ST. MARTHA'S LEADERSHIP
| Vestry email Address | vestry@stmarthasbethany.org | |
| Rector | The Rev. Mary L. Allen 302-864-8822 (cell) |
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| Senior Warden | Joe Reardon 302-541-8483 |
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| Junior Warden | Frank Bell 302-539-6972 |
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| Secretary of Vestry | Tempe Steen tbsteensr@gmail.com 302-539-9160 | |
| Parish Treasurer | Ron Kerchner thekerchners@msn.com 302-539-4051 |
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| Assistant Treasurer | Maureen Costas mallureencostas@yahoo.com 703-757-6510 |
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| Vestry | Mimi Dupont 302-228-2755 |
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| Vestry | Wincy Jackson 302-539-9319 |
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| Vestry | Lee Moore 302-537-8051 |
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| Vestry | Mary Perkins 302-537-7552 |
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| Vestry | Nancy Rojewski 301-401-7330 |
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| Vestry | Tempe Steen |
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| Vestry | Paul Thompson 302-537-0688 |
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| Parish Musician | David Kemper |
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| Parish Administrator | Teri Munz |
MEET
OUR RECTOR
Reverend Mary Louise Allen, formerly rector of St. Phillips Episcopal Church in Marysville, Washington accepted the call to be the second rector of St. Martha's Episcopal Church in Bethany Beach.
With a father who was an Episcopal minister, Mary grew up a true daughter
of the church. Although she felt drawn to the ministry after her 1977
graduation from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, she resisted the
call. So upon college graduation she entered the business world and managed
a retail business in Salem, Oregon for the next seven years. The religious
call was persistent however, and Mary entered the Divinity School of the
Pacific in 1984. Following her ordination in 1986 she served as assistant
rector at churches in Washington and Oregon for five years before moving
to Good Shepherd in Utah as associate rector. She was called to be vicar
at Grace Church in Utah and later became rector. She spent 9 years at
Grace Church.. She came to St. Phillips in 2004, first as Priest in Charge,
then became rector in 2005.
Reverend Mary Allen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to St.
Martha's from her 25 years as an Episcopal priest. She was a Clinical
Teaching Assistant in Pastoral Care while in Tigard, Oregon. She has designed
and taught many adult education programs at the Diocesan, parish and local
college levels. Music is another of Mary Allen's strengths having the
capability to sing or chant the liturgy. References spoke of her joyful,
caring, spiritual nature and her ability to see parish and local need
and then find ways to connect people with ministry that utilize their
gifts and fill their hearts.
Mary is single and lives with her two cats, Theo and Sophie. During her
time off, she enjoys photography and crafts, delights in nature, reads
voraciously, (especially Julia Spencer-Fleming and mysteries where the
woman rector is the primary investigator), she also loves all things Shakespearean
and Celtic. She also describes herself as being a bit of a “geek”
when it comes to technology. She has a wonderful sense of humor which
is evident when you talk to her. She has said that life is important,
so important in fact, that we should not take it too seriously.
Mary Allen remarked that the call from St. Martha's was an easy decision
to make because the church profile “spoke to her heart” as
she was searching for a church that is growing, vibrant, and has a real
commitment to Outreach and social justice.