Meet the Parish Leadership of St. Bride’s Church

The parish is currently in search for a priest. During this time, a number of local Episcopal priests are celebrating Mass on Sundays and Wednesdays at St. Bride’s. Holy Days are being observed. Please contact the office to confirm the times of Holy Day Masses as they vary. If clergy is not available on Sunday or Wednesday, experienced lay ministers will lead Morning Prayer.

Episcopal clergy who desire additional information on the search process may contact the Diocese of Southern Virginia or the St. Bride’s Church office.

Senior Warden Mary Lovell Swetnam

As Senior Warden, Mary Lovell has served on Vestries since her early thirties. Additionally she sings with the choir, supervises the acolytes, and is a member of the Altar Guild. She recently retired from The City of Virginia Beach as Special Collections Librarian.

 

Junior Warden David Greenfield

David and his family are long-time members of St. Bride’s. He and his wife are recently retired and are regularly busy with projects around the church. David brings his work experience in the construction, engineering and architecture industries to his work in St. Bride’s building and grounds.

 

Vestry Members

Mary Lovell Swetnam
Roy Corson
Florence Cupschalk
Lucinda Slezak
David Greenfield

Treasurer

Bob Byles

Organist/Choirmaster Ralph Spoettle

As Organist and Choir Master at St. Bride’s, Ralph is routinely able to draw a high caliber of music from his small but enthusiastic choir. He earned a degree in Music with a Teaching Certificate from Montclair State College (now a University) in New Jersey. After graduation, Ralph taught Instrumental Music (band and orchestra), with an after-school Electronic Music Club, at Burnet Junior High School in Union, NJ.

With a major in Music Theory and Composition, Ralph has written a number of sacred and secular works for band, brass ensemble, organ, and choir. Over the years, he has served as Principal Horn with the Livingston (NJ) Symphony and the Virginia Beach Community Orchestra. As a keyboardist, he has played gigs from Top 40 to Art Rock to Country in a number of groups on the East Coast. His directing credits include Orchestra Leader for a community theatre production of Funny Girl, Conductor with the Iselin, NJ Post American Legion Band, and playing with and conducting the Hampton Roads Metro Band.

His companies, KBD SYSTEMS and SOUND/ORGAN DESIGN, focus on the repair, sales, and installation of electronic musical instruments and classic organs across a three-state area.

Secretary Geralyn Allegood

Geralyn is the first point of contact at St. Bride’s. Maintaining the Church Calendar, preparing for Vestry meetings, weekly newsletters, and replying to emails are some of her tasks. Along with those, she prepares and makes copies of the Sunday bulletins. ON her free time Geralyn loves to spend time with her grandsons, sew, crochet, and enjoys baseball.