Vestry Election

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2024

 Election Information

Voter Eligibility

  1. be at least 16 years old

  2. be a baptized member of St. Paul’s

  3. be a member for at least the last 30 days

  4. participate in worship at least three times a year

  5. be part of a household that has made a financial commitment to St. Paul’s or that cannot afford to make a commitment. (You can make your 2025 commitment here.) 

Vestry members rolling off this year

  • Jeannie Whayne

  • Robert Murphy

  • Peter Quinlisk

  • Justin Sneed (serving 1 year of an unexpired term)

Vestry members continuing to serve

  • Elizabeth Rosen

  • Julie Chambers

  • Hannah Clark

  • Kristin Payne

  • Karen Hodges

  • Mandy Kelly

  • Mac Mayfield

  • Jim Norys

 Vestry Candidates

VESTRY CLASS OF 2027

Stephanie Barr 

My name is Stephanie Barr and I was born and raised near Grand Rapids Michigan but moved to Arkansas when I was 18 to go to college and never quite made it back! I am currently a first year doctoral student, working on my PhD in Special Education at the University of Arkansas and before that I taught special education at the high school level for 6 years, both at Haas Hall and Harrison High School, and was a special education paraprofessional for 2 years before that.

My husband Tim and I will have been married for 14 years in June and we love to go birdwatching and are very active in Arkansas Audubon: some of our favorite places to bird locally are Lake Sequoyah, Lake Fayetteville and Woolsey Wet Prairie. We also love to garden and to have people over for dinner. We moved back to the Fayetteville area almost two years ago partly to be closer to St. Paul’s and we have enjoyed being involved with Sunday Suppers, BBC, Sacred Ground, and Eucharistic visits. It has been deeply moving to play a bigger part in the life of this church and I would be honored, if chosen, to serve on the vestry.

Christine Cook

Greetings, St. Paul’s family! My name is Christine Cook. Having been a member of this vibrant community since 1989, I have had the privilege of witnessing the incredible growth and transformation of our parish over the years. St. Paul’s has been more than just a church for me; it has been a source of strength, fellowship, and inspiration for my family and me.

As a mother of two wonderful children, Catherine and Miles, I have always strived to foster a strong sense of community and faith in our household. My journey with St. Paul’s has provided a solid foundation for our family’s spiritual development. I believe that our church plays a crucial role in nurturing the values that help us grow as individuals and as a community.

My previous service on the Vestry from 2005 to 2008, along with my role as Junior Warden from 2006 to 2007, provided me with valuable insights into the inner workings of our church and the importance of strong leadership.

Since 2003, I have also been actively involved as an acolyte, where I have had the honor of assisting in our worship services and supporting our clergy in their ministry. It has been deeply rewarding to contribute to the beauty and reverence of our liturgy. Additionally, my time as a lifeguard at the Anglican Interfaith Choir Conference Camp from 2004 to 2009 allowed me to connect with youth and families in a meaningful way, fostering friendships that last to this day.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, watching movies, hiking, skiing, working out, and traveling. Each of these interests enriches my life and allows me to bring a fresh perspective to my service in our church community. I am committed to promoting our shared values and working collaboratively to help our parish thrive. Thank you for considering me to serve in this vital role, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with each of you to enhance our cherished community.

Mary Ellen Hartford

Greetings, St. Paul’s! My name is Mary Ellen Hartford. Although I’m not a Cradle Episcopalian, I’ve been a part of the Episcopal church since I was six. When I was a child, my mother was looking for a good church choir to join. She tried several, and then she joined the choir at Christ Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri. I’m thankful to be able to sing with one of the best church choirs!!

I graduated from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State) with a BA in Music. I’m married to Hershel Hartford, and between us, we’ve had six children (Emily, Rhiannon, Jasmine, James, Malyssa, and Grace) and 12 grandchildren (Dominic, Audrey, Tristin, Mia, Braxton, Bella, Marina, another Bella, Luca, Alessia, Patrick and John). I’m retired from the University of Arkansas, Fulbright Honors office. I spend time now doing volunteer work here at St. Paul’s, and taking care of family.

At St. Paul’s, I’m involved in the St. Paul choir, the St. Elizabeth Bread Guild and Daughters of the King. I would be proud to serve on the Vestry.

Eileen Kelly

I didn’t grow up in a church, but I visited many as a kid with my friends – Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist. During my time in Iran, the call to prayer filled me with a sense of peace that I had never experienced before. I was baptized at St. John’s Episcopal Church in 1981 in Harrison, Arkansas. I served a partial term on vestry at St. Michael’s in Little Rock before moving to Fayetteville. I am a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Acolyte, member of the Daughters of the King (DOK) and the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) , Becoming Beloved Community (BBC) and an Education For Ministry (EFM) graduate and have attended Sacred Ground.

Martha McNair

I have been an active member of St. Paul’s for forty-five years and have served in many capacities, including the following: Sunday School teacher, vestry member, senior warden, altar guild member and chair, confirmation director, member of several discernment committees as well as other committees. I have always been glad to serve St. Paul’s (and am not going to stop now). I am a retired English teacher and hold a Ph.D. in English from the University of Arkansas. My husband Malcolm and I have one daughter, an economic analyst at the Federal Reserve Board, and one son, a tax attorney at the Friday Firm, and six exceptional grandchildren.

Eric Melton

Hi! My name is Eric Melton. Born and raised in Greenwood, AR, I've been lucky to call Fayetteville my home ever since I attended college here at the UofA from 2005-2009. After graduating with a Biological Engineering degree, I lived and worked in Fayetteville and eventually met my lovely wife, Meisha, whom you have hopefully seen singing in our choir at St. Paul's. She is the one who introduced me to this church and I immediately fell in love with it. We were married here by Father Chuck in 2017, and have been blessed with two children, Magnolia (age 5) and Murphy (age 3), whom we are raising in the church here at St. Paul's.

I currently work at ArcBest, a logistics company headquartered in Fort Smith, AR. I work here in their Fayetteville office, as a pricing and supply chain engineer. Some of my favorite hobbies include fly-fishing, playing video games, reading (or listening to audiobooks!) and of course spending time with my wife and our crazy children. I am honored to have been nominated for the Vestry and would love the opportunity to give back to a church that has given me so much.

Ryan Sheets

I’m very grateful to be nominated to serve as a vestry member this year. My family and I have been attending St. Paul’s since we moved to Fayetteville from Iowa in 2017. My wife, Jessica, and our children, Charles and Annemarie, have enjoyed the welcoming, vibrant community that is St. Paul’s. I have served as a youth Sunday School teacher for the past 3+ years and recently completed the four-year Education for Ministry program in May 2024. One of the things I like most about our parish is that there’s so many ways to serve and get involved. Furthering these service and involvement opportunities so that others can enjoy our community in new, meaningful ways would be one of my goals as a vestry member.

Justin Sneed

St Paul's has been my spiritual home for the last 12 years. During this time, this Parish has helped me grow my Faith, deepen my connection to the larger Church, and has provided me with so many opportunities to serve others. St Paul's and it's members have supported me through hard seasons and celebrated with me in the good. My husband Jason and I live in Fayetteville with our two dogs. I've served the last year on the Vestry filling a vacated seat. I would be honored to serve a full term.

James Spahlinger

My name is James Spahlinger. I moved to NWA in 2018 and work for Sam’s Club as a Senior Software Engineer. Since joining Saint Pauls I have been a regular worshipper at the 8:45 service and am currently participating in EfM. I have been on two BBC pilgrimages to Alabama and Oklahoma. I have participated in a Sacred Ground course. Recently started participating as an acolyte. Leah and are regular participants and hosts at dinners for eight (D48). Leah volunteers in the children’s ministry. I also volunteer time to take photos for Saint Pauls at various parish life events. Lifelong Episcopalian. Never ran for or served on vestry before.

I believe I can make a faithful contribution to Saint Paul’s vestry through my life experience. I’m drawn to the myriad ways that Saint Pauls invites to explore and wrestle with their faith and determine the best way to be a follower of Christ.

Laura Speer

Hello, my name is Laura Speer. My husband, Bill Speer, and I moved to Fayetteville to be near our daughter and her family. Bill was in the US Army, and we moved a lot.

A friend described the wonderful, welcoming atmosphere at St Paul’s and invited us to attend. When Evan spoke these words—“whoever you are and wherever you are in your journey of faith, you are welcome…”—we knew we had found our new church home. We attend the 7:30am service.

In my working life I was a teacher and a librarian. I love to support people as they learn and grow. I have helped develop multimillion dollar budgets, proposed and administered federal grants and served on professional committees. My volunteer positions involved supporting people in need and working with children. Bill and I deliver Meals on Wheels and I work with Grace to prepare and serve St Paul’s Wednesday supper. I participate in other local organizations and hold a certificate in non-profit administration from the UofA.

What can I offer to St Paul’s – my time, an open heart & mind, and a desire to help St. Paul’s continue as the loving community it is.