OUR LEADERSHIP
It's an exciting time at St. Bartholomew's! We just completed a building refresh, our dynamic Vestry team is in place and ready to serve. Now all we need is you!
The Rev. Dr. Candine E. Johnson
Priest-in-Charge
Brooklyn born and raised, The Rev’d Candine E. Johnson, Ph.D. left NYC for Charlottesville, Virginia in 1976 to attend graduate school at The University of Virginia and except for a few short periods, she has called the Commonwealth of Virginia home. Upon graduating from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Johnson embarked on a life-long journey of education both as a student and educator. With a Ph.D. in Education, Johnson returned to New York as an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Syracuse University. After two years in the frozen north, she returned to Virginia to the University of Richmond. During her 16 years of service at UR, she served as the Director of Academic Advising to the University’s 400 Division I student-athletes and as an Assistant Professor. Upon answering a long denied call to ministry, Johnson, a postulant from the Diocese of Virginia, matriculated at The General Seminary in NYC. September 11, 2001 was her fourth day of seminary and she was two miles from Ground Zero – she considers this the first day of her ministry.
Graduating with honors from GTS, she was called back to her home diocese to serve as chaplain and teacher at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, a boarding school for girls grades 8-12 located in Tappahannock along the banks of the Tappahannock River. While serving as the chaplain of St. Margaret’s, she also undertook parochial ministry and served as the priest-in-charge of Vauter’s Episcopal Church, Loretto, Virginia.
Making her home in Tappahannock, Johnson has taken a very active role in her adopted community. She has served as President of the Essex County Ministerial Association, Chair of The Long Term Recovery Group following an F-4 tornado in 2016, and founded and served as Chair of TRIAD, a joint program of law enforcement and the Attorney General’s office. In September 2015, Johnson was called back to St. John’s Episcopal Church, Tappahannock, Virginia. While at St. Margaret’s, she served her diaconal time at St. John’s from 2004-2005. In 2018, the 13th year of her priesthood, she was called as St. John’s 23rd rector. She returned to St. Margaret’s as chaplain and DEI officer in 2021.
In April 2023, The Rev. Johnson left Virginia to answer a call to St. Bartholomew’s as the interim priest-in-charge. Even though it’s not Brooklyn, she views her move to Audubon, New Jersey as a “homecoming.” Having left her family in 1976, she’s thrilled to be living close to her sister in Collingswood and her niece in Haddon Township. She’s glad to be home!
Rev. Arthur J. Knight
Deacon Retired
Deacon Art is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA in secondary education and teaching fields in Spanish and History. After serving four years as an Air Force radio operator stationed in Spain, he went on to a career in insurance. After serving in multiple lay leadership capacities, he answered the call to ordained ministry, studied three years at the Diocesan School for Deacons, and was ordained in 2000. Deacon Art served in the Timber-Creek Episcopal Area Ministry (T.E.A.M.), and was later assigned by our Bishop to the parish of St. Bartholomew's. Deacon Art's roles at St. Bart's have included men's ministry, teaching adult forums, scheduling ministers, and working with the Sunday School and youth. He currently serves as the Recording Secretary of the Diocesan Board of Missions and is a member of the Committee on the Diaconate. He and his wife Margaret have been married more than forty years and have one son, David, who lives with his wife, Amy, in Cottonwood, Arizona.
Colleen Spaeth
Deacon Retired
I remember so very clearly the morning in 1979 I walked into St. Bartholomew’s Church. and this crazy, quirky guy, approached me in the narthex. “Hi, I’m Bob Alexander, that’s my wife Ruth, what’s your name? You must come down to the parish hall and join us for coffee and cake after the service!”
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ButtonI walked into this beautiful sanctuary, and the HUGE red cross over the altar greeted me. The message was SO LOUD & CLEAR, “Hi Colleen, WELCOME! glad you’re here! “I sat and listened to a lively homily and song by Fr. Perry Winterrowd, followed by a beautiful warm greeting of the people in the church. I went downstairs, met terrific friendly people, and by the next month I had an assignment as coffee host, later a youth parent enjoying ski trips
And so began my relationship with St. Bart’s. This lost, former Roman Catholic had found a home.
There were a number of influences that guided me on my path to the diaconate. Ultimately, it was a call from ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PRIEST, Fr. Wayne Smith, then Rector of St. Bart’s, who called and said, “you must consider being a deacon in the Church.” And so began my spiritual and educational three-year journey with the Diocese of New Jersey, and in October of -1998 I was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of New Jersey, assigned by the Bishop to St. Bartholomew’s.
In addition, I have completed a three-year course in spiritual direction under the leadership of Sr. Marcy Springer, a Roman Catholic Nun, from the Francis House of Prayer at Upper Freehold Township, and two units of Clinical Pastoral Education, and an Associate at the Community of St. John Baptist, in Mendham, Jersey.
I have for years taken personal retreats, and conducted group retreats for women to such places as the Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, New York, an Anglican Benedictine Community of Men, as well as to Francis House.
As the deacon at St. Bartholomew’s, I see my call and role here to proclaim the Gospel, visit, pray and administer communion at church, in homes and in hospitals.
I would be very happy to share more of my spiritual and life journey with those who would like to sit down and share a cup of tea with me!
Colleen currently resides full-time in Florida, but visits New Jersey regularly and makes Pastoral visits.
Staff
Betsy Murphy
Parish Administrator
Worship Support
Patrick Trainor
Acolyte
Fred Astmann
Music Coordinator
Guild Leaders
Candi London
Head of Altar Guild
Edith Bennett
Episcopal Church Women
Emma Waring
Head of Altar Flowers
Arlene Adams
Outreach
Jean Astmann
Hospitality
Monica Mundy
Head of Altar Flowers
Wardens
Emma Waring
Warden
Rod Bennett
Warden
Vestry
Carolyn Gage
Vestry Clerk
Lillie Kumar
Livestream
Rob Williams
Property
Evelyn Biney
Vestry
Laura DeRose
Ministry of Caring
Sharon Eggleston
Vestry
Monica Mundy
Choir Liaison
Ricky Rahming
Technology
Patrick Jjemba
Treasurer
What is the Vestry
The vestry is the legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property. The basic responsibilities of the vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of the congregation; to support the church’s mission by word and deed, to select the rector, to ensure effective organization and planning, and to manage resources and finances.
