The Vestry Nominations Committee (Rudy Green, Dulce Aguilar-Garcia, De Sellers, and Suzy Stege) are pleased to submit the following slate for Vestry and the St. James’ Diocesan Council Delegation. The Spirit has been at work in this process, leading us to identify four candidates for vestry, four delegates for Council, and one alternate for council, who are uniquely gifted for the work and enthusiastic to serve.
In developing this Vestry slate, the Vestry Nominations Committee took a careful look at our three-year goals and sought out individuals with the passion, experience, and skills needed to help us realize those goals. We are delighted to present you with a slate of proven leaders, committed to the St. James’ ethos of radical hospitality and representative of various diversities of our congregation. Vestries always work and listen hard, and they frequently have to make difficult decisions for the life of the congregation. The nominees on this slate offer their names without reticence, but with a clear-eyed view of challenges we must tackle in our multicultural community’s life together.
The congregation willing, the members of this vestry slate will join the following continuing Vestry members: Rudy Green, Teresa Chang, Alondra Johnson, Craig Watkins, Dulce Aguilar-Garcia, Jim Crosby, Martin Jolivet, and Suzy Stege. We are grateful to Micah Barber, Susan Gezana, and De Sellers, who will roll off of the Vestry as of the Annual Parish Meeting. I should say that Micah, Susan, and De, were called to serve on the vestry when they did not know who the new rector would be yet. They were Vestry freshmen with me as I came on board, and they never thought they would be serving during a global pandemic, but they have served with great passion, diligence, and wisdom.
In developing the Diocesan Council slate, the Vestry Nominations Committee thought about what will be going on at Diocesan Council 2022 and who needs to be there representing St. James’ in order for our delegation to be an effective voice and presence, alongside our clergy. This Diocesan Council slate combines Council experience with fresh eyes ready for the task. I want to note that Eric Kennedy and Lora Livingston have served on our Diocesan Council delegation for a number of years, bringing their wealth of experience and networks in the church. As they move on to different expressions of ministry, we want to thank them for their long service.
Vestry Slate
Each year four new Vestry members are elected to serve for a three-year term.
Clint Dawson is a professor and department chair at UT, and has lived in Austin 26 years. He grew up in the Methodist Church but he joined St. James’ in 2009 and was confirmed in 2010. He served on the Finance Committee in 2010-2011 and was a Vestry member from 2011-2014. He served as Junior Warden in 2013-14. Clint has been involved in Education for Ministry since 2015. Most recently, he has served on the Vestry Ministry and Mission Committee. Clint writes, “St. James’ will always be my church home, I love the people of this parish. I love our heritage. I am very enthusiastic about the direction we’re headed. We are poised for great things. We will always have challenges, but we have always demonstrated resilience. I would be honored to serve again on the Vestry as we chart our future together.”
Simone Talma Flowers, a member of St. James’ for over 26 years. St. James’ is home to her, it’s the place she finds solace, friendship, and love. Simone has served St. James throughout the years in many ministries – Altar Guild, Stewardship, Phenomenal Woman, Hospitality, Treasurer, Vestry, Senior Warden, Lector, Usher and many more. Simone serves as the Executive Director of Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) and actively participates in the community by serving on numerous Boards. Simone has served on the Vestry this past year to fulfill an incomplete term, and she has agreed to serve for another 3 years, should the congregation elect this slate.
John May and his wife Sandy have been at St. James’ since 2003. Sandy saw an advertisement in the Statesman about “Jazz at St. James’,” and said “This looks like fun; let’s check it out!” They went, and St. James’ became their church home. They both sing in the 10:30 choir, and John has served on multiple search committees for St. James’ staff. On a professional level, Dr. John May is the retired Senior Executive Director of Fine Arts for the San Antonio Independent School District. Prior to this appointment he worked in Austin ISD, first as Coordinator of Choral and Elementary Music, and later as Supervisor of Fine Arts. Before his 18 years as an administrator, he served for 20 years as a high school and church choral director. Since retirement, John has been active in the Austin film community as an actor, appearing in television programs, feature films, and commercials.
Margaret Shaw has lived in Austin for more than 25 years and worshipped at St. James’ since 2002 (?). She served on Rector Search Committee which called Rev. Eileen, Treasurer of St. James’ School Board, and member of Vestry Finance Committee, as well as 10 years as leader with teenagers in Journey 2 Adulthood (J2A), She currently enjoys teaching preschool and elementary ages in Godly Play. For the Diocese of Texas, she has served on five Discernment Committees, assisting seekers determine their call within the Church. She happily has been a member of St J Restaurant Group for more years than she knows. Margaret is a project manager at the City of Austin Economic Development Department, and her professional career has been focused on addressing equity and poverty issues, through affordable housing, real estate and other community development efforts, in Washington DC, Austin and along the Texas-Mexico border.
Diocesan Council Slate
Delegates to Diocesan Council commit to attending the entirety of the Council meeting in 2022 and being a part of the preparation for the work of Council.
Delegates to Diocesan Council
Renette Bledsoe and her husband Horace have been members of St. James’ Episcopal Church for more than 30 years. She has been involved in numerous ministries, including two terms on Vestry, Sr. Warden, a Greeter, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lay Eucharistic Visitor, Stewardship Committee, a member of the St. James’ Mission Team to the border, a member of the Mission Team to Houston after Hurricane Harvey, Reading Buddy at Norman, a Neighbor 2 Neighbor volunteer, and part of the virtual choir during the pandemic. She is trained through One Human Race and Cursillo. Renette retired from Austin ISD in 2008 after serving as Principal at Paredes Middle School. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends, decorating, fishing, movies, and preparing delicious meals for others.
Lizzie Cain Clark‘s home away from home throughout childhood was St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Birmingham, AL, where she was baptized, confirmed, and married. Since the late 1990s, she has been a parishioner at St. James’ Austin where she has served on the finance committee, stewardship committee, lay ministries committee, vestry, and as senior warden. She has also coordinated outreach activities at St. James’, volunteered with St. James’ Welcome Table, served as a lay chaplain with the Community of Hope, and is currently in year 4 of Education for Ministry (EfM).
Scott Madison has attended St. James’ Austin since 2004 and has been involved in various ministries and leadership positions. He has served on the Vestry at St. James’, as clerk, Junior Warden, and Senior Warden, and was chair of our most recent rector search committee. He also served as Vice Chair for the Diocesan Host Committee for General Convention in 2018.
Lauren Walton is a newcomer to Austin and St. James’ Episcopal Church from Southern California, where she attended St. Thomas of Canterbury Church in Temecula. There, she was very involved with the church and diocesan youth groups, and she attended several programs and mission trips. She participated at the San Diego Diocesan Convention as a youth delegate, helped with the election process for Bishop Susan Brown Snook, and participated in the Consecration Ceremony in 2019. Her most recent contribution was as a youth representative on the St. Thomas Bishop’s Committee in 2020. She moved to Austin to attend the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, pursuing a degree in Pastry Arts, and immediately got involved at St. James’.
Alternate
Roger Williams, and his wife Norma, joined St. James’ when Bill Miller was rector, and their children Joseph and Rachel were baptized at St. James’ on MLK. Roger has served St. James on the Vestry, the Finance Committee, and the Children’s Ministry, is a Lector at the 10:15 and 5:30 services, and has represented St. James’ at three previous Diocesan Councils. Roger was confirmed at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and attended St. Andrews and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Schools. He is an intellectual property lawyer in private practice in Austin., and his wife Norma, joined St. James’ when Bill Miller was rector, and their children Joseph and Rachel were baptized at St. James’ on MLK. Roger has served St. James on the Vestry, the Finance Committee, and the Children’s Ministry, is a Lector at the 10:15 and 5:30 services, and has represented St. James’ at three previous Diocesan Councils. Roger was confirmed at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and attended St. Andrews and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Schools. He is an intellectual property lawyer in private practice in Austin.
