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The Reverend Beth Maynard
Rector Beth Maynard grew up unchurched in Nashville, Tennessee. After a conversion to Christ in her late teens, she worked first in classical music publishing and then as director of the Salem Mission, a shelter for homeless women and men. Ordained in 1994, she has served the Episcopal Church as a parish priest and a university chaplain in West Virginia and Massachusetts. Before becoming the 11th Rector of Emmanuel in 2014, she founded and led Mill Street House, an ecumenical neo-monastic community north of Boston, while serving as an adjunct instructor in liturgy and spirituality at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She has been married to her husband Mark Dirksen since 1986. Along with sermons and articles on themes of social justice, spiritual formation and stewardship, Mother Beth has also published three books and edited a selection of public-domain works in spiritual theology for Kindle. She holds a B.A. with concentrations in Music and French from Amherst College, an M.Div. from Boston University School of Theology, and a Certificate of Advanced Theological Study from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. If you'd like to contact Mother Beth, she can be reached by phone at 217.352.9827, extension 1 or via email at bmaynard@gmail.com. |
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Marisa Crofts
Curate Marisa Crofts joins our staff the first week in June; bio forthcoming. |
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The Reverend E. Eugene Hall
Priest Emeritus Eugene Hall obtained his PhD from Louisiana State University and had a career in Christian higher education as professor and administrator in colleges and universities, primarily in the South and Southwest. He served as Professor of Preaching at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Now in retirement, Father Gene assisted in many ways at Emmanuel beginning in 1999, two years after his ordination in the Diocese of Southeast Florida, where he had served as Assisting Priest and teacher of religion at the school of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palm Beach Gardens. Before retiring, he served by preaching, teaching Adult Forum, and celebrating at Sunday and weekday services. Father Gene and his wife Reba have been married for over 60 years, and are blessed with three children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. |
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The Reverend Christine C. Hopkins
Deacon Ordained in June 2000, Christine Hopkins currently serves full time as Deacon assigned to Emmanuel. In that capacity she has a variety of responsibilities including outreach, preaching, and pastoral care. At the diocesan level she is the chair of the anti-racism commission and has served on the Commission on Ministry. She is also a member of the Prairie Center Citizen Advisory Board. Deacon Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in math education and a Master's degree in counseling from the University of Illinois. For thirty-plus years Deacon Chris worked for the Urbana School District. She held many roles including math teacher, guidance counselor, swim coach, a variety of activities sponsor and division chair. She has been married to her husband R. Michael for over 40 years. Together they have three children: the oldest Matthew, married to his wife Amanda, their middle child Carolyn, and their youngest daughter Grace and her husband Brady. They also enjoy their eight grandchildren. If you'd like to contact Deacon Chris, she can be reached at 217.352.9827, extension 2 or via email at christinechopkins@hotmail.com. |
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Mary Sievers
Parish Administrator Mary Sievers began her work as Parish Administrator for Emmanuel in August of 2015. Mary’s educational background includes Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Youth Ministry, and she has spent most of her career in the field of youth ministry and teaching. While she continues to work with youth at her home church, Mary has decided to put her administrative skills to work in her professional career. Mary is passionate about working in a ministry setting and is excited to be serving here at Emmanuel Memorial. She can be reached via phone at 217.352.9827 or via email at emec@ameritech.net. |
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Michael Fisher
Organist Mike Fisher, a Wisconsin native, earned his B.Mus, Magna Cum Laude, Highest Distinction in Performance, from Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin. The following year he studied with the late Anton Heiller in Vienna Austria, performing several times in Vienna and additionally studying some Italian organs and literature in Venice and Bologna. He earned a M. Mus. from Northwestern University. He has been the Parish Organist for Emmanuel for the past 19 years. |
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Christopher Mason
Choirmaster Christopher Mason is a second-year doctoral student in choral music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he serves as the conductor of University Chorus. He has also served as the Graduate Assistant for Chamber Singers and Oratorio Society. Chris earned a master’s degree with distinction in choral conducting from the University of Georgia. A native of San Diego, California, Chris attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where he received a bachelor’s degree in music education summa cum laude and a minor in mechanical engineering in 2006. Chris has nine years of experience teaching secondary choral education and AP Music Theory in both Lovejoy and Plano Independent School Districts. Choirs under his direction have sung at the 2013 TMEA Convention and with Dallas’ premier professional choir, Orpheus Chamber Singers. In 2014, Chris was named Southern Methodist University’s Young Music Educator of the Year. He is a past director of the Dallas Men’s Rotary Chorus, a summer swim coach, and proud dog-dad to Jade, an incredibly smart, sweet, and (needlessly) stubborn golden retriever. |