Vestry Elections

St. Luke’s will be holding its annual vestry elections on Sunday, April 10. Mail-in ballots available upon request and must be returned on or before Saturday, April 9th. To request a mail-in ballot please contact Susan Bello, Church Secretary, by email at stlukeschurchpa@verizon.net or by phone at (215) 968-2781.

The following individuals are running for election for the 2022-2025 time period:

Tom Cinque was born into the Episcopal church after being baptized at Saint Peter’s Church in Essex Fells, NJ. Tom, his wife Amy, and his family moved to Newtown in 2004 after spending several years in New England. They discovered Saint Luke’s after searching for an Episcopal church to baptize their newborn daughter, Lily, and they have been members since that time. Tom’s service to the church includes a previous term on the vestry (20118-2021) as well as currently serving on the Finance and Rector Search committees. Tom believes Saint Luke’s is a valuable asset to the Newtown community and Tom wishes to return to the vestry to assist in developing the positive impact the church has on the area.

In his rare free time, Tom enjoys jogging, cycling, skiing, and reading. Tom and his family all still reside in Newtown.

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Robin Connell – I have been a member of St Luke’s for about 13 years even though it took us a while to get my transfer in because I was Robin Bolton when I attended my last church. I joined St. Luke’s because we had moved to Newtown PA and I wanted to reconnect with my Episcopalian roots. It was close and I really enjoyed the Elizabethan service. I wanted to get to know everyone so I volunteered to help run the ECW Bazaar. I quickly became known as the Bazaar lady which is scary if you pronounce it incorrectly. The rest is history. I have served on Vestry in the past also volunteering as Stewardship Chairperson, Membership chairperson and also serving on the investment and finance committees. I have also led the Prayer Shawl Ministry with Mary Matus for 9 years and the ECW Christmas Charity Bazaar for 11 years with Maria Schmidt. I was a girl scout and sincerely believe in the buddy system.

I have to be honest I was asked to serve again and I realize this is a very important time in the church’s history selecting the next Rector of our church and I agreed to help with that endeavor. I am part of the St. Luke’s family and although I live quite a distance away I love our family and will always help when you need me.

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Sonja Cerra-Gilch  – I am a lifelong Bucks County resident and member of the Episcopal church. As a child I was baptized, attended and confirmed at St James Episcopal Church and Sunday School in Bristol PA. I attended Penn State University and then while a student at Temple University Medical School I temporarily lived in NE Philadelphia and attended All Saints Episcopal Church where I married my husband of 29 years and baptized my 3 oldest children. Upon moving back home to Bucks County we settled in Upper Holland PA, Northampton township and attended St Luke’s since January 2000. My youngest 2 children were baptized and all my children have been confirmed at St Luke’s. Until Covid my children have attended Sunday school regularly.

From Penn State I earned a BS in Microbiology/Pre-med. I attended Temple University Medical School and stayed there for my residency in Diagnostic Imaging. I am a practicing physician at St Mary Medical Center where I am the director of breast imaging for my practice. I specialize in breast cancer detection and I interpret all breast imaging including mammography, ultrasound and MRI and perform breast biopsies. I participate in educational conferences weekly and perform community outreach programs.

I was a Sunday school teacher at All Saints Church when I worked part-time. I could no longer volunteer for that duty when I picked up more work hours. At St Luke’s I participate in the church bazaar donating baked goods, purchasing greens every year to decorate my husband’s dealership and our home, and the kids made crafts to sell in Sunday school. I have always enjoyed shopping for the homeless at Christmas and for other needs through the church. My son Matteo was an acolyte at St Luke’s for 5 years. Dr Nick had taught my youngest piano and cello lessons for several years and she participated in church ensembles throughout this period as his student. We often participated in the Santa dinner and had my stepfather dress as St Nick to give out treats to the kids.

As a Vestry member I will look forward to serving and representing our Parish dutifully.

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Barbara Lotz – I was Baptized, Confirmed and Married in the Episcopal Church. While at the various Parishes I have belonged to over my lifetime I attended Sunday School into my high school age, sang in both the Girl’s and Woman’s Choirs, was on the Altar Guild, including being Directress at one church, helped at Bazaars as well as Church Suppers, and along with my husband Donald belonged to various couple’s groups. I was the Secretary/Administrative Assistant at two churches for over twenty-five years which I enjoyed very much. I also learned much about how a church operates. My interests include doing counted cross stitch (a form of embroidery), and other types of sewing. Trains in any form, both real and toy are another hobby; our basement is filled with a model train layout that is up all year (not just at Christmas) and we have travelled by rail around the United States, Canada and Europe. I also enjoy reading and learning about history, but mostly I love spending time with our five grandchildren, which is getting harder to do as any grandparent knows, what with their school, sports, plays, friends, etc. We joined St Luke’s after attending a Christmas Eve service and discovering the beautiful building, the lovely Choir, and mostly because use of the Anglican Service Book. Having been raised using the 1928 version of the Book of Common Prayer, I find the Anglican Service Book to be most comforting and least jarring compared to the current Book of Common Prayer. I have formed many friendships at St Luke’s, and find it to be a warm and inviting church.

Since joining St Luke’s Church I have been serving on the Altar Guild, and as an Usher, and regularly attend both Sunday and Wednesday services. I have helped with the Bazaar and Vacation Bible School. I support the Church with a yearly Pledge and try to welcome newcomers and visitors to help them realize St Luke’s is a wonderful place to worship.

I am standing for Vestry because I feel it is especially important for St Luke’s to maintain use of the Anglican Service Book (the black book). We are a “Destination” church. People come from fair distances, passing more than one Episcopal Church just to come to St Luke’s. I believe our use of the Anglican Service Book is a major reason, otherwise why drive the extra miles to attend this church that uses the Book of Common Prayer (1979 version) Rite ll at our main service and pushing Rite l to an inconvenient time or a little used service. Why wouldn’t they go to a church closer to home?

It is extremely important for any new Rector candidate to be aware of this fact. If we start using the Book of Common Prayer with a new Rector, we risk losing parishioners which we cannot afford to do. This is even more true since the COVID-19 Pandemic, as many people have stopped coming physically, preferring to use Zoom, and may in some cases either continue to do so or just not return to Church at all. They may then feel since they are not using the church building, they have no need to support us financially or otherwise. I have been through a new Rector Search at another church. The Committee did not fully vet the candidate and the results were disastrous. Since we will have a new Rector, I feel it will be most important to have a Vestry that will help him or her guide St Luke’s as it enters this new phase of its history.

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Bill Mahler – My family were already members of St. Luke’s when I was born in 1974. I was baptized at St. Luke’s by Father Wiley in the Fall of that year and have been a member of the Congregation since. I graduated from Council Rock High School in 1992, received a B.S. from Kutztown University and an M.Ed from The College of New Jersey. After many years as a General Manager for a Restaurant Group and Regional Manager for a Corporate Food Service Company, I got my Real Estate License and have been selling Real Estate for Fox & Roach Realtors in Newtown for 15 years. My wife, Lauren, and I were married in St. Luke’s Church on June 10, 2006. We have two boys, Tristan age 7 and Brayden age 13, who were both baptized in St. Luke’s and enjoy Sunday school and participating in other events. I enjoy coaching the boys in sports, all Philadelphia athletic teams and playing golf when I can get out.

I serve the Community as First Vice President of the Newtown Historic Association, Chairman of the Newtown Township and Newtown Borough Joint Historic Commission, and Chairman of the Newtown Township Historic Architectural Review Board. I serve as a member and Past Chancellor-Commander of the Defiance Lodge #335, Knights of Pythias in Newtown and I am currently serving as an Officer on The Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias, Domain of Pennsylvania. Over my time at St. Luke’s I have attended Sunday School and Youth Group, served as an Alter Boy, been an assistant Sunday School teacher, a member of the Youth Choir and a member of the Adult Choir, though I was only age 15-17. More recently, I have served previously on Vestry, been a member of the Finance Committee, past Stewardship Chair and currently serve as the Liaison to Janney Montgomery Scott and Investments Chair, as well as the Co-Chair of the New Rector Search Committee.

As we continue to navigate the process of finding a new Rector, I would love to serve on Vestry and help guide the Process. As a lifelong member of our incredible Congregation, I believe I have the insight that can help guide this process. I have lived through other changes in leadership, have seen and heard what our parish wants and what can work for all of us. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve St. Luke’s.

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Michelle Mooney  – My family joined St. Luke’s when I was 8 years old.The reason I continue to  be an active member of this church is because I feel connected to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when I attend services and when I participate in activities at St. Luke’s. I am an avid reader and love taking walks outdoors. I received a BS in Biology from James Madison University (JMU). While at JMU I was active in the Marching Royal Dukes and became a member of Kappa 0 got my certificate in accounting from Bucks County Community College. I have been working at Flemington Instrument Company in Ringoes, New Jersey since 2016. I am the payroll accountant and also work on accounts payable and accounts receivable.

I have been an active member of St. Luke’s for many years. When I was young I served our Lord Jesus Christ by singing in the Children’s Choir and being an Acolyte. I also participated in several mission trips to South Dakota and North Dakota where we ran a bible camp for the week. I have served on the vestry several times and have been the Accounting Warden. I am currently a member of the choir, ECW, the Prayer Shawl Ministry and a lay reader (currently on hold since the choir sits in the balcony). I am on the finance committee and I am a member of the Altar Guild. I enjoy working in the kitchen each year during the ECW Christmas Bazaar. I am also serving on the search committee. Being an active member of this church is a vital part of my faith. I feel so rewarded when I am able to serve and help others.

1 Peter 4:10-11 – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever & ever Amen.” This bible verse speaks to me and because of it I feel that God has called me to serve on Vestry.

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Wayne Randolph – I became an Episcopalian through marriage in 1999 to Andrea Lewis, a lifelong member of St. Anne’s Episcopal church in Abington, PA. We joined St. Luke’s church shortly after moving to Newtown in 2002. After adopting our son Jesse, we baptized him there in 2003. St. Luke’s services and choir provide a continuation of my journey in Christ from my upbringing in Roman Catholic liturgy.

I have been an active member of the St. Luke’s community having served on the church’s vestry from 2006 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2015. I became a lay reader in 2012 and continued until the 2020 pandemic curtailed live services. I have also been a member of the Church’s choir since 2016.

I am called to join the vestry to serve the community in its transition from the constraints imposed by the pandemic and the retirement of the previous pastor toward fulfilling the community’s continued revitalization in our transition to the installment of a permanent rector. I also have a commitment to ensure that the church has the capacity to fulfill its mission to spread His word and to receive all in the body of Christ.