Colt Smith

Number of years at St. Paul’s-

I have been at St. Paul's for roughly five years.                                                                                                   

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children My wife Maggie and I have been married for 11 years this June, we have one child Aurora who is five.                                                                        

How I came to be at St. Paul’s-   A good friend of mine said to me “the thing I like about religion is that there is someone other than myself reinforcing the values I am trying to teach my children. Be honest, kind, charitable etc.  Because eventually they’re not going to be teenagers and not listen to a thing I say.” When this friend said this to me it made me pause and consider what values my as of then unconceived children would be getting at our current church and I was o’t comfortable with it. I began searching for a church that would help me raise my children to be the people I wanted them to be. I knew I wanted those children to accept people where they were. I wanted them see injustice and know when it was wrong. I wanted them to have the conviction to speak their minds and not let fear stop them from speaking truth to power. 

Erin Saunders

Number of years at St. Paul’s Six years and counting since I first attended; five and counting since I made it official.                                                                                      

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children- Husband, Darren, since August 2006; no children as of this writing.                                                       

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s I grew up unaffiliated-but-spiritual in Salt Lake City, but was drawn to liturgy from a VERY early age. After several years of thinking about exploring the Episcopal Church, I reconnected by chance with an old friend. I came to find she was a regular in the choir at St. Paul's, just a few blocks from my house. I quickly came to feel at home here, and have made some enduring friendships since. An amusing aside:  after being baptized and confirmed as an adult, I received a phone call from my grandmother back East, and I learned that my father, grandfather, and great-grandmother were all baptized Episcopal -- this was news to my father! So technically, I'm both a late-blooming convert AND at least a fourth-generation Episcopalian. (Great Grammy said her parents hailed from County Cork. I suppose it is POSSIBLE they were Church of Ireland...)

Matthew Bell

Number of years at St. Paul’s- I have been attending St. Paul’s for just over four years.                                                                                            

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children-I have been blessed to be married to my best friend Diana for 8 years. We have one daughter, Robin Irene, who is 3 months old.                                                                                                        

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s- My parents are both long serving deacons in their Baptist church in Houston, TX and have taught Sunday school for over 70 years combined. Growing up I was very involved in the life of the church attending Sunday school and worship services every Sunday and Wednesday as well as participating in myriad service activities to help those less fortunate in the community. After moving to Utah my wife and I attended a Roman Catholic parish (she is Roman Catholic) led by one of the most pastoral priests I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, Fr. David Van Massenhove. A combination of Fr. Dave retiring and a deep yearning to participate fully in the church I attended led me on a quest to find a new church home. The result of that search was the Holy Spirit guiding me to The Episcopal Church and St. Paul's here in SLC.

Michael Horejsi

Number of years at St. Paul’s- I been at St. Paul’s since July of 2014, when I moved to Salt Lake City from Minnesota.

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children- my family; Brooke, my wife of 16 years, and our two boys, jack (10) and Kole (8).

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s-The Horejsi family attended St. John’s Episcopal Church in St. Cloud Mn. Until positions at The University of Utah brought Brooke and Michael to Salt Lake City.  After moving here in June our family attended service at St. Paul’s as well as one other Episcopal Church in the City.  St. Paul’s felt right for us, and we decided to join the community.  We were welcomed with open arms and such a warm reception that we knew we had made the right choice.

Christian Larsen

Number of years at St. Paul’s-

I have been attending St. Paul's for four years.

If applicable, spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children

My husband is Jacob Newman.                                                                       

How I came to be at St. Paul’s I was raised in another denomination, in which I was quite active and served in numerous capacities, including various leadership roles. However, with time I didn’t feel accepted there and in my early twenties began searching for a new place of worship. I was invited by friend and roommate (who formerly sang in St Paul’s Choir) to attend the 2012 Christmas Eve service, and I have been attending ever since. I was profoundly touched by the openness and generosity of the St Paul’s community and felt a connection in the timeless liturgy of the Episcopal Church. In August 2016 my husband and I were married at St Paul’s by Kurt Wiesner. We truly love St Paul’s and consider it our spiritual home.                                                                               

Katherine Zavodni

Number of years at St. Paul’s- 

My family has been worshipping at St. Paul's since we moved here two and a half years ago.                                              

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children.

Zack and I have been married for going on 11 years. We have two children, Greta (7) and Simon (3).                                                                      

 How I came to be at St. Paul’s-                                                                         

I am a cradle Episcopalian, having grown up in St. Luke's parish in Durham, North Carolina. I decided I wanted to commit myself to the Christian faith as a teenager, primarily influenced by my participation in Young Life in high school. I subscribed to a more evangelical/non-denominational faith practice in late high school and through college, volunteering as a Young Life leader for 3 of my college years. As I grew into young adulthood, however, I began to recognize that my heart and my faith are most at home in the Episcopal Church. I was transitioning back toward regular worship with an Episcopal parish when I met Zack on Ash Wednesday, 2005, who happened to be another life-long Episcopalian (though we did not meet at church; ask to hear that story sometime!). We began attending church together in Chapel Hill, NC and have attended many wonderful Episcopal parishes in our various cities of residence over the years, including Chapel Hill, Ann Arbor, and Minneapolis. When we moved to Salt Lake City (Zack's home town) in 2014, we were not necessarily committed to returning to St. Paul's, the church home of his childhood, wanting rather to find the church family that was the best fit for us and where we felt our children would be best nurtured in the faith.

Having tried on other local Episcopal churches in our first weeks here, we knew on our first visit to St. Paul's that we would be right at home in this family of faith and that our children would be embraced as a vital part of parish life. We are so thankful for this community.                                                                         

Peter Christie

Number of years at St. Paul’s – 15 years

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children

Charles Black
How I came to be at St. Paul’s -

I grew up as a Lutheran, Missouri Synod in Upstate New York.I feel that I grew up with a strong faith but had a hard time finding a place that I felt like home and was not very involved with any church for a very long time ...until I began attending St. Paul's. I initially began attending because of Charles, but came to feel a strong connection to this community immediately. I feel that St. Paul's has a diversity and welcoming spirit that respect tradition but isn't afraid of pushing the boundaries now and then.

                              

Kristin Madden

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

I started attending St. Paul’s in 1980, and have been a member since then, except for the period from 2003 through mid-2008, when we were living in northern Virginia.

 Spouse/Partner’s name, and names/ages of children:

 My husband is Tim Madden.  We have two adult children and five grandsons.  Our daughter & her family live in Elko, Nevada and our son and his family live in Lake Worth, Florida.  Four of our five grandsons were baptized at St. Paul’s.

 How I came to St. Paul’s:

I am a cradle Episcopalian, having grown up in Elko, Nevada, attending St. Paul’s Episcopal Church there.  There were some years in my young adult life when I was not a regular churchgoer.  When I decided it was time to start attending church again, I visited other Episcopal churches in Salt Lake City.  The first time I came to St. Paul’s, it felt right, and I have remained here ever since. 
                              

Barbara Greenlee

Number of years at St Paul’s:

3 years

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children:

My husband, Lorance Greenlee, and I have been married for 46 years. He has two children from a previous marriage, Russell and Ross. We have two adult children, Allison and Travis. 

How I came to be at St Paul’s:

I was raised in a Southern Baptist Church in a small town in Missouri. I left that church when I was in Junior High. I had become increasingly uncomfortable by the rigidity of the church and the insistence on a literal interpretation of the “King James Bible.” I had a good friend and classmate who referred me to her father, the minister of the local Methodist Church. Pastor Wahl was kind enough to spend many hours discussing God’s love and tolerance for differing beliefs. I was welcomed into the Methodist Church family and I became an active participant in Methodist Youth Fellowship and church choir and frequently played trumpet for services. My college roommate was a lifelong Episcopalian. I began attending services with her and became involved in the Episcopal Church University Fellowship. I felt very comfortable in the Episcopal Church and liked the consistency of the service. I found it comforting to be familiar with the service as I attended more Episcopal Churches over time. I married a lifelong Episcopalian. We both felt that it was important to have our children attend Sunday school and church and to develop an understanding of “what religion was all about.” We became active members of St Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac Maryland. We belonged to a Bible Study Group, Parent’s Group and chaperoned youth outings. I even resurrected my trumpet for trumpet/organ supplements to church services. We moved to Salt Lake City in 2015. My husband’s health was an issue and his son, a physician with the Intermountain Healthcare group, urged us to come to Utah where he could help with my husband’s care. I felt the need to seek spiritual support and started attending St Paul’s. Not only did St Paul’s satisfy my spiritual needs but also provided a strong support group and made a huge impact on my life.
                              

Kristy Muday

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

About eight years

If applicable, Spouse/partner’s name, and names/ages of children:

Mark and I have been married for 16 years. We have two daughters.

 Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

 Like many Episcopalians I grew up in a different faith tradition that fell by the wayside as I became an adult. Also, like many parents, having children lead me to seek out my faith community again. We returned to the Roman Catholic church with our young daughters. Participating in this faith again as a questioning adult, caused me great concern; mostly, what I felt, was the exclusion of women in worship, as well as LGBTQ parishioners.  Mark was having his own doubts and suggested we look into the Episcopal faith. We attended the Inquirer’s class that was being taught by Fr. Emil. From our first day at St. Paul’s we felt welcome and included. I knew I wanted to become part of this group and help others feel that same love and acceptance, from God and his people.
                              

Joel Deaton

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

 28 Years

Spouse name: My wife is Judy A. Daly and we have been married for 30 years.

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I grew up in North Carolina and my family attended the local Methodist Church. My parents were very active in the church community and served in numerous positions with in the Methodist Church.  A number of my family friends were Episcopalians and I attended numerous services in the Episcopal Church during my childhood and especially during my college years in North Carolina. Judy and I came to St. Paul’s and were attracted to the friendly, outgoing parishioners and the community of St. Paul’s. It was the obvious choice for us!
                              

John Sheaffer

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

 Over 30 Years

Spouse name: Kathy

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

John was raised in a small Episcopal church in Iowa. He and Kathy were married at St. Paul’s in Salt Lake in 1984. Since that time they – and their children, who are now adults living elsewhere - have been active in many parish and diocesan ministries over the years; John has served as senior warden since January, 2018.

Sally Beagley

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

 Since Christmas Eve 2004

Spouse name: Tim

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I have been married to an incredible man for 36 years on Dec. 21st, 2018. We have raised two wonderful daughters who are making this world a better place. I have a deep love and respect for animals. I was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming where we also raised sheep, because of this I also have a great appreciation for the beauty of our land. 

Tim and I first attended St. Paul's on Christmas Eve in 2004. I felt surrounded by God's peace and his hand on my shoulder telling me I had found a home. I joined the Altar Guild in February of 2005 and still look at it as an honor to prepare the Lord's table. I serve as Clerk on the Vestry.  

Sara Baese

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

 About 17 years

Spouse name: Philip Baese and children Spencer (13) and Lauren (10)

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

Phil grew up Lutheran - Missouri Synod and I grew up in the United Methodist Church. When we first were married, we attended an ELCA Lutheran church in Salt Lake City but after many months, had not really met any people in the parish. We decided to do some church shopping and chose St Paul’s to start because we liked how the building looked and it was close to our apartment, and many people in the congregation quickly welcomed us. What has kept us at St Paul’s is the community, intellectual stimulation and spiritual nourishment.
                              

Dianne Franz

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

Since 2016

Family: Mother of two and grandmother of two.

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I was Midwestern Lutheran, even a founding member Messiah Lutheran, serving as Stewardship Chair for many years; now a faithful Episcopalian. ! I loved the fellowship, families, diversity, wonderful sermons, familiar literary, weekly communion, wonderful music, beautiful church and grounds.

Danielle Lankford

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

Just over two years

Family: I have been married to my husband, Joshua, for eight years.

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I grew up in East Texas and was raised Southern Baptist. I always loved the teachings of the Bible but felt a little out of place in the denomination I grew up with. In a college religion class, I had to read a book that interviewed religious leaders of different Christian traditions and I really identified with the Episcopal Church's views, so I began attending services and finally felt like I had found a church home.

David Reed

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

23 years

Family: Kevin Alberts

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I was raised in Southern Baptist churches because my father was a Southern Baptist minister.  Continued in that denomination for a few years after I graduated from college and then ceased attending church.  After about 15 years of only attending church on Christmas Eve, I started attending an Episcopal Church in El Paso, Texas and was confirmed there.  I moved to Salt Lake City in 1994 and visited the three Episcopal churches closest to my home and eventually decided St. Paul’s was where I wanted to be.

Russ Pack

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

Since 1990

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in several aspects of parish life, being involved with Sunday School since 1992, serving as a sacristan for several years, coordinating and working in the food pantry, being on the organizing team for the Holiday Bazaar, assisting with our housing programs, and participating on the 2002 renovation team.

Marty Stolz

Number of years at St. Paul’s:

Since 2008

Family: My wife and I have two elementary aged girls.

Please share a little about your religious background and how you came to be at St. Paul’s:

I was was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  I was baptized at Trinity Episcopal Church there. Because my mother was an ecumenical organist and accompanist, I spent much of his youth in a variety of worship settings.