2027 Vestry Candidates

Here is the slate of new Vestry candidates to be voted on at this year’s Annual Meeting on November 22 and to begin serving in 2027. Four new members will be elected. Click the arrow next to their name to read more about each candidate.

  • When did I join St. Martin’s?

    I was a ‘good Catholic’ until I joined the Lutheran church in college after a period of questioning and discernment, and remained an active Lutheran until after my husband Bill retired from the ministry.   By February 2022,  we had visited many different churches looking for one with wonderful worship, a strong giving spirit and actions, true welcome to everyone,  and a strong focus on faith formation for all.  After visiting many different churches, we knew we had found all that and more at St.  Martin’s.  I joined in St. Martin’s in August 2022.

    What do I love about St. Martin’s and why?

    Each Sunday at St. Martin’s we are nurtured by meaningful worship sprinkled with warm greetings from friends, challenged and encouraged by great sermons and Adult Formation classes, and offered many different ways to live out our call to share God’s love in our community and beyond. 

    Previous areas of involvement at St. Martin’s

    I’ve been living out my call here through participation in Adult Formation classes, Artist’s Way, Education for Ministry (2022 - 2025), Foyer Groups, Receptions Ministry, Women’s Retreats, Circle of Welcome Refugee Ministry, Safe Space Dinners, St. Luke’s Feeding Ministry, PRIDE  and as the MORE Justice Lead for St. Martin’s, our contact on the Faith and Justice Table, a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, Lector, and current Diocesan Delegate.

    Family

    My husband Bill and I married 52 years ago.  We have two daughters.  Christa and her husband Brian live in Irmo.  Their oldest son Connor lives in Durham with his wife Kori and son Silas.  Twins Luke (and his partner Faith) and Nick work and go to school in Charleston.  Our daughter Kate and her husband Kevin live in Milwaukee with their daughters Anna Claire, a high school senior, and Chandler, an eighth grader.  Their son Gavin is at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City Michigan. Kevin works for the Milwaukee Brewers — GO Brewers!!

    Work

    For the two years Bill was in Seminary at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago I worked for the National Easter Seals Society writing non-critical book reviews and article abstracts for their journal Rehabilitation Literature.   I was a full time mom for several years until I worked for NASA in Houston editing documentation carried on the Space Shuttle.  After we moved to SC in 1984 I worked for a software company in Blythewood for 28 years, starting as a Technical Editor, progressing to be a business analyst, project manager, project management trainer, and ending my career there as the Quality Director.

    Why do I want to serve on St. Martin’s vestry?

    Two reasons:  To grow in faith and understanding of how to more fully live out my faith and to offer my time, energy, insights, and knowledge in any ways possible to support our ministry at St. Martin’s.

  • I am a lifelong Episcopalian, as my father was an Episcopal priest who specialized in college ministry. I grew up in Tuscaloosa and was actively involved in the youth programs in the Diocese of Alabama.

    I attended Auburn University and graduated in 1979. My career with Ashland Chemical took me to different parts of the US before Paula and I settled in Columbia in 1987. Over the years, I changed jobs and eventually retired as Corporate Director of National Accounts and Regional Manager of the Carolinas with Fabriclean Supply Company.

    St. Martin’s has been our church home for nearly four decades. Our 3 children grew up here. They participated in youth activities, events, acolyting, basketball, and so many other parts of parish life.

    St. Martin’s has given our family a sense of belonging. We have watched our children grow up, made lifelong friendships, celebrated important milestones and shared both joyful and difficult times with this congregation.

    I have been fortunate to serve St. Martin’s in many different ways over the years-two terms on the Vestry, Senior Warden, as Treasurer, as Chair of the Foundation, as a basketball coach and coordinator, and as an usher for more than 30 years.

    I believe I can bring the perspective and experience I have gained over the years while also listening to the needs and ideas of our parish today to support the wonderful church we have, while being excited about the possibilities for its future.

  • My name is Van Hobbs, and I’m honored to be considered for vestry service at St. Martin’s in-the-Fields!

    I’m a native of Columbia, South Carolina. I grew up in NE Columbia as a member of Spring Valley Baptist Church with my parents Vandy & Lisa and my brother Cole. I did leave town briefly to go to Clemson University for a degree in Accounting & Financial Management. After graduation, I returned home to Columbia and started my career in financial services. I’ve been working in the industry for 10 years now, and currently am a Senior Relationship Manager with a local practice at Apollon Wealth Management. I support advisors and serve our clients, finding solutions and guiding them meet their goals. 

    Spring Valley Baptist had been a good home to me growing up, but at this point in my life I felt called to find a church home of my own. I started attending St. Martin’s in 2021. My husband Zack & I had been dating for about two years at the time, and his family invited me to sit with them. I had never been to an Episcopal service before, but I immediately felt a connection to St. Martin’s, even after my first visit. The congregation showed so much care and love, both for its members and towards newcomers like me. Although it was new to me, St. Martin’s felt like a family that I was called to join. 

    It didn’t take long to see the many examples of what makes St. Martin’s such a great church. There is always something going on to get involved with: congregation cookouts where we get to partake in Mitch’s delicious cooking, fellowship opportunities to come closer together in our faith, and ministries like Crayton Backpack or Safe Space Dinners that make a real difference in the community. What stood out to me the most is the way that the members of St. Martin’s make their visitors feel so welcome, and the grace they extend to those they don’t even know yet.

    You could say I married into the Episcopal church, literally. Zack & I asked Caitlyn to officiate our wedding in 2023, and shortly after I officially became a member of St. Martin’s in 2024. Almost immediately after joining, Caitlyn emailed calling on me to serve. So far, I’ve had the pleasure of being a Digital Acolyte, helping to operate the streaming of our church services. I’m also grateful to be part of the Membership Committee, as it’s given me the opportunity to be involved in the growth of the church and learn more about its visitors and members. 

    I’m excited for this opportunity to serve St. Martin’s as part of vestry! I see it as another way that I can learn more about the workings of St. Martin’s and give my time, talents and treasures to the people of this community. I hope you feel the same, and appreciate your consideration. And your vote!

  • Debbie and I joined St Martin's in 2022.  We have found St Martin's to be a very welcoming place with a congregation that's active both within and outside our faith community.  We are involved mainly through our refugee resettlement Circle of Welcome and with other St Martin's members who serve with the Fresh Start food pantry and clothing closet at St Luke's Episcopal.  We have also found the overseas missions to Ecuador and Greece to be very enriching.  We value the support we've received from St Martin's members and staff for our work.

    We've lived in Columbia since 1995, are retired and have two grown children and two grandchildren.  During my working career I was in the forest products, consumer electronics and insurance industries.  In my later years I was in training management and leadership development.  Debbie and I were Peace Corps volunteers in Botswana in the early 1980s.

  • My name is Patsy Myers. I have been married to my husband Jack for 53 years. We met at Newberry College. We have two adult children, Kathryn and John who were baptized and confirmed at St. Martin’s. Our two grandsons, Dylan and Jack were also baptized here.

    After graduation I worked at a large insurance company in their commercial underwriting department. After our children were born, I worked as a preschool teacher and then after 15 years as a teacher,  I co-owned an Ace Hardware Commercial/ Industrial business with Jack.

    I served on the Vestry several years ago and found it to be a very rewarding experience. Having been a member of St. Martin’s since the early 1970s, I feel I could bring a knowledge of the church.

    My areas of past and current involvement are, Altar Guild member and past director, Daughter’s of the King member, past Stewardship committee member and director, search committee, office volunteer, head of Altar Guild funeral committee, past member and head of Membership Development committee, member of The Commons building committee, parish clerk on Vestry and secretary on Foundation Committee. My personal ministry to the church is making crossed-stiched nametags for new members.

    My love for St. Martin’s runs deep. Jack’s mom and dad were charter members. The many friends made here and the community of faithful people are such a blessing. All the activities and outreach opportunities make our church a special place. It is definitely a place of welcome and love.

  • My name is Todd Nelson.  My wife, Ginger and I have been married for 44 years (45 in May).  We have 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren  Ginger and I are both from Columbia.  After graduating from Irmo High School, I attended Clemson University and received my B.A. in Secondary Education.  I then attended seminary in New Orleans and served for 25 years as a youth minister in several Baptist churches.  In 2006, I left serving in church and began teaching Middle School at CrossRoads Middle School in Lexington/Richland 5.  I teach 8th grade South Carolina History.

    Ginger and I visited St. Martins at the end of Covid at the invitation of Richard Smith.  We made the trek from Irmo initially thinking we would come over just to get a good lunch in Forest Acres and instead found a warm, welcoming, inclusive fellowship.  From the first service we have been challenged to live our faith in a real, messy, meaningful way.  Currently I serve as an usher and Ginger and I serve on the Membership Committee.  

    I do believe, as a former church staff member, that I would be a good addition to the Vestry. As we enter into the next 75 years of St. Martin’s, I would be honored to help in setting the vision of taking the “Holy Wow” moments into the neighborhoods, schools and streets of the greater Columbia area.  

  • 1) Family: Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

    I am a cradle Episcopalian, raised in Florence, SC. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, I lived in Washington, D.C., and later spent a two-year ski “sabbatical” in Colorado before returning to Columbia in 1996 for graduate school, expecting to stay only two years.

    Instead, I met Chip, now my husband of 26 years, and I never left. Chip and I are blessed with four children: Isabel and Porter, both baptized and confirmed at SMIF, and Chip’s daughters, Eleanor (and her husband, William) and Blair (and her husband, Keith), who together have given us four granddaughters, Ellie, Anne Rhett, Elsie and Harriet. Dogs have been a constant in our household with Henry, an 11-ish, labrador-ish, rescue dog being the current four-legged child.

     2) Work: Tell us what you do for a living (or did if you are retired)

    For the past seven years, I have served as executive director of Wholespire, a statewide nonprofit focused on creating healthier communities through policy, systems, and environmental change. This role allowed me to draw on my early work on political campaigns, my volunteer service on school wellness councils, and my mid-career experience in the fitness and corporate wellness sector. Together, these experiences taught me how to assess an environment (place), identify contributing factors, often rooted in historical culture (systems), and advocate for long-term solutions (policy) that move a project toward its vision.

    The most important lesson I’ve learned is to stay focused on mission while honestly weighing feasibility and capacity. That discipline guides decisions large and small, whether I’m funding a project, choosing a partner, handling staffing, working with our volunteer board, or testifying at a legislative hearing. I regularly revisit our mission and vision using a decision-making framework that considers historical factors, what is affecting the mission today, who our partners are, what is and isn’t working, and what the next steps should be.

    I believe these skills would serve St. Martin’s well on the Vestry. I would bring a collaborative approach to discernment, respect for the congregation’s history and traditions, and a commitment to stewardship, prayerfully balancing our mission with the realities of our resources, people, and community partnerships.

    3) Why do you want to serve on St. Martin's vestry?

    After leading a mission-driven nonprofit that depends on donations, I understand the balance between pursuing a vision and being realistic about resources. I have spent time in discernment about the best way to give back to St. Martin’s, and I believe I can contribute most through mission-driven decision-making, strategic planning, feasibility assessment, and clear communication, including in times of crisis. Now that Chip and I are empty nesters, I have more time and energy to give to the Vestry than in past years.

    I have been at SMIF long enough to see both seasons of decline and seasons of growth, and I am encouraged that we are on an upward trajectory. I want to help the parish respond to this moment and sustain that momentum, so that St. Martin’s remains a vibrant community of faith for generations to come. I believe the skills I have developed over my career would serve the Vestry well.

    4) What are your previous areas of involvement at St. Martin’s? 

    In recent years, I have served as a lector, a packer and deliverer for the weekend backpack program for Crayton students in need of food, and on the stewardship committee. In 2025, I completed Education for Ministry (EfM), which met at St. Martin’s. Previously, I have volunteered for one-day food packing events, hosted meals for Family Promise and EYC, and donated items to Harvest Hope.

     5) What do you love about St. Martin's and why? 

    I love SMIF because it is a parish where all are welcome, and that Episcopal promise is lived out, not just spoken. I treasure the many generations worshiping side by side, and the relationships here that are grounded in faith. There are so many ways to serve, whether through mission-driven work in the wider community, on the church campus, or during services. SMIF also stays connected to the community around us, and every time I walk in, I feel a deep sense of comfort.

     6) When did you join St. Martin's?

    With the exception of a brief time at another parish in the mid-2000s, I have been a member of SMIF since we married 26 years ago, as he was already a member.

  • Family: My name is Jeff Tautenhan. I’m originally from Massachusetts, having spent most of my adult life living and working in and around Boston. It’s in Boston where I met my wife Patti forty years ago. We were introduced when she was in town from Nashville visiting a mutual friend. Six months later we were engaged, and married the following year in Bermuda. In 2011, Patti and I moved to Columbia, first to the Northeast area and then three years ago to Forest Acres, where we now live. Columbia is our chosen home.

    Work: After attending art school and going on to receive a BFA degree, I spent my entire career as Creative Director for various advertising agencies and companies in the Boston area. I was responsible for designing multimedia campaigns for clients that included television, radio, newspaper and magazine ads, billboards and direct mailers. In 2000, I decided to launch Tautenhan Design Group as an answer to what so many clients were asking for, a more personal, cost effective and more hands-on approach to their communication needs. After a successful, award winning 25 years running the agency, I retired in November of 2025.

    Why do you want to serve on the St. Martin’s Vestry: Since joining the church in 2022, St. Martin’s has provided me with so very much. The church has become a huge part of my life, contributing to deepening my faith and spiritual growth. What better way for me to give back than to be a part of the team that’s committed to fulfilling St. Martin’s mission and vision with an eye towards the future. I also believe that my years of professional experience listening to clients’ needs and desires, and translating that into growth and success, will be valuable in representing the needs and desires of the congregation as a member of the Vestry.

    Previous areas of involvement: I currently have the great pleasure of serving as an usher and greeter at the 10:30 service, where I get to meet just about everyone at St. Martin’s. WOW, what a privilege! I also serve on the Membership Committee, where we get to welcome, cultivate and connect with visitors and new members. And, recently the Memorial Garden Committee, where I look forward in helping maintain this peaceful, sacred resting place for our deceased members for many years to come. Patti leads the Note Writers Ministry and also serves on the Membership Committee and Receptions Ministry. We’re a family who’s all in!

    What you love about St. Martin’s and why: Everything: The experience of worship, St. Martin’s mission and commitment to community service and the church community. The moment Patti and I walked into St. Martin’s, we knew we had found our church family - the warm welcoming feel of the church, its people and the willingness to reach out and help one another. The sermons, the music, the sanctuary, the list goes on. It amazes me how St. Martin’s is constantly pushing me outside of my comfort zone, both in my faith and my life. Making me think harder, think differently and question things - as I continue on this spiritual journey.

    Thank you for your consideration and vote to serve on the St. Martin’s Vestry.

  • I grew up in Salem, Ohio, and attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. I earned degrees in vocal performance and English/creative writing (bachelor’s 2018, master’s 2020). Through my musical background, I’ve had the pleasure of singing in Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Methodist churches across the Midwest. My writing and English background led me to a yearlong English teaching position in Poland, which I completed prior to moving to Columbia in 2023. I currently work at the University of South Carolina, where I help students apply for nationally competitive grants, fellowships, and scholarships. I’m also the features writer for the Honors College and enjoy telling true stories about the Honors community. Lifelong learning and community connections are at the core of my work and personal life.

    I began attending St. Martin’s in 2024 after learning about the church from Angela Adams (we were in a production of Beauty and the Beast together). It was clear from the beginning that St. Martin’s encourages growth—spiritual growth through Sunday worship and adult formation programming, growth in community involvement through initiatives like MORE Justice and the Safe Space Dinners, growth in social connection through Lenten Fish Frys and foyer groups. I was amazed by the number of ways in which St. Martin’s invests in its congregation and the Columbia community (and beyond), and I’ve enjoyed engaging in adult formation groups, volunteering at Fish Frys, becoming a MORE Justice Team Leader, and participating in the summer journaling group. In a fairly short time, I’ve gone from knowing hardly anyone in Columbia to being surrounded by a supportive community, and St. Martin’s is responsible for much of that.

    My husband, Brett, and I were married at St. Martin’s last May, and we’ve made it a goal in our marriage to be of greater service to the church that has made us feel so welcome and has nurtured our growth in many ways. I want to be part of the Vestry to help ensure that every member of St. Martin’s, and any new members, can experience that same sense of excitement, growth, and welcome. I’m eager to learn more about the people and processes that keep our parish running smoothly while lending a listening ear, curiosity, and thoughtful decision-making to the Vestry. I am encouraged and excited by the scope of activities and ministries at St. Martin’s, and I would be honored to be a steward of the church’s work as a member of the Vestry.

  • In the fall of 1985 my husband, Mark W. Binkley, and I moved to Columbia for my new job at USC.  Our son, Paul, was 22 months old.  We met a wonderful woman, Gwen Barbar (or Barbour), a member of St. Martin's, who recommended the church to us and said it had a drop-in nursey.  Mark was interviewing for jobs and needed some daycare when I was on campus.  The drop-in nursey was just what we needed.  From that 1985 introduction we started attending St. Martin's.  Our daughter, Sarah, was born in 1987 and was baptized at St. Martin's.  Mark is a cradle Episcopalian.  Paul was baptized at the Episcopal church we attended in Madison, Wisconsin before we moved here.  Mark and I have been married for 49 years.

    We have both been active at St. Martin's.  Mark was a Boy Scout leader for about ten years.  He and Tim Kana co-taught 3rd grade Sunday school for many years.  Our children grew up in this church, enjoyed EYC and always looked forward to Kanuga weekends.  My involvement has been in the book club, giving talks to various church groups over the years, and recently working with More Justice.

    In the Department of Political Science at USC I taught American politics.  My specialties are social movements, social justice, civil rights, women's rights, and the intersections of gender, race, and social class in political behavior and politics.

    Since retiring in 2017, I chaired a couple more USC Ph.D. students to degree completion and served on the Women's and Gender Studies Program's (now Department) Partnership Council for more than ten years.  When I retired, the University awarded me the title "Distinguished Professor Emerita".

    Since 2017 I have been active in the League of Women Voters of the Columbia Area serving as president for two years and on the Board of Directors.

    Vestry membership is intriguing to me for several reasons.  Having been raised a Catholic, I will learn a lot about how a church governs itself from within.  My love for democracies, social movements (often with religious themes in them), and efforts to enhance the wellbeing of "the least of our brothers and sisters" also attracts me to serve at the Vestry level.

    What I love about St. Martin's is its inclusiveness, compassion, and routine outreach with families in all their diversities and the community writ large.  The vestry nomination is an honor for me.