Staff | Vestry and Wardens | Lay Leadership

Staff

Parish Administrator – April Mae Rugletic

As Parish Coordinator/Administrator, April Mae Rugletic began her work at Good Shepherd, Pitman on March 1st of 2021. April is a “Cradle Episcopalian” and grew up (and was a member for 40 years) at Emmanuel-Resurrection Episcopal Church, Holmesburg in Philadelphia. April has more than 20 years of experience as a parish secretary in two Episcopal parishes (most recently @ St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Cherry Hill). April lives with her husband, Jerry, in Voorhees, NJ. They have two children, Autumn Lyn and Jerry III.

Sexton – Maria Szalma
Quoting Rodgers and Hammerstein, “How do you find the word that means Maria?” Energetic, fun, funny, kind, dedicated, loyal, faithful! With her tremendous generosity of spirit, Maria is always looking to help out everywhere. She does it all, making everything sparkle, including our spirits. Maria is a person you want to meet, for your life will be enriched!

Choir Director and Organist – Jennifer Fisicaro
Jennifer Fisicaro has been our Choir Director and Organist for two years. Jen has lived in Pitman most of her life and currently resides here with her husband, Bobby, and two children, Michael and Anna. God’s gift of music has always been an important part of Jen’s life. She has played piano since a young age, accompanied choirs, sung in select choir groups, and performed in musicals. Jen taught piano lessons for many years and was the church organist at several different churches as well. From 2010-2013, she was the music director at Our Father’s House Preschool in Pitman. Jen currently teaches special education at Kingsway Middle School. She hopes to bless others by sharing her passion for worshiping God through music!

AV Technician – Tim Kuhn
Tim lives in Williamstown and is a student @ Rowan (working toward a BS degree in electrical and computer engineering).  He is currently employed part-time at the Broadway Theater in Pitman where he works as a soundboard operator and a sound and light technician. Tim will begin his work at Good Shepherd on Sunday, November 21st. His responsibilities will be to manage the audio and video for our Sunday morning broadcast. Tim will also be training young people in the Parish who are interested in learning and volunteering as “TECHOLYTES“.  Tim is well qualified for the work he will be doing and we are delighted to welcome him to Good Shepherd.  Thanks to Pat Ransom who encouraged Tim to apply for the job!! 

Volunteer Staff
We have a robust team of volunteer staff at Good Shepherd. This team handles all sorts of important jobs including Christian Education for children and adults, all of our youth programs, website and social media, rectory and property repairs and improvements, gardening and landscaping, and major cleaning on various workdays through the year.

VESTRY AND WARDENS
The eleven voting members of the Vestry are elected by vote of the congregation at our Annual Meeting each January. In addition to the Senior Warden and Junior Warden, there are nine general Vestry members. The Vestry term is three years in rotation, with three new members elected each year. The Vestry elects the clerk and the treasurers, which are non-voting positions. The Vestry meets monthly with the Rector to administer the business of the church with a range of duties that include stewardship and budget development, oversight of daily church operations, property decisions and maintenance, and appointment of special committees. Vestry members serve on various Vestry committees and as Vestry liaisons to coordinate with ministry leadership for all activities and ministries at Good Shepherd.

Senior Warden: Diane Wall

Diane joined Good Shepherd with her family in 2000. She is married to Mark and they have two adult children, Philip and Morgan, who were raised as active youth members of Good Shepherd.  Diane has served in many ministries including teaching Sunday school when her children were young, being an active member of Good Shepherd’s ECW group, and serving several terms on the Vestry, including one term as Senior Warden. She is also involved with Stewardship, Creation Care, Coffee Hour and the choir. Diane works at Inspira Health in Mullica Hill as a clinical laboratory scientist.

Junior Warden: Bill Nelson

Vestry, Class of 2023

Cheryl Burness

I grew up In Pitman and have been a part of the Church of the Good Shepherd all my life. My best memory was going to church with my Great Grandmother every Sunday. I was confirmed into the church when I was thirteen. My parents married here, my first marriage was here and all my kids where baptized at this church, and now my Grandkids. This church holds special memories for my family. I have been a Sunday School Teacher and now I am a part of the Vestry. I just celebrated thirty years at Walmart in Turnersville, I am the HR Manager. I have two granddaughters and one grandson. I am an Artist and enjoy crafting.

Bill Beard

Bill has been a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd for over 50 years and served as an acolyte for many years.  He was on the Endowment Committee, served as an Usher, and is also a member of the Choir.  He serves as a member of the Property Committee.  This is his third stint on the Vestry. He has worked in Electrical Engineering for various companies over his career.

Paige Bathurst

Paige is a lifelong member of the Church of the Good Shepherd, being baptized and confirmed at the church. She is a resident of Mantua, NJ where she grew up with her parents and two brothers. She serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, Sunday School teacher, and recently was on the Discernment Committee. Paige is currently a student at Rowan University where she studies Supply Chain Management and serves in many leadership roles on campus, such as Student Body President for the 2022-23 academic year.

Class of 2024

Dana Early

Dana Earley has been a member of Good Shepherd since childhood. She married her husband Bob at Good Shepherd in 1989 and has two adult daughters – Chelsea and McKayla – who were baptized and confirmed at the church. Over the years, she has taught Sunday School, served as a Coffee Hour host, volunteered at the Holly Fair, participated in Women at the Well and, most recently, became a Vestry member. Dana and her husband live in Washington Township. She is Corporate Manager of Communications for Jefferson Health – New Jersey, where she has worked for 29 years. Dana loves to read, travel and spend time at the Jersey shore.

Rich Harrington

Ann Peel

Class of 2025

Lee Emsinger

Linda Meinel

Morgan Wall

Clerk of the Vestry:  Chuck Lezenby

Chuck was appointed as Clerk of the Vestry in January 2015, and previously served as Senior Warden and as a Vestry member. He has also been actively involved as a LEM, Prayer Minister and assists the Priest with Morning Prayer.  He has been a member of Good Shepherd since 2009.  Chuck is a lifelong Episcopalian, and was a fifty two year member of Church of the Ascension in Gloucester City, and a thirty plus year member of St. John’s Episcopal Church by the Sea in Avalon. N.J. (summer chapel), where he currently serves as Liturgical Chair.  Chuck is a career civil servant, with 30 years of diverse experience in county government.  Chuck then was employed by the Clayton Board of Education for 13 years.  He is retired from both positions.  Chuck lives at home with his partner of 20 years, in Franklinville, NJ.

Assistant Clerk of the Vestry: Sue Dixon
Acting Treasurer:  George Funk
Patti Fortney: Assistant Treasurer
Len Fedullo: Assistant Treasurer

LAY LEADERSHIP
In addition to the Vestry, there are lay ministry leaders for each of our ministries at Good Shepherd. We are a parish of faithful and joyful doers. This is part of our commitment, our fellowship, our stewardship, our spiritual journey. This is who we are at Good Shepherd!

Acolytes:  Jeff Bathurst
Altar Guild:  Shelly Harris
Brotherhood of Saint Andrew:  Wayne Szalma
Camden Christmas:  Deacon Carl Dunn
Caring Hands:  Pat Braidwood
Columbarium:  Diane Wall
Contemplative Group: Mel Caron
Creation Care: Lauren Kaltwasser
Crop Hunger Walk:  Gail Morton & Connie Parent
Endowment Committee:  Roger Baker
Events Coordinator: Claude Coulson
Good Shepherd Scholarship Fund:  Diane Wall & Janice Gowland
Greeters/Newcomers:  Deb Prieto
History Museum:  Ellie Dunn
Holly Fair:  Rich & Jenniffer Harrington
Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEM):  Chuck Lezenby
Lending Library:  Shelly Harris
Music Ministry: Jennifer Fisicaro
Offering Counters:  George Funk
Outreach:  Ellie Dunn
Page Turners Book Group:  Janice Gowland
Pray-er Ministry:  Barbara Elliott
Prayer Warriors:  Shelly Harris
Publicity:  Beth Portocalis & Maureen Wynkoop
Quilt Guild:  Shelly Harris
Sunday School:  Brad and Jaclyn Davies
Ushers:  Wayne Szalma
Website and Social Media: Maureen & Jim Wynkoop
Women at the Well – ECW:  Diane Wall
Youth Group:  Chelsea Richmond