Whoever you are, wherever you are on your spiritual journey, and whatever else it is that you seek in a Church community, it is our sincere hope that you find God’s gracious welcome with us at St. Paul’s. In so many ways, we do not all look alike, think alike, or even act alike here. But in one thing we are certain that we are all the same: God graciously welcomes us all.
In the Episcopal Church we acknowledge that God is present in every occasion of our lives. Some of these we mark together with special celebrations of worship to highlight the ways in which God is always at work throughout the events of our lives. As Episcopalians, we believe that these observations reveal God's grace to us in new ways.
As Episcopalians, we believe that all baptized people are called to minister in the Church. Everyone has a different role. Our clergy serve as the spiritual leaders of our congregation, our staff is responsible for overseeing our program ministries and day-to-day responsibilities, and our vestry is responsible for parish decision-making.
We as Episcopalians believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. St. Paul's is part of the Episcopal Church, a church that is both rich with ancient tradition and relevant to life in the 21st century. We believe that God loves you - no exceptions.
We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the whole world.
Our parish's motto is this: "To Know Christ and to Make Him Known."
"Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work."
As Christians, we acknowledge that what God has generously offered us is nothing short of life through Jesus Christ. Participating in that life means learning to generously offer our lives. Each time we gather we are presented with the opportunity to support others in recognition of God’s offerings. This support takes shape in many forms with financial gifts being the backbone that builds our church community and generates opportunities to offer our lives in our parish. All are encouraged to participate in giving money for the ministries of our parish as a sign of our share in God’s work among us and through us.
Annual commitments pledged to St. Paul’s support our operating budget, which directly supports worship, formation, community and global outreach, building and grounds, staff and other programs. Annual commitments are crucial to the work of St. Paul’s. We strive to maintain a balanced budget each year, with every dollar accounted for and put to good use in the people, places and plans of our parish.
The ministry of a priest is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people; to share with the bishop in the overseeing of the Church; to proclaim the Gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God.
The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. – BCP p.856
Andrew appreciates the diversity of the journeys that bring people to find a home at St. Paul’s. He was baptized a Methodist, majored in religious studies at a Baptist university, married a Presbyterian, received a Master of Divinity as a Devil (the blue, basketball-crazed variety), and was ordained in a congregationalist church prior to finding his way as an Episcopal priest. “I was drawn to this strange Church that accepted the messiness of life and embraced it with grace and dignity. That sounded like a place where I could learn to live with God. That and I was always wanted to dress like Johny Cash.” In their downtime, Andrew and his wife, Ashley, enjoy East Carolina evenings in the backyard with their sons. On days off, he likely won’t be found fishing a remote section of the Eastern Pamlico that he is reluctant to disclose.
Josiah was raised as a pastor’s kid in the Church of the Nazarene. Sensing a call to ministry early on, he studied theology, philosophy, and Greek at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. He received his Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2015; joined the Episcopal church at St. Peter’s (Charlotte) in 2016; and received his diploma of Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2022. He was drawn to the Episcopal Church’s liturgy and its commitment to including those who are often excluded from the fullness of the Church’s life. Josiah and his wife, Riley Beetner, love listening to live music, spending time outside, and debating how many treats their 10-year-old rescue pup, Nilla, deserves.
Bobby Weatherly was born and baptized Presbyterian in Pontotoc Mississippi and lived in Mississippi for his first 71 years. After leaving Mississippi, St Paul’s found him wandering around Greenville looking for a spiritual home. He majored in business and finance at Mississippi State University and worked for an electric utility company serving western MS, moving 7 times in 13 years when his wife Dannie said, “enough moving”. Bobby and Dannie are likely the only couple to move to Port Gibson, MS twice. In 1981, Bobby began a new career of financial planning and investment advisory services located in Vicksburg, MS where Dannie and Bobby lived until moving to Greenville in June 2017. They love spending time with their daughter, grandson, son, and daughter-in-law exploring North Carolina, especially the outer banks. Bobby’s recreational interests include swimming and fly fishing when not spending too much time playing online bridge. On Jan. 4, 2003, he was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Mississippi for the work of servant ministry with all the baptized in this crazy church and beyond.
On November 8, 2014, Robert Stuart Skirving was ordained and consecrated as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina. Rob was born on August 28, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in 1982, with a focus in philosophy, and followed these studies with a Master of Divinity degree from Huron University College, London, Ontario, in 1986. He and his wife, Sandy, have two grown children, Cate and Matt.
Staff
The work of the dedicated staff at St. Paul’s is to facilitate and support the ministries of parishioners in key areas of concentration throughout the life of our parish. They oversee areas such as music and Christian formation; they manage day-to-day financial operations; they exercise care for the upkeep of our facilities; and they support communications and the clergy.
David hails from the United Kingdom, where he read Law at the University of Oxford while serving as the Organ Scholar at St. John’s College. His passion for music led him across the Atlantic to the Eastman School of Music, where he obtained his Master’s and Doctoral degrees. Alongside a career as performer and recording artist, David is a devoted church musician. He has a deep sensibility for the liturgy and is committed to the role of music in enhancing its beauty, and helping direct our prayers and praise to God. In addition to his role at St. Paul’s, David is the Artistic Director of the Eastern Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation (ECMAEF). David moved to Greenville from Rochester, NY, with his two springer spaniels, Lucy and Wilbur. He was particularly delighted to leave his snowblower in the garage for the new owners to enjoy, and intends to devote a considerable amount of his free time to offshore- and surf fishing. He also hopes to renew his scuba certification, following a necessary hiatus in upstate New York.
“I have had the pleasure of serving as office administrator since just prior to Pentecost 2015. Keeping up with church information and documentation in the form of weekly bulletins, monthly newsletters, parish records and providing whatever support I can offer to the army of church volunteers, especially our Desk Volunteers fill my work days. I love the people of St. Paul’s who touch my life every week.
My husband Brad and I got married in 1987 at St. Paul’s, Edenton, started our family in Rocky Mount but moved to Greenville when our children, Rob and Abbe, were in elementary school. The kids are grown so Brad and I now enjoy grandparenthood and the continued joys of our dogs. You may know one of our dogs, he is a regular volunteer in the office, Duncan, our Cavalier King Charles spaniel.”
Vance Dunn is our weekday morning sexton. Vance comes to us from Kinston where he resides with his wife of 43 years, Tina. Vance retired from Dupont and keeps himself active as a part-time pastor at a Disciples of Christ church as well as tending to the various maintenance, custodial and set up needs at St. Paul’s.
Jen Houser grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, attending a nondenominational church where she sang on the worship team, volunteered in the nursery, and attended youth group regularly. Jen graduated from Messiah College (now University) near Harrisburg, PA with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries with a concentration in youth ministry and a minor in human development and family science. They graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master’s of Divinity with a concentration in Christian Education. Jen married Zech in 2016 and they have moved all over the country from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to Indiana to Illinois and now back to North Carolina. Jen and Zech have a ten year old tortico cat named Molly. Jen is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren and has served as a pastor, children’s pastor, youth pastor, librarian, and an archivist.
Gretchen Hvastkovs grew up in California and attended college in Wyoming. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming in Family and Consumer Sciences. After college, her family relocated to Connecticut before settling in Greenville. Gretchen and her husband are very active with their three children. Prior to moving into the director position, Gretchen was the lead teacher in the two year old room. She looks forward every day to playing, learning, and growing with St. Paul’s Preschool family.
Dianne Jenkins has served as Director of Operations and Finance at St. Paul’s since November 2010. She has nearly 25 years of experience in church finance and 35 years of experience in the general financial industry, including work with the US Navy, the computer industry and with a corporate nursing facility.
Dianne has been married to her husband, Chris, for 37 years. He is a Methodist minster and Executive Director of the non-profit “Hope Restorations” in Kinston. They enjoy their home time with their toy Yorkie, Izzy, and love a chance to travel, go to the beach, go boating or spend time with their grandson.
Dianne loves her work and the people of St. Paul’s. Please feel free to contact her with questions or concerns regarding facility use, event planning, building and grounds, pledges/contributions, or any financial questions.
Director of Communications, Co-Interim Campus Minister
Juniper is responsible for our digital communications at St. Paul’s, publishing our Wednesday and Saturday newsletters and managing our website and social media. They love to bake bread, drink boba tea, and go geocaching. (Have you found the geocache they placed on St. Paul’s campus yet?) Juniper attended Mid-Atlantic Christian University and received a Bachelor of Arts in both Cross-Cultural Studies and Bible.
John Lee is our night time and Sunday morning sexton at St. Paul’s, having started in 2014.
“I’m married to my beautiful wife Susan, 2 twin children Madison and Michael, and our dog Molly. Susan and I serve as coordinators for our Backpack Buddies food ministry here at St. Pauls.”
Dr. Daniel Shirley is delighted to serve as Coordinator of Special Music Programming at St. Paul’s. A professor of voice and opera at the ECU School of Music, Daniel has performed opera, concert works, and musical theater across the United States and Europe. He has been involved in the music ministries of Episcopal parishes for the past 20 years. He and his wife Caitlin live in Greenville, and all three of their kids attended (or currently attend) St. Paul’s Preschool.
Vestry
A vestry is what other churches might call a “Church board.” The members of St. Paul’s vestry are elected by the parish for rotating three-year terms. The vestry helps define the mission of the Church, supports the Church’s mission by word and deed, ensures effective organization and planning, and oversees the resources and finances of a parish. The vestry appoints a treasurer and a clerk from the congregation, in addition to working with the Bishop to call a Rector, a priest and pastor who sits as an ex-officio member of the vestry.
“I have had the pleasure of serving as office administrator since just prior to Pentecost 2015. Keeping up with church information and documentation in the form of weekly bulletins, monthly newsletters, parish records and providing whatever support I can offer to the army of church volunteers, especially our Desk Volunteers fill my work days. I love the people of St. Paul’s who touch my life every week.
My husband Brad and I got married in 1987 at St. Paul’s, Edenton, started our family in Rocky Mount but moved to Greenville when our children, Rob and Abbe, were in elementary school. The kids are grown so Brad and I now enjoy grandparenthood and the continued joys of our dogs. You may know one of our dogs, he is a regular volunteer in the office, Duncan, our Cavalier King Charles spaniel.”
