50 Members Honored as "Fellows of the VGEC"

Margaret McLarty presents certificates
and virges to new "Fellows" at the 2013
Annual Conference in Nashville

The Vergers' Guild of the Episcopal Church recognized fifty members as "Fellows" at the 25th Annual Conference in Nashville. VGEC members who complete the VGEC Training Course are recognized each year at the conference as they receive a certificate of course completion and an official Training Course Virge. This year forty-seven members completed the course and three members were recognized as "Honorary Fellows."

"This is a real milestone for each verger who has completed the training course and it is exciting to be part of the recognition ceremony that takes place at the annual conference," said VGEC president Scott Smith. "With the class of 2013, we have a distinguished group of two hundred and eighty Fellows of the Guild. We saw the largest number of course completions that we have ever had in one year and it speaks to the popularity of the course and the critical role that it plays in the formation of our ministry."

Many members who completed their course this year attended the conference to receive their new virge and certificate in person. According to Ken Holloway, VGEC news manager, "Many of the recipients were seen testing the heft and balance of their virges as they departed the banquet hall and boarded buses for the conference hotel. It was great fun to watch and be a part of it."

Here is the official class of 2013:

• Mr. James R. Adams
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mr. Ian Bass
  St Pauls Cathedral, Oklahoma City, OK, Diocese of Oklahoma
• Mr. Lee Borden
  Church of the Epiphany, Tallassee, AL, Diocese of Alabama
• Mr. Homer L. Bozarth
  Church of the Redeemer, Pendleton, OR, Diocese of Eastern Oregon
• Mrs. Cheryl Lee Cantrall
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Ms. Vyonne Carter-Johnson
  Grace Episcopal Church, Houston, TX, Diocese of Texas
• Ms. Susan Elizabeth Catlette
  Christ Church, Kensington, MD, Diocese of Washington
• Mr. Charles G. Couch, Jr.
  Church of the Holy Comforter, Charlotte, NC, Diocese of North Carolina
• Mr. Patrick Crawford
  St Marks Pro Cathedral, Hastings, NE, Diocese of Nebraska
• The Rev. Peter D. D'Angio
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Ms. Patricia M. D'Orazio
  St Marks Episcopal Church, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Diocese of Southeast Florida
• Mr. Mark K Downs
  St Matthews Episcopal Church, McMinnville, TN, Diocese of Tennessee
• Mr. Wm. George Fossey
  St Joseph of Arimathea, Hendersonville, TN, Diocese of Tennessee
• Mr. Brandon Gabbard
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mr. Gary Gabbard
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mr. Justin Gabbard
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Ms. Suzanne B. Gaines
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Mr. William Hooper Gleason (Honorary)
  Church of the Resurrection, Franklin, TN, Diocese of Tennessee
• Mr. Sidney Silas Glynn
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Ms. Diane Miriam Grondin
  Christ Church, Quincy, MA, Diocese of Massachusetts
• Mr. Horace S Harper PhD
  St Matthias Episcopal Church, Clermont, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• The Rev. Dr. Larry Reid Hensarling Jr.All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Mr. Lee Carrington Herbert
  Church of the Holy Comforter, Charlotte, NC, Diocese of North Carolina
• Mr. William F. Himelberger
  St Pauls Episcopal Church, Romeo, MI, Diocese of Michigan
• Mr. Roger Lyn Hoopengardnerm
  St Martins Episcopal Church, Williamsburg, VA, Diocese of Southern Virginia
• Mr. Carle F. Howell
  Episcopal Church of Ascension, Dallas, TX, Diocese of Dallas
• The Rev. Dr. Al W. Jenkins
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Mr. David Richard Jette (Honorary)
  Trinity Parish, New York, NY, Diocese of New York
• Ms. Cheryl V. Josephson
  St Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA, Diocese of Atlanta
• Mr. Chris Klasing
  Christ Episcopal Church, Greenville, SC, Diocese of Upper South Carolina
• Mr. Robert A Kuyoth
  Church of the Epiphany, Cape Coral, FL, Diocese of Southwest Florida
• Mr. Russel D. Lawson
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, IN, Diocese of Indianapolis
• Mr. Andrew D Leonie III
  Church of the Incarnation, Dallas, TX, Diocese of Dallas
• Ms. Dorothy S. Marshall
  St Hilarys Episcopal Church, Fort Myers, FL, Diocese of Southwest Florida
• Mrs. Margaret Peters McLarty (Honorary)
  St Andrews Episcopal Cathedral, Jackson, MS, Diocese of Mississippi
• Mr. Patrick Wailes Murphy
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Mrs. Stacey Stoddard Murphy
  All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland, FL, Diocese of Central Florida
• Mr. Lynn W. Neill, Jr.
  Episcopal Church of Ascension, Dallas, TX, Diocese of Dallas
• Mr. Joe O'Brochta
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Ms. Grace M Parker
  Christ Church Parish, Christchurch, VA, Diocese of Virginia
• Mr. Robert G Pilmer
  St Francis Episcopal Church, Palos Verdes Estates, CA, Diocese of Los Angeles
• Ms. Penny Ranson
  St Hilarys Episcopal Church, Fort Myers, FL, Diocese of Southwest Florida
• Ms. Darry Rhine
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mrs. Gayle S. Saylors
  Christ Episcopal Church, Greenville, SC, Diocese of Upper South Carolina
• Mr. Richard William Sturges Sr.
  St Peters Episcopal Church, Columbia, TN, Diocese of Tennessee
• Mr. James Swearingen
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mr. Benjamin Williams
  Bethesda by the Sea Episcopal Church, Palm Beach, FL, Diocese of Southeast Florida
• Mr. Kent D. Wingerson
  Grace Cathedral, Topeka, KS, Diocese of Kansas
• Ms. Paula Fitzgerald Wolfe
  Trinity Episcopal Church, Covington, KY, Diocese of Lexington
• Mr. David Wyly
  St Hilarys Episcopal Church, Fort Myers, FL, Diocese of Southwest Florida

To learn more about the course, click HERE.