The Vestry is an elected group of nine members of the parish, who serve as spiritual leaders of the Church. These nine members reflect the diversity of Christ Church Cathedral, and possess a variety of talents and perspectives. Together, members of the Vestry or Parish Board manage the property and finances of our parish. They are dedicated to establishing Christ Church as a church for the city of Indianapolis.
Each Vestry member serves for a 3 year term with 1/3 of the members rolling off and new members joining each year. Below, are the five candidates for the 2022 election to the Vestry.
You will also see below profiles for our candidates for Diocesan Convention Delegates. Each delegate serves a one year term. The Diocesan Convention is customarily held in October or November of each year.
Vestry Candidates
Steve Whaley
After being raised in a German Lutheran Church, I started attending services at Christ Church Cathedral in 1995 when I married Betty. I was drawn by the architecture, sounds and the welcoming congregation. The reason I decided to run for Vestry was to continue in a much different capacity to serve the church and be part of its continued growth as a loving community of faith that embraces our diversity and is committed to serving those less fortunate.
My vision for Christ Church Cathedral is to continue the journey we have begun since Dean Gray began leading us. I would like to see us become a vibrant contributing member of the downtown community partnering with our neighboring businesses and making a difference in our community as well as leading by example as the Cathedral for the Diocese.
I am currently the chair of the Outreach Ministry Team. With my wife Betty, I led several mission trips to Ecuador and Southeast Mexico. I serve on the Covenant Grants Committee and help volunteer for the Sunday Community Breakfast. I volunteer annually for the Strawberry Festival.
I attend the 1 p.m. service. I do not speak Spanish, but I understand love and acceptance that has been shown to me by our Latino community. I want to encourage non–Spanish-speaking parishioners to worship with our Latino congregation and to realize how much we have to learn from each other as we share each other’s cultures.
Perry Mihalakos
I chose to become a member of Christ Church Cathedral because I was looking for a thoughtful, inclusive community where I could grow more deeply into a Christ-centered life. That’s exactly what I found here at the Cathedral. My sense of gratitude to this congregation has compelled me to seek out different ways to serve it. I can think of no more important means of answering this call than to assist in the stewardship of the Cathedral as a Vestry member. I aspire to be an intentional and reflective partner in protecting the values and vision of our parish; namely, to keep widening the circle of God’s embrace, person-by-person, face-by-face, and conversation-by-conversation.
Though I have not participated in parish governance before, I have participated in several fulfilling ministries, including being a part of the lector’s guild, officiating morning prayers, volunteering for the homeless breakfast, facilitating reading groups for Lent, and Stephen Ministry. Each of these acts of service has left me with a stronger faith and renewed love, and in turn, a desire to serve more. Thank you for considering my nomination for the Christ Church Cathedral Vestry
Liliana Guzman
Feeling like a member and a part of a social group is what most identifies human beings. Jesus invites us to feel like his members through the Church that he founded. All his members are equally important and each of us fulfills his mission.
I am one of those who thinks that occupying a leadership seat in the Cathedral is a job that requires dedication, time and love.
My vision is that we continue to be an actively evangelizing Church, committed to social justice and care for creation, teaching the community the model of life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At Christ Church Cathedral, I’m involved in:
- Participating in programs established by Christ Church Cathedral
- Being the link between my community and the clergy
- Formulating projects and activities
- Investigating problems, needs and existing resources
- Encouraging participation from the individual to the collective
- Improving as a society
I would like to thank all those who have placed their trust in me. I will continue to search for the best way to continue working together for the common good of our society in Indianapolis, and especially for our congregation at CCC.
Andrea Hunley
I am passionate about education, community health, and issues of access and equity. For the past 10 years, I have served as the proud principal of an Indianapolis Public Schools elementary and middle school in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Prior to my career as a building administrator, I taught high school English and English as a New Language in one of the largest high schools in the state of Indiana. (Hablo un poco español, pero necessito practicar mas.)
Our family was attracted to Christ Church Cathedral seven years ago, after one of my students invited us to attend a service to see her perform in the choir. I was awestruck by the immediate familiarity I felt; the service echoed my childhood church. Then, our daughters (now 11 and 13) were invited to join Joyful Noise Summer Camp. We were able to see through the eyes of a child how welcoming, diverse, and servant-minded CCC is. We knew we wanted this to be our church home. In the time since we have joined Christ Church Cathedral, I have had the opportunity to be a part of the Cathedral Women, to serve on the Vestry as Junior Warden, to lead the Search Committee for our new Dean and Rector, and to support various community outreach volunteer efforts—like the Strawberry Festival.
As I have been prayerfully discerning how best to use my spiritual gifts of administration and leadership, serving on the Vestry during our time of strategic renewal will both match my gifts and allow me to grow deeper in service to our church community.
Conner McNeely
I began attending services at the Cathedral in July of 2017. After a year of being “churchless,” a chaplain from Franklin College told me, “You should try the church on the circle!” I fell in love with the radical hospitality, and I have been attending ever since, being baptized and confirmed in 2018. During my time at CCC, I have regularly attended services throughout the week in both English and Spanish, and I have been commissioned as a Chalice Bearer and Lay Eucharistic Visitor. I also serve on the Stewardship committee.
After serving and being approached by members of our Parish family, I felt led to run for Vestry. I love and admire the action the Cathedral takes to live out its mission of widening the circle of God’s embrace with heart and voice. It is through action that the people of Indianapolis feel and know that they are welcome at CCC—always. This action of “welcome” and radical hospitality has impacted my life, both personally and professionally, especially in my role as a public school teacher on the city’s southside.
Over the past two years, we’ve seen so much change. As we continue forward, with our only constant being change, I feel called and look forward to using my strengths, skills, and experiences (both at the Cathedral and as a Spanish teacher) as we strive to become an even more inclusive community for all people in our city.
Diocesan Convention Delegate Candidates
Elaine Klemesrud
Baptized into and raised a Lutheran (ELCA), I attended Christ Church’s Catechumen program and was received into the Episcopal Church and Cathedral on May 29, 2014. An active member of First Lutheran Church, which was closed by the Lutheran synod several years prior, I had taken time to reflect on my spirituality, and when ready to rejoin a religious community visited many churches – Lutheran, Methodist, Disciples of Christ, and finally Christ Church Cathedral (CCC), where First Lutheran had, from time-to-time shared services. The traditional high church service, the diversity of the congregation and ministry, the location in the heart of Indianapolis, the mission of widening the circle of God’s embrace with heart and voice, and the synergy that is created from this combination resonates with me.
As a member of the Cathedral, the set of the Bishop, I am interested in learning more about the churches that are part of our diocese – how we engage with them, how we can better serve each other, and ultimately how together the diocese can expand our ministry to others.
Should I be called to serve at the Diocesan Convention my vision is more collaboration and support between the Cathedral and all churches within the diocese for the common good of all people and the
environment. If there is already a strong network of collaboration and support, then an increased awareness of this among CCC’s congregation.
While at CCC I attended Catechumenate, then completed four years of EfM (Education for Ministry). I was the Vestry Clerk for three years, a member of the Search Committee and of the Reopening Committee, and served on our Human Needs program. I attend the 10 a.m. service regularly, ushering at least once a month, and am now volunteering weekly assisting the Director of Music.
I am honored to be a Diocesan Convention nominee, and if selected would be proud to serve as a representative of Christ Church Cathedral.
Jeffry Guerrero Barboza
My name is Jeffry Guerrero Barboza, I was born in Venezuela, and I have lived in the State of Indiana for eight years. I have been attending CCC for almost four years. I received my confirmation from the Church this year and that makes me really happy.
I met the church through the invitation of a friend, and when I arrived, I felt at home. Being a member of CCC is a joy and a blessing because people must be where we feel good and more if it is surrounded by such a special and diverse family.
The Diocesan Convention is a magnificent opportunity to meet more people who are part of this beautiful community, as well as to exchange experiences and gain knowledge about the work that other sister churches have had in the different areas in which CCC intervenes.
That CCC participates in this convention is of great importance since the mission of our church is to extend the embrace of Christ to all places and to all people. To be able to demonstrate the great work done from the church is to encourage people to join our family in Christ.
My participation in the church has taken place in the reading ministry, as well as in the Board of the CCC Foundation. Likewise, inviting new people to get to know the church and live the experience of being part of the CCC family.
Milicent Wright
I became a member of Christ Church Cathedral because my mother and aunts switched membership from St. Phillips when I was younger. You go where your family takes you for the most part. I was baptized at St. Phillips as a toddler, but I went to confirmation classes and was confirmed at CCC. I went to what was then called Sunday School classes and I sang in the Girls’ Choir for a few years until I went to Episcopal boarding school in Minnesota. I also attended St. Richard’s Episcopal school from 3rd to 6th grade which was the top grade back in my day! I was very fond of Father Gray who had a good sense of humor.
I was led to be an alternate mainly because Mr. Tim Culbertson reached out to me with a way to serve the church and it is also a good way to get to know more about the church, as it is now, at the same time. Saying yes to him, seemed the right thing to do. To be forthright, I have not done as much for CCC’s community life as I should and want. Some of this has to do with the profession I am in and much to do with other small things that I will not bore you with. I am however, very drawn to this new emerging CCC that is developing ways to worship in the here and now without losing all the traditions. I am in admiration of this congregation’s community service and efforts of inclusion and personal understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The Vestry/Diocesan Convention, in my view, will allow CCC to hear more about other churches and share CCC’s journey, successes, and challenges, give and consume input on broader scope issues and concerns of this denomination and bring back issues to converse, debate, digest, and possibly be act upon. There is a feeling of hope connected with CCC and its place working in the diocese.
Brent Luebcke
My name is Brent Luebcke, and my wife, Caitlin, and I are members of Christ Church Cathedral. I began attending services in 2017, at first with the encouragement of my now-wife. At the time, I was unsure about whether or not I was interested in finding a new church; however, I quickly fell in love with the community of CCC. Within the next year, I joined the Catechumenate in order to learn and better understand CCC and the Cathedral’s role in its mission of faith and community. For the past few years, my wife and I have discussed multiple ways in which we would like to be of service to the Cathedral in its mission. After speaking with members of the church, I believe that participating in the Diocesan Convention would allow me to further understand CCC’s initiatives and to gain insight about the services of the other congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
In my personal and professional life, I try to provide a compassionate presence to others, with a focus on improving mental health and well-being. Spirituality plays a significant role in many people’s lives and provides positive influence on well-being, and I would like to better understand how to assist the Diocese with the provision of mental health services to central Indiana. I believe that participating in the Convention will allow me to learn how congregations meet this need through faith and service.
Ewan McDuffee