions of liturgy, preaching, music and service to the community. This requires a renewed attention to hospitality and development to build a loyal and generous membership. As chair of the Altar Guild, I see our ministry as a way to create a worshipful environment that attracts new members and meets the worship needs of everyone participating in our services.
Stacy Sharpe
Cathedral Chapter
Stacy Sharpe rejoined St. James Cathedral in 2014 after moving back to Chicago from Washington, D.C. Before moving to D.C., she served on the Episcopal Charities and Community Services board of trustees.
Stacy is the senior vice president of Strategic and Consumer Corporate Communications for The Allstate Corporation. In that role, she helps protect and enhance Allstate’s reputation. She has also held leadership roles in insurance sales and operations, as well as federal government relations at Allstate.
Stacy serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Urban League and on the Chicago Advisory Board and national Leadership Council for Facing History and Ourselves. She is a 2007 Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago. Stacy is also a member of the North Shore chapter of The Links Inc.
Stacy holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Jilliann Smith
Cathedral Chapter
Jilliann and her husband, Sean, have been a part of the St. James Cathedral community since Easter Sunday 2012, when she was first captivated by the beautiful service (and celebratory streamers); their one-year-old daughter, Margaret (Maggie), was baptized in the Cathedral last July.
During Jilliann’s time with St. James, she has helped plan the annual fundraiser gala for the last five years and has acted as the planning committee chair for the last two years. She has also participated as a reader and an usher.
Jilliann is a skilled marketing professional with 16+ years of experience developing and executing communication strategies for top consumer companies. She is currently a Senior Vice President at Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm, where she leads relationships with top clients like Mars Chocolate, Wrigley and Mars Petcare. Jilliann graduated from Miami University (OH) with a BA in Communication and received her MBA from New York University.