Clergy & Staff

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Jim brings to his work with judicatories, congregations, parishes and communities in partnership more than fifty years of experience as an Episcopal priest in the nexus of church and community, always working to build successful collaborations between congregations and their communities.

Just out of seminary in 1970, he founded and led Voyage House, a Philadelphia project serving homeless people under 18 living on the city’s streets. Voyage House was supported by 12 Center City Philadelphia Protestant, Jewish and Roman Catholic congregations and five denominational bodies, including, remarkably, seven Center City and Society Hill Episcopal churches. Since then, he has helped found and has led four other community advocacy and non-profit organizations—the Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task, Philadelphia AIDS Task Force, ActionWellness (formerly Action AIDS), and the Philadelphia AIDS Consortium, and has been a founding or serving Board member for many more, for which he has helped raise tens of millions of dollars to support programs serving a variety of underserved populations in greater Philadelphia and elsewhere.

Sometimes between, sometimes concurrently, he ministered with seven Episcopal congregations in seven very different communities, twice while serving as a college chaplain. Most recently, he served as Priest-in-Partnership with the people of Grace Epiphany Church. In his last full-time ministry before formal retirement in 2012, he served for 15 years as Rector of St. Mary’s Church, the Episcopal Church at the University of Pennsylvania where he was also Episcopal Chaplain to the Penn. St. Mary’s was one of the first congregations in Philadelphia to participate in Partners for Sacred Places' "New Dollars/New Partners” program, and in retirement, Jim served as a consultant with Partners in two programs, Strategic Investment in Sacred Places (where he worked for two years with nine congregations— four Episcopal and five UCC—across the state of Vermont to create, build out and sustain life-giving community partnerships) and the Lilly Foundation’s National Fund for Sacred Places, which took him to Tacoma, San Francisco, and North Carolina on similar endeavors. While in Vermont, Jim also served as a 3/4 time interim minister with a rural Congregational church. In the Diocese, where he was ordained by Bishop Robert DeWitt in 1971, Jim has chaired or co-chaired the Diocesan HIV/AIDS Task Force (in the 1980’s) for ten years, the Diocesan Anti-Racism Commission, and until recently as Chair of the Nominating Committee of the Diocese, of which he remains an active member, with the goal of diversifying and growing both lay and clergy leadership in the Diocese.

A lifelong advocate with and for marginalized people and communities, including his own LGBTQIA+ siblings, Jim believes strongly that we are all one in Christ and, equally important, that we are valued, upheld, and loved by God not in spite of but precisely because of the richness and diversity of our unique powerful identities and experiences as individuals and communities. In his latter years, Jim is becoming a convinced advocate for finding ways to better value and use the experience and richness of elders—both in the church and in the nation. He does not believe the commonly propagated narrative that old means being discarded—rather, he advocates for a new narrative that embraces the learning and wealth of knowledge that accompanies age. Jim is a small “d” democrat, and all his life has tried to oppose every form of tyranny, wherever he has found it—in the church and in the rest of the world. He believes and hopes that his model in this work and commitment is Jesus Christ. Jim has worked for his whole life to help the congregations and communities he has served to find creative ways to live out their mission by redefining stewardship, growing ministry and building creative partnerships that make possible more abundant life.

He has lived in East Mt. Airy/Germantown with his partner Louis of, soon, 43 years. They enjoy hiking and swimming, especially in the mountains of New England, thus the picture on this article, taken high atop one such mountain. From his marriage long ago, he and his then wife share a daughter, Hannah, a designer and architect who lives near Durham, North Carolina.

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Vestry Class of 2023. Barbara has been a member of St. Martin's for over 15 years. She has chaired the forum committee, co-led youth pilgrimages to South Dakota, and sat on the community engagement committee. Barbara and her husband have been raising their sons (16 and 21) and building our spiritual lives while trying to manage the pressures of our professions, kids' lives, and other family relationships. Barbara is an attorney with a specialty in public transit transactions, with 30 years of hands-on experience leading government projects. She has found that the keys to her success have been respect and listening to each other so all can better understand our differences and find a common way forward. Barbara’s favorite hobby is taking long walks/hikes to settle her soul and following it up with coffee and laughter with a friend. Barbara has been blessed with the many wonderful people in her life she has met through services, activities, and prayer at St. Martin's, and she is honored to serve on the vestry.

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The Rev. Carol Duncan (she/her) attended the Shipley School and William Smith College in Geneva NY, majoring in English Lit. After school, she moved to Canton, Ohio to run the remnants of a family business.

She married her husband Bob, who was Vice President Smyth Systems, a data processing firm specializing in country club and golf tournament systems. Their daughter Christie was born in 1968, Kate in 1973.

At St. Paul’s Canton she served on the vestry and as a church school teacher. With the Diocese of Ohio she served on the Peace and Justice Commission. She received the Betty Leo award for outstanding social justice work.

In 1988 she became the Housing Development Coordinator of ICAN Housing Solutions, a non-profit that developed permanent supportive housing for the homeless living with mental illness. She served as president of the board of Coalition for Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), a nationally respected homeless advocacy organization.

She was ordained to the Diaconate in 1996. Her first parish was Trinity Alliance. In 2000 she returned as Deacon at her home parish St Paul’s where she served until 2011. Bob died in 2009. She retired from ICAN and moved to Philadelphia in September 2011. Her daughter Christie Duncan-Tessmer is General Secretary of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.

Carol is Co-Chair of the Economic Dignity Team of Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild (POWER). Its primary campaign is to create Philly solutions for Philly Poverty. A main thrust is to raise the minimum wage to $15 while supporting local businesses. Carol also serves on City Council’s Living Wage Committee and on the boards of Deaconess House Foundation, Teen UpRise, and Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library.

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When St. Martin’s Church welcomed volunteer singers into the adult choir in 1981, Connie (she/her) volunteered. She is still singing, and the choir has grown from nine to 35. Her St. Martin’s journey has included choir librarian, three soup kitchens, board of Women of St. Martin’s, outreach committee, book room (now out of circulation) reorganizer and coordinator, clerk of the vestry and, her favorite, playing Peppermint Patty in St. Martin’s production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown in 1986. Currently she works alongside over 100 parishioners as liturgical coordinator, with hopes that many more will come on board. A graduate of Cornell University with a major in English, Connie taught in Ithaca High School and in the Wissahickon School District for 17 years. She and her husband, Dick, a retired research chemist, have lived in their Fort Washington home for 46 years where they raised three sons. They are fortunate to have three grand-daughters who live nearby. When Connie and Dick are not busy at St. Martin’s, they enjoy musical events, visits with family and friends, and travel, near and far.

James (he/him) worked as the weekend Sexton for many years at St. Martin’s assisting with set-ups, special events and Sunday hospitality before being hired on full time in December 2011. James lives with his wife Avis. Their adult son Joshua also lives in Philadelphia.

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Passionate about teaching, Tyrone was awarded the Licentiateship diploma of Trinity College, London (LTCL) in Instrumental/Vocal Teaching with a high distinction and worked in and around London as a teacher of organ, piano, and theory. He was formerly Head of Music at Elmhurst Independent School for Boys for many years and worked as an animateur in London schools and with the London Mozart Players.

Click here to visit Tyrone's website

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She grew up in Huntingdon Valley in the Episcopal Church and attended Penn Charter, where she loved Quakerism, service and the arts. At the College of William & Mary, she studied English and Education and was a member of the Canterbury Episcopal group with Bruton Parish Church. Her faith journey took her to the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where she served as seminarian with Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church and met her husband, Justin! She graduated with a Masters of Religion & Public Life and a focus in Episcopal Studies. In St. Petersburg, FL, she served as children’s minister at the Cathedral and went through the discernment process in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. In the past several years, Emily deepened her yoga and meditation practice as a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher and makes time for quiet each day. She and Justin live with their blind husky, Nala Phoenix, in Fort Washington. When she is home, she enjoys reading, running in the Wissahickon and painting.

Anne Alexis Harra (she/her) was born and raised in Wilmington, DE. She and her beloved partner, Cole (he/him) currently live in Manayunk. Anne Alexis graduated from Washington College in May 2019 with a B.A. in English and a minor in Philosophy.

Anne Alexis has served on the Diocesan Council in the Episcopal Church in Delaware, as well as the Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission, and the Diocesan Assessment Committee. Since moving to Philadelphia in January 2021, she has served on the DioPA Youth Leaders Team and the DioPA Dismantling Racism for Youth Leaders Team. She is passionate about children's spirituality and using education as a force for good in their spiritual lives.

Beginning with the waters of baptism, Anne Alexis has devoted her life to serving God in the Episcopal Church. Raised on Godly Play in Sunday school and moving into a tight-knit youth group, she is aware of the positive impact that the Church’s presence can have in the life of a young person. She is passionate about encouraging children and youth to explore their faith on a personal level while also committing to a community-centered effort to enact change for the greater good.

Anne Alexis is passionate about racial justice and healing, as well as advocating for the rights of children in the context of the Christian faith. She hopes for a church where all of God's beloved are welcomed, heard, and included. She seeks and envisions a church where every member feels the true love of God in Christ. Anne Alexis is deeply aware of the profound impact of Jesus' unyielding love for all, including the most tender and vulnerable in our society: children. Hopeful for a day when all marginalized peoples are treated with equity, she continues "to seek and serve Christ in all persons." The Baptismal Covenant and Sacrament of Eucharist guide her ministry.

Anne Alexis’ father owns and is president of a local funeral home in Wilmington. Some of her earliest childhood memories include observing him engage with bereaved families in a way that can only be described as ministerial. Her mother is a hospice nurse who guides her patients and families through a dignified palliative care stage. Anne Alexis’ parents have left a huge impression on her heart. A ministerial goal she has at St. Martin’s is exploring the often taboo topics of dying and death in the hopeful context of the gospels.

In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, reading, spending time with her family (notably her godson, Will), and watching new shows with her beloved cats by her side. She and Cole enjoy trying eclectic restaurants in their neighborhood -- observing COVID restrictions, of course!

Luca Farrell (they/them) works as our Office Assistant and is also a musician from New Jersey who moved to Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University with a masters in music. They live in West Philadelphia, are one quarter of the music and poetry group Oarsman, and keyboardist in the band Mitamu.

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Lorie Hershey was a pastor for 15 years at West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, a POWER Interfaith congregation along with St Martin’s. Previously, she worked as a music therapist and particularly felt at home in the hospice work she did. Her life focus is to create spaces for healing, justice, spiritual care, and growth no matter what job she takes on. Currently, she also serves on the board of POWER Interfaith as the Chair of the Board’s HR Committee. Lorie lives in West Philadelphia with her husband, Brent, daughters, Dillon and Eden, and dog, Olive. She is excited to be part of the team at St Martin’s for this season!

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