Caroline Vestry 2011
Don Muffly, Senior Warden: Don is a Setauket resident and has been a member of Caroline Church for over 30 years. Over the past years Don has served our church in the following areas; Assistant Director of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, President of the Suffolk Assembly of the Brotherhood, Youth Forum Teacher for the Church School, President of the YPF (Your Parish Future), leader and facilitator for the Engaged Couples Workshops here at Caroline, Mentoring Program for youth preparing for confirmation, and was a member of the Search Committee that traveled to California to interview Fr. Visconti. He is a Lay Eucharist Minister and Reader, member of the Cursillo Community in the Diocese and has served as Lay Director of the Cursillo Secretariat, Assistant Lay Director and Treasurer of Secretariat as well as having served on many Cursillo teams, having the honor of being Rector of Cursillo Weekend #51 and #56 (Clergy Weekend). He has served on Agape teams, and YAR (Young Adult Retreats). Don is a retired Teacher/Administrator and former President of the West Babylon Teachers Association and also served as a Chief Negotiator for the District. He was elected to the Vestry in 2003 and served for six years as the Vestry Clerk. Following the death of his wife Ann in 2005, Fr. Richard and Don formed the Grief Support Group which continues to meet. More recently Don has been blessed with his second wife Chris. Don enjoys reading novels, oil painting, gardening and golf and grandchildren. Committees: Planning & Evaluation (Chair), Hospitality |
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J. Christopher Haring, Junior Warden: Chris came to Caroline Church shortly after his family moved to Stony Brook when he was two. He attended Sunday School and was confirmed at Caroline. As an adult, he has been a Sunday School teacher, Usher, Webmaster, network maintainer and Vestry member. Chris served as vestryperson and treasurer from 2003 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2012. Chris received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University and a law degree from St. John’s University. In addition to maintaining a small solo law practice, he has been employed for over 30 years in the Port Washington School District where he teaches Business Law, Criminal Law, and Constitutional Law. Chris and his wife Linda reside in Mt. Sinai with their children Laura and Ryan. Committees: Buildings (Chair), Churchyard (Chair), Investment (Chair), Insurance & Appraisal (Chair), Ass't Treasurer |
Diane Amato: Diane came to Caroline Church when she and her husband Nick married in 1997. They were welcomed with open arms and have attended church with Tyler since moving to Setauket in 1997. She was received into the Episcopal Church in 1998 at the Cathedral of Incarnation in Garden City and attended Cursillo #49. Diane was pleased to be asked to serve the Caroline Church and the Lord by sharing my talents with the other members of the Vestry. Committees: Christian Ed & Youth (Co-chair), Hospitality |
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Virginia Apmann: Ginny is a lifelong member of Caroline Church, baptized, confirmed, married and buried her husband from here. She is a retired chef and graduate of St. Joseph’s College in 1998. She is a former vestry person, having served 6 years. Ginny presently is a Lay Eucharistic Member, on the Pastoral Care Ministry Team, prayer ministry team, sing in the choir, Altar Guild person, office angel, a confirmation mentor, Convenor of The Order of St. Luke, Theophilus Healing Mission and part of the music ministry team, cook in the Welcome Inn Soup Kitchen and has also served on the committee to re-do the upstairs parish house. She has been a delegate to the Diocesan Conventions for many years. Ginny made Long Island Cursillo #2 and is presently working to bring the “Life In The Spirit” Seminar to the diocese. Ginny lives with 2 ex-racing greyhounds, Scarlet & Jeno and works with the Grateful Greyhounds Rescue as a Foster Mom for ex-racing greyhounds. Committees: Music Organ & Pianos (Chair), Churchyard & Grounds, Buildings, Christian Ed. & Youth, Planning & Evaluation, Adult Ed. |
Lisa Behnke: Lisa is the daughter of Aloysius Underwood of Richmond Hill, NY and June Broich of Wantagh, NY. She attended Suffolk Community College in 1983 and Katharine Gibbs in 1985. Currently a wife, mother, homemaker, and volunteer fire fighter. After graduating from Katharine Gibbs, Lisa worked as a buyer for an International Airline Company. When she started her family in 1992, Lisa dedicated her time to raising her children. Lisa and her husband Ernie have been members of Caroline Church since 2003. She has been active in the nursery, and involved with both pre-school and youth group activities. She is currently working on her Journalism degree with hopes to get into Public Relations. Lisa and Ernie have a total of seven children, with five of them currently living with us. The variety of experience and ability to connect with the community that Lisa can bring to Caroline Church will aide her as a member of the vestry. Committees: Community Service Ministry (Chair), Family Life Ministry, Public Relations (Chair) |
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Bruce Cash: Bruce lives in Stony Brook with his wife Virginia and three children, Chris, Colleen, and Elaine. Their family has been attending Caroline Church for 24 years. Bruce previously served a term as a Vestryman, spending much of his Vestry time working with the Christian Education Committee. For the past eight years, he has taught 9th -12th grade Sunday School at Caroline Church. Bruce attended Stony Brook University and has degrees in history and economics. For the past 25 years Bruce has been employed by the Bay Shore School District as a teacher in the social studies department. He teaches both AP economics and IB economics. For almost 40 years Bruce was involved with a family business and worked on the water front in Port Jefferson operating charter fishing boats. He also has worked on tankers and tug boats along the East Coast. Committees: Treasurer, Finance (Chair) |
Dr. Maritza Groth was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church in her native country of Chile. She moved to Long Island when Maritza was 16. While attending New York University Medical School in NYC, Maritza was received into the Episcopal Church. Maritza became a member of Caroline Church 26 years ago when she moved back to Long Island to pursue her residency in Internal Medicine and subsequent fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. She is currently an intensivist at Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson. Maritza’s three children attended Sunday School and received First Communion and confirmation here. Daniel was an acolyte, Laurie sang in the choir and Brian was always happy to be a part of the children’s service. Over the years, Maritza has been involved with the Episcopal Church Women’s evening branch, is involved in the Cursillo community, and has participated in interfaith educational programs. She looks forward to being more involved in church activities now that her children are grown up. Committees: Assistant Clerk of the Vestry, Christian Ed & Youth, Adult Ed, Hospitality |
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John Leibold: John and his wife Diana have been members of Caroline Church since 1966. They have three grown children, all of whom grew up, and were later married here at Caroline. Over the years, John has have been involved in many areas of our church; SERF Club, Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Y.P.F., Bible Study, a Vestryman, and a delegate to the Diocesan Convention. He is a Lay Eucharist Minister, usually serving at our 7:45 a.m. service. At present John’s main involvement is with the Interfaith Nutrition Network which reaches out to the hungry on Long Island . He helps collect food for those in need, and on Monday nights cooks for the them at Christ Church, Port Jefferson. Committees: Hospitality |
Lorraine Massie is a life-long Episcopalian who has been worshipping with her family at Caroline Church for over twenty-seven years. Previously, she served as Caroline Church’s Church School superintendent for eleven years, and as a Kindergarten School teacher, a VBS teacher, and Women’s Fellowship Circle member. Lorraine presently participates as a Foyer Group member, Confirmation Mentor and Lay Eucharistic Minister. She currently works as a paralegal and office manager at a law firm in Smithtown. She received her B.S. degree from Stony Brook University. Lorraine lives in Port Jefferson Station with her husband Michael and dog Fudge. Their daughter, Samantha, is a lawyer in Philadelphia and their son, Craig, is a First Lieutenant in the United States Army. Lorraine was co-chair of the 2010 Stewardship Campaign and is looking forward to expanding Caroline Chursh's planned giving campaign. Committees: Clerk of the Vestry, Hospitality (Vestry Liasion), Community Service Ministry, Stewardship & Planned Giving, Public Relations |
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Claire Mis: Claire lives with her husband Gary and their two sons, Jeremy and Eric. Gary and Claire were both raised upstate--the “real” upstate: Gary in North Tonawanda and Claire in Rochester, New York. When they married in 1979, they left to move to Long Island. They searched the area for a church that could unite them in their individual backgrounds and aid them in providing their children with a solid Christian background. In 1985, eight months pregnant with Eric, they were welcomed into our new “family” at Caroline. Claire soon became active in the choir, served for many years as a teacher, and then an assistant for the music at Vacation Bible School. Claire also assisted with many a Church pageant, teaching the angels to dance! Claire's involvement in Cursillo has also served to deepen her faith and has put her in touch with hundreds of people throughout the diocese. She served as the Applications Chair on Secretariat for Long Island Cursillo for three years and an Ultreya leader along with Gary for about five years. In addition, she currently facilitates prayer among our community with an email prayer chain ministry which continues to grow as more and more parishioners seek prayer. Claire has worked full time as a Guidance Counselor for the past 30 years. The last 26 have been in the Longwood Central School District, where she has had experience on all of the grade levels. After having earned her administrative degree in December 2005, she transferred to the Junior High, where she serves as Department Chair for School Counselors. Finally, with retirement looming in the near future, Claire believes it is the perfect time to take on more of a leadership role in our church. I have been blessed with much and want to make an offering of my service to help our church continue to grow and be a vibrant presence in our community. |
Robert Nalewajk: Bob has been attending the Episcopal Church for over 30 years. Prior to his joining Caroline Church in 2002 he worshiped at Christ Episcopal Church in Bellport. Bob and Susan were married at Caroline in 2003 and between them have 5 children. Bob retired from his accounting and tax practice in 2006 after 20 years and over 30 years spent in the accounting and finance field. While attending Christ Episcopal Church Bob was a member of the following committees: Budget (chair), Audit (chair), Sunday School Superintendent, Long Term Planning, and the Search Committee. Since attending Caroline Church he has been a Lay Eucharist Minister, served on the Stewardship and Budget Committees, cooks for various Church functions and is involved with the Welcome Inn Soup Kitchen feeding the hungry in the Three Village area both as a cook and a collector and distributor of food to various agencies. Bob was also a member of the Long Island Cursillo Team that presented Cursillo to the country of Barbados this past summer. Committees: Stewardship & Planned Giving (Chair), Family Life Ministry (Chair), Public Relations, Investment |
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