Our vestry is an elected leadership team of church members who provide direction and accountability for our resources. The vestry is comprised of three classes of two members each, who serve three-year terms. (See the full vestry here.) At our annual business meeting on Wednesday, June 26, church members voted to approve the new class of vestry members.
New Vestry
Vote During the Vestry Approval Meeting
If you are an adult who has been confirmed or received into membership at Resurrection, please vote to approve vestry candidates here. Your vote will be tallied in real-time during the meeting.
Elise Tomlin
Elise has been attending Resurrection for more than 18 years and has served with RezChoir, a generosity initiative, Vestry, and Transformation Intensive, as well as other teams. Elise and her husband Nick, who were married at Resurrection, are raising three boys: Quinn (7), Liam (5), and Eliot (2).
Laura Chelsen
Laura and her husband, Paul, have been attending Church of the Resurrection for nearly three decades and have raised their three adult daughters in the church. During that time, Laura has served in various capacities including new members’ classes, prayer ministry, couples ministries, and Eucharist ministry. She currently enjoys gardening, reading, hosting friends and family, and serving as a spiritual director.
Junior and Senior Wardens
The Junior Warden serves in a leadership position for the Vestry under the Senior Warden. The wardens run monthly Vestry meetings. They, along with the Bishop and the Dean, comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee sets agendas for the Vestry, and the wardens provide additional counsel and accountability for the Dean in Executive Committee meetings. Wardens are selected by the Dean and serve one-year terms that can be renewed. Although the congregation does not vote on the warden positions, feedback is still a valued part of the process. No Vestry member can serve more than five consecutive years.
Junior Warden - Andrew Merrick
Andrew and his wife Rhonda live in Lombard where they raised their five kids who range in age from 26 to 15. This October, they will have the joy of meeting their first grandchild! They joined Church of the Resurrection in 2007. Andrew came to Christ in his last year of engineering school in 1986 and came to the Anglican church through marriage to Rhonda. Rez has been the most transformational experience in his life. He and Rhonda went through the second ever Transformational Intensive, and Andrew have served as a small group leader in each one offered since. They are part of a RezGroup that meets in Lombard. Last year, Andrew helped start a board game night at Rez to enjoy games and meet new people. He has served on Vestry before and looks forward to serving again in this next season as we search for a new Rector.
Senior Warden - Amy Patton
We have been blessed by Amy Patton's many leadership gifts on staff at Resurrection over the years. Amy laid the foundations for RezKids as our former Children's Pastor more than a decade ago. She has also served as former Executive Pastor of Staff and as Executive Director of Gregory House, the diocesan training school for future leaders. Amy and Ryan have been at Rez for over 15 years. They have four young boys, and they love raising them in the beautiful, loving community of Rez. Amy is now at home with her boys. She loves reading, coffee, and going on adventures.
