The Standing Committee is elected by the Synod, and includes the Bishop plus three clergy and three laity. It assumed functions of the Bishop’s Council, and other powers and duties as described in the Canons. The Standing Committee oversees the work of the Diocese, standing in place of the Synod throughout the year. You may contact the Standing Committee by email at standingcommittee@midwestanglican.org
Ann and I are members of Christ Church Madison which we began attending in 2019, and where I currently serve as a non-stipendiary Assistant Priest. I grew up in Venezuela–my parents were missionaries with the Evangelical Free Church. I was attracted to Anglicanism during my college years. After graduate school, Ann and I moved to Dubuque, Iowa, where I have taught for the last 30 years in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department at Clarke University. I occasionally teach a course in moral theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary. I was ordained to the priesthood in 2008 in the Diocese of Iowa, and I became canonically resident in the Diocese of the Upper Midwest in 2022.
I bring experiences serving on a vestry as treasurer, junior warden, and senior warden; experience serving on several diocesan boards and committees; and experience in college and hospital chaplaincy. However, “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God”( 2 Cor. 3:5).
I began serving as the Youth & College Pastor at Church of the Resurrection in 2016. I was ordained to the diaconate in 2021 and to the priesthood in 2023. I first attended Rez as a Wheaton College student (’10) and regularly visited over holidays while completing a Master of Divinity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (’15). My wife and I feel so fortunate to serve at the church we fell in love with fifteen years ago.
I bring strengths of communication, strategic planning, and curiosity (or “Input” if you’re familiar with StrengthsFinder). I enjoy thinking through complex situations from a variety of perspectives and then bringing clarity and clear next steps. I have experience serving on the senior team at the cathedral, in addition to youth and cross-cultural ministry. I love the people and the mission of this Diocese and am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve her in a new capacity.
I grew up as a missionary kid in Krakow, Poland, and first encountered Anglicanism as a freshman at Wheaton College when a friend brought me to Church of the Resurrection. I attended there through college, and served on staff for four years after graduating. The Lord called me to Madison right as Christ Church was being planted in 2018, and I have loved being a part of this beautiful community. I was ordained to the diaconate in December 2022, and I’m in the midst of completing a Certificate of Diaconal Studies at Trinity School for Ministry.
I have had a profound experience of coming home to Jesus and his Church through the ministry of our diocese. I long to see a revival movement across the Upper Midwest, reaching those who don’t yet have a relationship with Christ and his Bride. Through churchplanting I’ve learned how to build systems to support and bring order to the organic growth of ministry. Our Diocese is in a trellis-building stage, so I’m eager to use my gifts and skills to see our Diocese thrive. I also have a heart for intercession, and cross-cultural perspective from growing up overseas and diving into the Latino community in the Madison area, thanks to my fiancé who is originally from Mexico.
Church of the Resurrection has been my home for over ten years. My husband is Deacon and Professor John Clark. Married for 26 years, we have two college-aged children, William and Gwyneth. I currently work as the Copy Writer for Moody Publishers. I am honored to serve with Bishop Stewart and Katherine and am immensely proud of our diocese. I bring discernment and loyalty to the Church of Jesus. I also have strong administrative skills. Being married to a theologian has been an incredible gift—I have tried to pay attention over the years and hope that my mind and heart have been sharpened and formed.
I was raised in the Christian Faith by devout parents in the Baptist tradition. My wife Lois and I began attending Church of the Resurrection in 1990, and moved to the Madison area to be part of the launch of Christ Church Madison in 2018. At Church of the Resurrection I served in many lay leadership roles, including many years as Vestry member and Warden. I served on staff there as Generosity Pastor overseeing facility, finances, and personnel policy for three years.
I lead a Spiritual Discussion Group (also known as an evangelistic Bible study), served on the Advisory Council of Christ Church Madison in 2021, and have served on Parish Council as Treasurer and Secretary since 2022. I serve in the nursery, as a prayer minister, and as a leader of a home group. I love to greet newcomers and to see others come to faith in Christ and grow in their faith in Christ. My son Chris grew up at Church of the Resurrection (from birth through adulthood), met his wife Katie at the Rez youth group, and is now active at City of Light Anglican Church. My son Ben and his wife Robyn live in Memphis.
Church leadership is my wheelhouse: God has gifted me with the ability to see the details, the big picture, and to concisely summarize an issue. I love to serve the church and diocese through wise consensus.
My husband and I have been attending Church of the Cross in Hopkins, MN, for 16 years and were confirmed a few years later. Receiving the sacraments, worshiping, serving and raising our four children in this special community has been one of our life’s greatest blessings. My passion and personal love for Anglicanism exploded within months of attending Church of the Cross, and they have continued to grow with time in ways we are still experiencing anew.
About 18 months ago, I went through a prayer and discernment process when I was asked to join the Bishop’s Council. The Lord confirmed in a remarkably clear way that my response was to be: “Here I am, send me.” Serving this last year and half on the Bishop’s Council has given me a comprehensive understanding of what has transpired in our diocese as well as the good work that is already underway.
Additionally, I have a business background with professional experience in human resources and sales/marketing. Over the years, I have also participated in prayer ministry, children’s ministry, community outreach and church leadership. The Lord has created me with gifts of discernment and leadership. According to Strengthsfinder, I possess strengths of input, harmony, achievement and learning. Most importantly, I seek to serve from a place of absolute reliance upon the wisdom of the Spirit and the refining power of the Word.
Bishop Stewart and his wife, Katherine, have six children, and their first love and passion is developing their family as a “domestic church.” As bishop, Stewart has another deep-seated passion: to plant a revival of Word and Sacrament infused by the power of the Holy Spirit across the Upper Midwest. The diocese does this through modeling the 5 S Church in relationship and mission, raising up leaders and artists, and following the Spirit to new things.
Brenda has been a member of Church of the Resurrection (the cathedral church of the Upper Midwest) since 1984. She joined the Resurrection staff team in 2009, and became Bishop (then Father) Stewart’s assistant in 2011. After Bp. Stewart was consecrated bishop in 2013, her responsibilities have been split between the Upper Midwest Diocese and Resurrection work.
Brenda’s love for the cathedral and the Diocese of the Upper Midwest is deep: she was baptized, confirmed, and married husband Don at Resurrection. Brenda and Don have four children: Donny, Allison, Annalisa and James. Other than serving the Diocese and Resurrection, some of Brenda’s favorite things are: being out in nature, camping, kayaking, bird watching and reading. She is a lover of coffee, dark chocolate (ok, any chocolate really), spring flowers and midwestern fall colors.
Canon Rev. Dr. Stephen Gauthier is a priest and Canon Theologian of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest. He assists the bishop on matters of theology and liturgy and is essential in helping to prepare candidates for ordination. Cn. Stephen also serves as Director of Formation for the Greenhouse Movement as the primary teacher in Saint Paul’s House of Formation, and the co-host of the Word and Table podcast.
Canon Molly serves our diocese as the Lay Canon of Church Planting and broader province through her work as the Director of the Always Forward Institute for Church Planting, an initiative of the Anglican Church in North America.
Sixteen years ago, Fr. Christian and Molly planted the first daughter church of the Church of the Resurrection (now the diocesan cathedral) when when they moved to Minneapolis to start Church of the Cross. Together, they serve as the leaders of Gregory House North in Minnesota. Molly and Christian have four children: two in college and two at home.
The Chancellor is the chief legal officer of the Diocese, providing legal counsel to the Bishop and the Standing Committee. Steve brings more than 30 years of legal experience to the role, the last ten-plus as a member of ACNA churches.
Steve grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan Law School. He and his wife Julie began attending Church of the Resurrection (Wheaton) in 2014, and immediately sensed a presence of the Holy Spirit neither had experienced before. In 2018, Steve, Julie and their children, Evan (’02) and Jen (’05), felt called to be a part of planting Christ Church Madison. Julie is now Christ Church Madison’s sacristan (leading the altar guild), while Steve is co-leader of the usher team (as well as lead shofar player).
office@midwestanglican.org
630-480-7122
935 W. Union Ave.
Wheaton, IL 60187
