We are pleased to introduce the search committee for the next Director of Music at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church.
Co-Chair Maura Donovan, a life-long Episcopalian and long-time resident of the Twin Cities, has been a member of St. John’s since 2021. Maura and her husband, David, were initially drawn to the parish in part because of St. John’s distinguished music program. Over the past four years, Maura has deepened her connection to the parish in a number of ways, not least of which has been ringing in the Handbell Ensemble, and as a member of vestry.
Maura is currently semi-retired and works part time as the Academic Program Director for Innovation Scholars, a biomedical experiential learning program for students from Minnesota’s colleges and universities. Her prior professional experience includes a decade in higher education administration at Marquette University and the University of Minnesota, preceded by over 20 years of leadership experience at Medtronic, Inc. From these roles she has gained a wealth of experience in both process and project management as well as leading teams, and, perhaps most importantly, recruiting and hiring for those institutions.
Co-Chair Ed Stieve serves as a choir member and pianist at St. John’s and has previously served as the music commission chair and as a vestry representative for music. Ed and his spouse, Otto, have been members since 2017. A retired professor of humanities and volunteer nurse, he studied organ while a student at Valparaiso University and piano at Nova Southeastern University, where he also served as a member and accompanist for the Bossa Nova Chorale. He has served as organist and pianist for several churches.
The first time Caleb Moxley stepped into an Episcopal church was to audition for a staff singer position, and he stayed, he says, because the music brought him closer to God. Caleb has a lot of experience as a chorister: with the Montevallo Chorale at the University of Montevallo when he was in grade school, with his college’s small coed ensemble, with the Steel City Men’s Chorus, and with Episcopal church choirs. He has sung under many directors with various approaches, and seen how directors can build choirs into something bigger than the sum of their parts. And, now as a vestry member, Caleb is honored to help St. John’s select our new Director of Music, and hopes to bring his own experience and openness to our parish’s needs to this task.
Marilyn Conklin has been a member of St. John’s choir for 17 years, has previously chaired the Music Committee and served on vestry as the Music Committee liaison, and has served on two prior Music Director Search Committees. When her children were young, they participated in the children’s choir. Marilyn appreciates St. John’s commitment to enhancing worship and creating community through sacred music.
Dan Handschy is a retired Episcopal priest, having served 38 years in parish ministry at faith communities around the country. He has made a study of the liturgy of the Episcopal Church and its historical evolution, and holds a PhD in historical theology from St. Louis University. He has always wanted to sing in a choir, and now, in retirement, has joined the choir of St. John’s!
A native of the Kansas City area, Priya Schulze moved to the Twin Cities in 2017 and began attending St. John’s in 2018. She has been active in music ministry for much of her life. She currently sings in the choir, directs the handbell ensemble, and serves as the Vestry liaison to the Music Commission. In addition to these church-related music connections, Priya studied music education in college and says she’ll bring her insights as a teacher of music as we search for a new director.
Alex Knoll joined St. John the Evangelist in 2024 and quickly found community in the congregation through involvement in Wayfinders, Creation Care, and Sunday worship. He has been playing piano since he was eight years old, and now occasionally plays meditative music for St. John’s Thursday night Compline service. He has served on a pastoral call committee at a prior church and has gained extensive hiring experience through his career at Xcel Energy. He and his wife Sarah live in Como Park with their dog Wilbur and two cats, and are excitedly expecting a baby boy in the fall.
Brad Parsons came to St. John’s nearly 15 years ago when he and his family moved to the Twin Cities from western Minnesota. In his previous church experience, Brad was a member of a very small parish in Alexandria, where he had numerous stints as vestry member and warden. He names the size of St. John’s as a big draw for him desiring a place to just worship, where he wasn’t needed for every ministry or committee. In short order Brad discovered more that kept him coming back: the people, and their devotion, and love and care for their fellow human and the world; the clergy and their reverence for the sacraments and liturgy; all of it, and feeling the real presence of the Holy Spirit. So Brad eventually served a term on vestry, became an active Men’s Group member, lector, and has become a central organizer of our annual Hanging of the Greens. Brad is a trained lay eucharistic minister, and a pastoral care team member as a part of our Circle of Care. He is also currently in his first term as Junior Warden of the vestry. In his career Brad has overseen teams, hired numerous staff, and been in charge of significant programmatic and leadership changes as a part of the State of Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources. And, as someone who has come to love St. John’s for all it is, Brad is eager to see our music ministry continue to edify and bless our members and to preserve the legacy our former director of music leaves.
The search committee will gather parishioner input in July and appreciate your involvement. Stay tuned!