Who we are...
Vestry Members:Team Leaders |
Leo Martineau, Junior Warden When not cooking for our Parish Picnics, Leo is faithful in keeping up our church facilities, having recently overseen the replacement of our heating system. Leo is a retired electrician, enjoys playing cribbage (and teaching it too!), hunting and taking care of his grandson. Leo lives with his wife Felicia. Melissa Battah Melissa is the Exceutive Director of Vermont Interfaith Action and believes in the power of organizing faith communities for change, putting faith into action. She is the mother of Amalie and Siraj and lives with her husband Shadi in Barre Town. Reesie Dobrick Reesie is a trained librarian and archivist. She works as the lead researcher for the Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission. She and her husband Will met recreating the Middle Ages in the Society for Creative Anachronism. They are the parents of two wonderful young boys, Roger and Steven. Rick Fiddock Rick is our Senior Acolyte and serves regularly in our worship at the Altar and as a honey voiced lector. Rick is a shipping manager for a manufacturing firm in Williamstown and in his free time enjoys writing and gaming. A Star Trek fan, he lives with his parter Sam and their new kitten Cleo. Ron and Christina Hirsch Ron and Christina moved back to Barre (the home town of Chris’s family) a few years ago. They share a Vestry position and Ron is the Team Leader for Growth and Finance and Chris is the Team Leader of our Caring Team. Avid gardeners and seasoned travelers, they enjoy visiting and being visited by their children and grandchildren. Lindi Trojanowski, Clerk of the Vestry Lindi is a long time member of Good Shepherd and always breaks out in a big smile when she tells of her love for the Good Shepherd community. Lindi works as a dental hygienist and lives with her husband Scott and is the mother of two adult daughters. Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Rector Earl has served Good Shepherd for over thirteen years and loves the Barre community. Active with Vermont Interfaith Action, he works to help end homelessness in Vermont and also serves on the Racial Justice and Healing committee of the Diocese. His ministry is to make the love, peace and justice of Jesus’s Good News the focus for Good Shepherd’s members and our neighbors in Barre. He also serves with the clergy team at St. Mary’s Parish, Northfield. He lives with his wife Elizabeth, a clinical psychologist, and they have three adult children and five grandchildren. He often hikes in the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire and works on his 1949 Willys pickup truck. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Shannon McVean-Brown, Bishop of Vermont Bishop Shannon came to Vermont in 2019 as our first African American bishop. Bishop Shannon is focused on missional vitality for our congregations. She is a creative artist and is married to Phil. Children and Families: Amy Eschelbach Amy heads our Children and Families Team, planning events and activities. Her work is in management at a local Health Care clinic. She loves to sing and often leads the congregation in song and she serves as the “digital deacon” for our online community. She lives in Plainfield with her husband Kevin and they are parents of three adult children. Mission Outreach: Beth Mueller Beth (pictured with Joy Lee serving our Community Lunch) is tireless in feeding and helping people throughout Barre. Her compassion is always accompanied by a kind smile and a reassuring word, sharing her love of Jesus. She is a potter and runs a studio with her husband Phil. They are the parents of Emma, their adult daughter. Treasurer and Communications: Tess Taylor Tess came to Good Shepherd because she loved this “small, mighty, fierce” Church as she calls it. She works as the Homelessness Liaison for the City of Barre. Tess also serves as the Church Treasurer and the Communications Team Leader. She enjoys singing, cooking, knitting and taking her labradoodle Geordi for walks in Barre’s “Cow Pasture.” Growth and Finance: Ron Hirsch Caring Team: Christina Hirsch Worship: Marjorie Strong |