The vestry of St. Thomas' is chaired by the rector and served by twelve members, who are elected by the congregation to oversee the well being of the parish. The vestry is organized to reflect the mission and vision of the church, and each vestry member has an area of responsibility. The vestry is assisted by the treasurer, the register, and the staff of the church. The work of the vestry is governed by the Canons of the Episcopal Church.

Vestry Members

Class of 2008

Betsy Scott, Co-Senior Warden

I have been a member of St. Thomas for about eighteen years and was actually baptized here as an adult, so my whole experience with church has been in this place. A long-time resident of Ginter Park, I am married to Doug and have two daughters, Elizabeth and Julia, both of whom grew up in the church. My husband is a heathen and does not attend church. My work life is as a finance professional in the non-profit sector. Born into a Foreign Service family, I lived in many parts of Europe and Asia growing up, which in many respects made me into the home body I am now. In my spare time I enjoy reading, music, cooking, handcrafts and working on our old house, although my husband would say that he does all the work and I just supervise! Over the years at church, I have enjoyed singing in the choir and cooking for large groups, and I am currently serving out my second term on the vestry.

Matt Bryant, Co-Senior Warden

I have been blessed by the Episcopal liturgy since college, and began regularly attending the Episcopal Church while living in Oklahoma City in 1989-90. I attended the cathedral church there, and sang in the choir. I attended law school in Texas, where I was born, and moved to Virginia in 1994 to practice law. In 1997, I was blessed by the birth of my first daughter, Samantha. In 2000, Mitra and I met, and we were married in 2001. We moved to Ginter Park in 2002, when we began attending St. Thomas' Church. Our daughter Stella was born in 2003. I currently work for the state government, at the Workers' Compensation Commission, and I am the director of an agency-wide technology initiative. We enjoy going to the pool, going to the beach, going on bike rides-with two children, we spend a lot of time "going." We also like "stopping," and enjoying the company of our family, as well as our dear friends at St. Thomas' and in the community. We are continually reminded of the blessing of our community.

Bob Lusk, Property Committee

My name is Bob Lusk. I have been a member of St. Thomas' since, 1977 or 1978. (I'm so old, I can't remember.) I have served on the Vestry twice before this time and I have served as Treasurer, Search Commitee for Walton Pettit, Jr. Warden and twice as Sr Warden. I am retired, having worked for my last employer for more than 35 years. My wife, Judy, and I moved into CrossRidge, a senior community (not a nursing home) a little over 2 yrs ago and really enjoy no yard work and no outside painting etc. In addition to my work at St. Thomas', I do volunteer work for AARP doing taxes. Currently, I am on the property commission and I have been doing some sub committee work for the finance commitee on insurance related issues. I wish we still had the 1928 Prayer Book and Morning Prayer at least once a month on Sundays.

Mike Southam-Gerow, Faith Formation

I teach and do research at VCU in the department of psychology. My research focuses on identifying the best ways to help families and children with mood, anxiety, and behavior problems. My research also emphasizes the development of community partnerships in achieving widespread systemic change to help families and children. I teach undergraduate and graduate courses at VCU mainly in the areas of talk therapies for children and adolescents and abnormal behavior across the lifespan. I am also the co-director of the VCU Anxiety Clinic where we provide low-cost services to adults and youth with severe anxiety problems. My family and I started coming to St. Thomas shortly after we arrived in Richmond from Los Angeles in the fall of 2001. We have felt blessed and lucky to land in such a welcoming neighborhood (Northside and Bellevue ) and church community. I have served as a Sunday school teacher and usher at St. Thomas '. My wife, Kim, and I have two children, Zen (8) and Evelyn (6). In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking, and biking.

Class of 2009

Allyson Petty

I attended St. Thomas for the first time when my nephew, Eli Petty, was baptized in 2005 and my faith journey is only beginning.  I was confirmed at St. Thomas' in January 2008 by Bishop Johnston.  The laying on of hands was a powerfully moving experience for me.  Timing is everything, and I believe it was fortuitous when the church and I found each other.  My involvement with various ministries at St. Thomas brings me great pleasure, such as participating in the Stewardship committee, co-chairing the 2009 Auction, volunteering for CARITAS, and formulating a new group for Young Adults.  Most recently, I have "stepped up" to assist with Second Saturday Drop-In and Hospitality.  I feel honored and blessed to be a part of this parish.  In addition to being a diligent worker bee, I bring fresh ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit.  I am a commercial real estate broker for Grubb & Ellis|Harrison & Bates in Richmond.  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, cooking, and travelling.

Philip Goodpasture, Junior Warden

St. Thomas is a great blessing to me and Paige. It has fit each of us in our family beautifully even though all five of us are in different places in our faith journey. Paige and I joined shortly after we moved to Ginter Park in 2000. My parents were missionaries in Portugal when I was born. My father accepted a faculty position at Union Theological Seminary when I was five. My parents never moved again so Ginter Park is home to me. When Paige and I were married in 1994, we lived in the West End and after a lot of looking joined Grace and Holy Trinity, where we loved its minister, Hill Brown. Hill retired shortly after we moved to Ginter Park, and we decided to try St. Thomas' and have never left. Paige and I have enjoyed becoming increasingly involved in the church ever since we joined. I am honored to serve the Vestry. I serve on the Finance Committee. In my day job I am a lawyer where I specialize in helping clients articulate and execute their business plan, usually in partnership with other businesses. I hope that my skills in planning and communicating can be helpful to the vestry.

Larry Meier, Finance and Administration

My family and I started coming to St. Thomas' in September 2003 (or 2002). We were led by the desire of our son, Daniel, to participate in the youth group. St. Thomas' has been a blessing to our family and we thoroughly enjoy being members attending worship and all the interesting activities of the parish. My wife, Vera, and I also have a daughter, Kirsten, who is in graduate school and lives in Radford, Virginia. Vera and I were received into the Episcopal Church and married in 1979. Since then I have served three terms on church vestries. My interest is in finance. I am a retired Internal Revenue Agent and currently work with Wachovia Securities in tax reporting. I also have my own tax/accounting business.

Kate Parthemos, Hospitality

I've attended St. Thomas' all of my life, as my dad grew up across the street at 3609 Hawthorne. It has always been my "home" church, even in the years that I was in college and immediately after that living out of state. I'm so glad it continues to be the warm, welcoming, nurturing place that it has been for the last fifty-plus years. I know that my son, Chris, has been shaped and nourished by the folks here, as I have been. I've participated in most areas of Parish life, from teaching Sunday school, to altar guild, ECW, Eucharistic Minister, Usher, Teller, Reader, Prayers, and Auction Chair. I have headed the last two search committees as we hired Ralph Bayfield and then Sue Eaves. I've been on the vestry several times, including serving as Senior Warden. I look forward to continuing to be an active part of this community as we begin our second hundred years!

Class of 2010

Jack Austin, Inreach and Outreach 

My wife Suzanne and I have lived in Ginter Park for 24 years (and in Bellevue for nine years before that).  We became members of St. Thomas in 1984.  We have three adult children and six grandchildren, all in the Richmond area and all involved in their individual churches.  I work for the Division of Legislative Services, providing legal and research support for the Virginia General Assembly.  I also taught political science, full-time or part-time, for many years at VCU.

I have served on the vestry three previous times, each with a different Rector and at different stages in the life of St. Thomas', and have been Senior Warden.  I have been on a number of committees (worship and stewardship have been consistent interests) and helped in various ministries such as CARITAS.  I either am or at some point have been Eucharistic Minister and Visitor, Lay Reader, Prayer Reader, Usher, Greeter, Alter Flower Deliverer, and Driver.

St. Thomas' is challenged to expand current programs and seek new avenues for the exciting ministry and mission that have grown here.  I believe that we - congregation, clergy, and vestry - must work together in mutual love and respect to discern God's will for St. Thomas' and to build a consensus around the vision that is revealed to us if we are going to get things right.  I seek to be a positive and supportive part of a vestry team that works to make this happen.  I also expect a personal blessing from doing so.  Experience alerts me to the challenges and simple hard work involved in being a vestry member.  But experience also tells me of the spiritual growth and refreshed enthusiasm that can come with vestry service.

John W. Knapp, Jr., Worship

As Director - Government Affairs, John is responsible for overseeing Verizon's interface with state and local governments in Virginia and the coordination and handling of public policy issues.  Additionally, he leads Verizon's economic development and broadband public policy efforts in the state.

John is a native of Virginia who grew up in Lexington and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1983 with a degree in mathematics.  In 1987, John earned a Master of Engineering degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia. 

He began his career with C&P Telephone Company -- now Verizon Communications -- in June of 1983.  His early career was spent in management positions in engineering, but he later moved on to a number of other diverse areas, to include capital management, operations, marketing, external affairs, regulatory, and corporate compliance.  He began his current assignment in December 2003.

John is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of a variety of organizations and government commissions over the years.  He currently serves on the boards of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Capital, LLC, and the Heart of Virginia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a Governor's appointee and sub-panel chair on the Secure Commonwealth Panel.

John retired with over 24 years of service in the Virginia Army National Guard and Army Reserve.  He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and retired after 4½ years as Commander of the 229^th Engineer Battalion in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

He and his wife -- Fay Eure -- live in the Ginter Park community of the City of Richmond with their son, Johnny.

Gary Gallagher, Newcomers 

I was born to John and Brigid Gallagher in London, England 2 December 1957, and raised in County Wicklow, Ireland as an Irish Roman Catholic. I came to the U.S. in 1982 and Richmond in 1996.I married Katherine Mazur at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in May 2003. We came to Ginter Park in December 2004 and joined St. Thomas' Spring 2005. Our son Joseph was born July 2005 and baptized at St. Thomas' in November 2005. I am founder and president of Development Strategies, Inc., which specializes in commercial real estate development Since joining St. Thomas', I have been very impressed and moved by how the St. Thomas family embraces and embodies the word and works of God.  I served on the Oystoberfest Committee and have enjoyed being a member of a St. Thomas' Supper Club. I feel called to apply my times and talents to the works of the church and the betterment of the community at large.  My special talent is a strong head for business with a particular emphasis on buildings, grounds, and the like.  

Linc Sparks, Stewardship

I was born in Ashland, Kentucky on January 27, 1939, and married Grace Scheidt on June 27, 1964. We have been blessed with three children, Elinor Marie Sparks Staropoli, Carolyn Esther Sparks Ditchendorf, James Lincoln Sparks, Jr.; two sons-in-law, Robert Peter Staropoli, Charles Frederick Ditchendorf and five grandchildren, Cyrus James Ditchendorf, Sophia Marie Staropoli, Elijah Henry Ditchendorf, Peter James Staropoli, Liliana Grace Ditchendorf. I retired from AT&T Communications, Inc., New Jersey; in July 1997. I have been active with the following organizations: Chair of Towson YMCA; President of Church Council, Divinity Lutheran Church, Towson, MD; President of Church Council, First English Evangelical Lutheran Church, Richmond, VA; Chair Stuart Circle Parish Council, Richmond, VA. Member of Hexagon Players, Mendham, NJ; Member of the Choir, Grace Lutheran Church, Mendham, NJ; Volunteer with Richmond Habitat for Humanity, providing Construction Labor, from 1997 to present. At St Thomas I have served on the Property Committee and Co-chaired with Grace the Kitchen Sub-committee. I have also joined the Choir for Special occasions and provided Solo singing (on rare occasions).

I believe that the Holy Spirit is calling me to service. I trust that my experience on other Church Boards and Community Organizations will be of benefit to St. Thomas' Congregation.