MEET CANDIDATES FOR VESTRY

Vestry Candidates 2008


R. Stephen Duke (3 years)

Stephen and his wife Barbara ramsey-Duke have been members of Christ Episcopal Church for the past twelve years and proudly walked his daughter Sarah down the isle within Christ Church walls eight years ago. In the past he served on the Christ Church Vestry from 2000 to 2003 He is happy to say that he served through the transition period in which the church’s search for a new leader led to the wise choice of Father Bob.

As a South Bay resident for over 30 years, he and Barbara have three grown children: Sarah, Stephanie and Burton. They also enjoy their three grandsons: Kyler (8), Wade (6) and Liam (17 months). Kyler has lived with Stephen and Barbara for the past six years and has also been baptized here at Christ Church, Redondo Beach.

As a practicing attorney, Stephen specializes in Commercial/Business Litigation and has for over 30 years. His office is located in Beverly Hills but he has always chosen to remain a South Bay resident.

Stephen enjoys sports, spending valuable time and laughs with Barbara and the kids, and coaching. As the daily father figure, he encourages all the boys who lovingly call him Poppi and encourages Kyler to be himself and try his hardest at everything he attempts.


Chuck Winn (3 years)

Chuck works for Southern California Edison where he manages a team of account executives responsible for providing energy efficiency and customer care services to more than 750 major industrial customers representing over $65 million in annual revenue.

Chuck has 12 years experience with Southern California Edison’s Customer Service Business Unit and has held a variety of management and project management positions. Prior to his current position, Chuck managed SCE’s Economic & Business Development organization. He has served as a board member on several 501 (c) (3) and 501 (c) (6) nonprofit organizations including; the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, California Local Economic Development, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, Gateway Cities Partnership, and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership.

Prior to joining SCE, Chuck worked as an industrial real estate broker for 10 years with Daum Commercial Real Estate. He graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with both BS and Masters Degrees in Business Administration.

Chuck grew up in Visalia, California and attended grade school at St. Paul’s school. Chuck was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Visalia. He has served as a den leader in Redondo Beach Cub Scout Pack 555 since 2004. Chuck, his wife Diana, and his two children Mitchell and Haley live in Redondo Beach.


Kathryn Bingham (3 years)

Kathryn has been a long time Episcopalian who loves the church, people, and our Episcopal liturgy. She wrote about her life as an Episcopalian: “Although I’ve been Episcopal from infancy, throughout my life I’ve also attended other churches. When you live overseas, you go to what’s available. Then, when I lead Love, Inc., I also visited all our community churches. Depending on denomination, I frequently led from the pulpit, delivering a message in the pastor’s “sermon” slot. In my heart, though, I have to tell you the liturgy and prayer book just speak to me. Once, I was asked about the difference between the monthly communion at one church and the more frequent (weekly or greater) sacraments – I likened the difference to an “abiding” presence of God at the moment of the communion experience—who wouldn’t want that as often as possible?”

Kathryn has contributed to our Upward Call of God: Stories of Faith blog http://upwardcallofgod.blogspot.com/ and you can find more about her spiritual journey there.

Professionally, Kathryn has earned an Executive M.B.A at Pepperdine University and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Management, CSU Bakersfield. She is employed at Raytheon. She is the Raytheon Six Sigma Master Expert and Learning Champion for the Corporate Internal Audit organization of Raytheon Company. Raytheon is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion.

Kathryn has over 20 years of experience in project management, strategy development and implementation, and organizational leadership. She has significant cross-cultural experience and has lived in both Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Joining Raytheon in 2000, Kathryn certified as a Raytheon Six Sigma Expert in 2001 and has had a project recognized at one of the company’s Annual Six Sigma Celebration events. She has led the deployment of an Internal Audit curriculum and integration of Raytheon Six Sigma into the Internal Audit Methodology. This institutionalization of Six Sigma created transformational changes to professional auditing, generating international recognition for best practice process excellence. In addition to her career with Raytheon, Kathryn held positions in the private sector as executive director of a non-profit affiliate of World Vision and business consultant.

Kathy Van Orden (3 years)

Looking back, I have been on a spiritual quest my whole life. As a child I would invite myself to attend the Sunday school of friends. Beginning in the fourth grade, I went to Church of Our Saviour, San Gabriel, with my aunt and uncle who are still parishioners there. In those days, church was Morning Prayer with an occasional Holy Communion and we did not take communion until we were confirmed. Fourth graders worshipped in the “big” church instead of the chapel, recessing to church school before the sermon. I was confirmed in 1968 along with hundreds of other seventh graders.

During high school I also attended Young Life meetings and events with my friends and rock masses at All Saints, Pasadena. I did not go to church while at UCSB or when I moved to Hermosa Beach and began teaching in Torrance. However, when I wanted a wedding out of the Prayer Book, I returned to the Episcopal Church. The staff at Church of Our Savior was less than enthusiastic about performing a wedding for someone they hadn’t seen in ten years, so I joined St. Cross, Hermosa Beach. I became an active parishioner there, serving on the Altar Guild and forming many friendships. I got to know Father Bob at the breakfasts after the Wednesday morning service.

The regulars at that early service were mostly Episcopalians in recovery programs so I fit right in when I got sober in 1987. The twelve steps of AA have given me a framework for a spiritual path and Christ Church helps me understand and praise God. My first marriage ended in divorce and I have been married to Max since 1989. Our daughter was born in 1990 and our son in 1992. When my son was in the fourth grade we met with Father Bob in his office at Christ Church to discuss the Cub Scout religious requirements. I came to some 8 o’clock services in 2002 and by June I had transferred my records from St. Cross and become a Chalice Bearer.

Recently, I studied Marcus Borg’s The Heart of Christianity with Father Bob and I am in Wally’s The Last Week class. I like Borg’s definition of spirituality as “becoming conscious of and intentional about a deepening relationship with God.” Paying attention to my relationship with God defines my spiritual path.

One of my favorite sites on the Internet is SpiritualityandPractice.com. I have taken two of their forty day E-Courses called Practicing Spirituality with Thich Nhat Hanh and Practicing Spirituality with Henri J. M. Nouwen. Currently I am on a leave of absence from teaching science and health at the continuation school in Torrance. Technically it is a “child rearing” leave for my daughter’s senior year of high school. She will be attending NYU in the fall and I plan to go to Trinity Wall Street and the Prayers for Peace service at St. Paul’s Chapel when I visit New York. I consider myself an Episcopalian who welcomes spiritual practices that mold me into a 21st century Christian. I would be honored to serve on the vestry of Christ Church and continue the ministry of this parish.

MARK HEREFORD (2 Year Term)

Dear Bob,

I am writing this brief letter to indicate my interest in serving on the Christ Church Vestry.

I have been an active member of Christ Church for over seven (7) years and have found wonderful fellowship and a great connection with my religious beliefs. I was baptized and confirmed an Episcopalian and feel very satisfied and comfortable in the Christ Church community as lead by you and your staff. The open, honest and loving fashion in which you lead our congregation has given me and the rest of our church family a home.

Because of the connection I feel with Christ Church and my Episcopal beliefs, I would like the opportunity to contribute and give something back. I am currently Director of Operations for Rexford Industrial; a large privately owned Commercial Real Estate Company. I have over 30+ years of experience in the Real Estate field, including overseeing construction projects, development projects, property management and leasing functions. I am hoping some of this experience will be helpful in any of the required tasks that may arise during daily business activities of Christ Church.

I will be available for any meetings or correspondence required to fulfill the Vestry position.

Diane Babcock: Have Teacher Will Travel

Diane Babcock is a teacher. She and her husband, Jim, are active members at Christ Church; but they also have a family home and a church home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But Diane and her parents were long time residents of the South Bay and were active at the Methodist Church on Broadway and Torrance Blvd.

Diane grew up in the South Bay, attending local elementary and secondary schools (Aviation High School). Her brother, Bill, and I worked together in the Centinela Valley Union High School District my first few years as a teacher.

Diane is a teacher and sees her work with children as her ministry. She has a B.A. in English from UCSB and a Masters in Secondary Teaching. Her experience is in the elementary and secondary classroom, but has also served as a tutor, and home school instructor. She is competent in all academic areas, but specializes in English grammar, reading, writing, S.A.T. II Writing Test Preparation.

Diane is again resident in the South Bay and is available to provide tutorial or home school services. The link below will take you to her blog if you're interested in contacting Diane about her ministry to children. http://christchurchrb.orghttp://tutorhomeschool.blogspot.com/