Worship Schedule
Sundays 8:00 & 10:30am
Wednesdays 5:30 pm
Staff
The Rev’d Paula Robinson - Rector
The Rev’d Paula Robinson came to us in 2008 from St. Andews in the Diocese of Washington, a parish predominantly associated with the Naval Air Base nearby. She was also the Chaplain to The Hospice of St. Mary’s, vice President to Patuxent Habitat for Humanity and a nave chaplain at The National Cathedral.
But her early life started a bit further away. She was born in Belfast in Northern Ireland some time after the World War II , part of the last generation of children to live a fairly quiet childhood in that city before “The Troubles” broke out again in 1968. Having attended a Methodist high school, she went to Queen’s University in Belfast and then began teaching. She quickly became intrigued with how people learn and completed a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology and went on to become head-teacher of a large school and support service in metropolitan Manchester (northern England). During that time she also taught the Masters in Education in Special Educational Needs at The Victoria University of Manchester. Following her time as school principal, she became the advisor/ inspector of schools in Salford, another urban environment.
All through her life she was intrigued by religion, active in church and in active relationship with God. She eventually gave in to the call to ordination while it was still impossible for a woman to be a priest in Ireland or Great Britain. In spite of this, she was accepted for ordination training in the Church of Ireland just as the measure to ordain woman was passed in Synod. After serving a curacy in the West of Ireland, she became the first woman rector in Ferns Diocese.
She is mother to Jonathan -after 35 years of marriage to a priest she divorced in 2004- who is a barrister, grandmother to two beautiful grandcats and shares a home with Tuppence and Talitha who are (not very good) Siamese.
She loves to read, tell stories, discuss, learn, write, make things and dance.
The Rev’d Amy Chambers Cortright - Associate Rector
The Reverend Amy Chambers Cortright came to Calvary in August of 2006 from the Church of the Incarnation in New York City where she served as Assistant Minister for two years. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College and General Seminary, Amy has played an active role in the church for as long as she can remember. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Amy was baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Ascension and St. Agnes and was later sponsored for ordination by the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York.
Amy’s particular interests include liturgy, pastoral care, and the creative aspects of ministry, especially “thinking outside the box” and crafting energizing ways of doing ministry in community. Away from church, she enjoys being with her family, spending time outdoors, and exploring.
Laura Davidson - Parish Administrator
Laura Davidson is “almost” a native of Columbia, moving to Columbia from Hannibal, Missouri, in 1965 with her mother and two older sisters.
Laura attended Robert E. Lee Elementary School, coming to Calvary Episcopal Church for Girl Scout meetings in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. She was one of the many children who loved sitting on Calvary’s stonewall after school and after visiting the Brown Derby and grabbing a piece of horehound candy!
For the past 11 years, Laura Davidson has served as Calvary Episcopal Church’s Parish Administrator. For 11 1/2 years, Laura was in the property management field and after all those years, she needed a positive career change. Laura found herself at Calvary Episcopal Church, back at home once again!
Susan McGee - Receptionist
Susan McGee is a native Mid-Missourian growing up in a rural area with her father and seven siblings. Susan attended New Providence Baptist Elementary School until it closed following her 5th grade year. Coming to the “big” city of Columbia to attend public school was a major change in her life. One of the things she discovered after coming “into” Columbia was the Missouri Theater and the wonderful stone wall of Calvary Episcopal Church. Although she always thought this was the most beautiful church she had ever seen, she never thought she would be able to enter such a beautiful place.
After many years of struggling through school and dead end jobs, Susan decided to become a secretary. Upon completing secretarial training, she worked for the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics for 5 years, the City of Columbia for 1 year, and the Columbia Public School system in various departments for 13 years. Unfortunately, she was to retire after only 13 years of service due to declining health.
After nearly 4 years of being home, she was asked to substitute for the receptionist at Calvary while she was on vacation. The receptionist resigned her position and Susan was asked to stay on until new help arrived. January 1, 2004 Susan was hired part-time and has been on staff at Calvary as a receptionist/secretary for the Parish Office since. Finally, after 30+ years, she was able to enter that big, beautiful church and do something to give back to the community.
Ed Hanson - Director of Music
Ed Hanson has served Calvary as the Director of Music since 1986. He and his wife Kathy were married at Calvary in 1978, both were confirmed here, and their three children were all baptized here. Calvary is definitely their church home!
At Calvary, Ed selects the hymns, service music, and anthems for each service. Under his direction, the Canterbury Choir (children’s choir) and the Cambridge Choir (adult choir) sing each Sunday at the 10:30 service. Ed also directs two handbell ensembles: The Alpha Ringers (beginning) and the Agape Ringers (advanced). These groups throughout the year as selections become ready. The younger Sunday school children also gather together with Ed each month to sing together and learn about the various church seasons through music.
Recently retired from a career as a public school music educator, Ed is now actively working as a professional actor. He spent 28 years teaching general music and choir in elementary and secondary schools. His Columbia Fifth Grade Honors Choir was selected to sing for the 2007 Missouri Music Educators Association conference, one of only two elementary choirs chosen for this honor. He has been in demand throughout Missouri as a clinician and adjudicator for music festivals and contests. Ed earned both a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Vocal Performance from the University of Missouri.
Ed’s hobbies include attending theatre, running, and tennis. He also enjoys a good book, a great concert, or a superb CD! (Ed also loves a good meal, particularly from one of his favorite local eating establishments!) Finally, Kathy and Ed both enjoy the social life we share with our friends at Calvary, especially those wacky Cambridge Choir folks! We feel blessed to have Calvary in our lives!
Sheryl Mehrhoff - Organist
Sheryl Mehrhoff began as the organist at Calvary on October 30, 2005. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Atkinson, Nebraska. Her paternal grandparents were charter members of this congregation. With a strong interest in music at a young age, she began taking piano, and later organ lessons, from her aunt who was the church organist. She started playing for church services while in high school.
Sheryl graduated from Concordia Teacher College in Seward with three majors (religion, education, and social sciences) and two minors (primary education and organ performance). Several of her organ teachers, Theodore Beck, Charles Ore, and David Schack, have published numerous sacred organ compositions. Before coming to Calvary, she served as principal organist for five years at Salem Lutheran Church, a congregation of about 2000 members in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and prior to that, ten years at Trinity Lutheran Church in Monticello, Minnesota. Other congregations she has served for several years include St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. Louis, and she also had the opportunity to play a Noon Concert at Christ Church Cathedral.
Running counterpoint to Sheryl’s involvement in church music has been a long career in education. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and has worked in a wide range of settings and with students from preschool through college level. Two of her most interesting jobs were coordinating programs for gifted students and later teaching preschool through eighth graders in a computer lab setting. She also enjoyed the challenge of developing programs and materials in two innovative schools based on Howard Gardner’s model of Mutiple Intelligences.
Sheryl is grateful to share her life journey with her husband, Art, who is currently serving as the academic coordinator for the Museum of Art & Archeology at MU. They enjoy visiting places of historic significance, frequenting some of the excellent restaurants in Columbia, gardening and attending special events at MU.
