These are the candidates for Vestry in the 2012 elections.
For Senior Warden
Bob Alberding
I have been a member of St. Mark’s parish for 28 years. My family and I made St. Mark’s our spiritual home when we moved to Barrington, and we have been active parishioners over these past three decades. My stewardship to the parish has included participation in the adult choir, serving as Eucharistic Minister, being commissioned by the Bishop as a Parish Pastoral Care Chaplin, member of the Vestry and completing successful terms as Junior and Senior Warden in the early 90’s and most recently as Junior Warden since mid-2009. I am pleased to stand as candidate for Senior Warden for 2012. I will bring experience and continuity to the position and will assist in the future growth plans for our parish.
For Junior Warden
Sarah Way Quiroga
Sarah grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin and in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After earning a B. A. in anthropology from Beloit College, she graduated from Texas Tech with a M. A. in Museum Science. While in Lubbock, she met and married Jeff, her husband of 13 years. They have three daughters; Caroline (10), Victoria (Tori 9) and Emily (7). They have lived in Texas, New Mexico and, since 2008, in Cary.
Sarah was confirmed at All Saints in Corpus Christie. In her church homes in Texas and New Mexico, Sarah joined the choir, Deborah’s Bible Study Group, and Daughters of the King. In Artesia, she served on the vestry, ran the altar guild and taught Sunday School. Since joining St. Mark’s in 2008, Sarah has sung in the choir and was elected to the vestry in 2009 where she established the First Sunday Food Drive and has been editor of The Messenger.
For 3-year vestry term:
Mary Etherington
Mary has been affiliated with St. Mark’s her entire life. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Mark’s and, since returning to the Barrington area in 1995, she and her family have been involved in the life of St. Mark’s in many ways. Steve has served on the Vestry and their children, Mark, Anna, and Matthew grew up being sheep and shepherds in the Christmas pageant, members of the Youth Choir and active participants in the Church School program. Matthew is currently a member of the J2A group.
Over the years, Mary has participated in several activities at St. Mark’s including Meals with Wheels, Youth Choir, Altar Guild, CROP Walk, ushering and hosting at coffee hour. She has also participated in various fund raising efforts such as some dinner dances, the flower sale and the J2A yard sales. A new activity for Mary this year has been as part of the Godly Play team. When not attending church, Mary spends a lot of time on the tennis court or in her garden.
Bruce Grabenkort
For the last 10 years I have been attending St Mark's initially at the encouragement of my parents. Our family were members of Salem United Methodist church in Barrington for four generations and began attending St Mark's after a pastoral change at Salem.
Since attending St. Mark's, I have enjoyed getting to know my fellow parishioners and have enjoyed the quiet of the 8 AM service each Sunday. After a busy week, I find that St. Mark's is a respite from a noisy world. The parishioners have been very supportive of my parent's needs and have helped my family through some difficult times. Now it is time to give back to the church. I was flattered to be asked by Jill Meyer and Father Gibbons to serve on the Vestry. I would like to apply my operational experience (Condominium board, Rotary presidency, and other association experiences) and help the church to continue to be a resource to the surrounding community.
David Michael Stieper
I am a cradle Episcopalian having spent the first 38 years of my life at the Church of Saint Columba of Iona in Hanover Park, Illinois. Many of the trees and shrubs which drape the church grounds I planted and cultivated as a teenager. I served on the Vestry of St. Columba for 14 years, 3 years as Junior Warden. I remained at St. Columba through 2003 until the transition of finding a successor priest was completed. While at St. Columba, I served for a time as one of many volunteer attorneys under former Diocesan Chancellor Richard Hoskins. As a young lawyer participating in this program the Diocesan Chancellor would delegate certain legal projects, my most memorable being winding down St. Mary Magdalene in Villa Park, Illinois. There were many years I was summoned against my will to represent St. Columba as a delegate at Diocesan Convention.
We started attending St. Mark’s approximately two years ago. I am married, my wife’s name is Darla and we have two boys, John (11) and Michael (7). We moved to Barrington Hills from Bartlett approximately 11 years ago. After earning a B.A in Economics from Lake Forest College I obtained an M.B.A in finance from Illinois Benedictine College and then, a Juris Doctorate from I.I.T Kent College of Law. I studied and taught at the University of Lvov, Ukraine (former Soviet Union) and at the University of Beijing in China.
I currently have my own law practice where I litigate and try cases primarily in the areas of real estate, banking, UCC, construction, qui tam and professional liability. I practice in Illinois State and Federal Court at both the trial and appellate court level. I dedicate a portion of my practice to performing pro bono work accepting referrals from Prairie State Legal Services representing people victimized by real estate scams and more common these days, families who find themselves in foreclosure. I am currently on the Board of the Barrington Area Conservation Trust and spent 10 years on the Barrington Hills Plan Commission.
In my spare time, I serve as a Cub Scout leader for Michael’s pack and coach baseball. When I am not playing the role of lawyer, husband and dad, there is a fair chance you will find me on the golf course or sipping a single malt scotch while playing chess, poker or reading. I enjoy people and conversation. While relatively new to St. Marks, I bring a perspective honed from years of experience in Episcopal Church life and governance as well as other useful experiences and skills gained through my education and profession.