John R. Gamble was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, baptized Methodist and during preteen years joined the Lutheran church and was confirmed. After graduating high school, he spent a year at the Drexel Institute of Technology. Realizing he needed to mature, he joined the Naval Air as a control tower operator, and his assignment took him to Port Lyautey, North Africa. On his return to Philadelphia, he continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BS in structural/civil engineering.
Fr. John and his wife Jan were married at the Lutheran church he was attending. They joined St. Matthias Episcopal church where their son and daughter were baptized. And so Fr. John’s history began as an Episcopalian.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he accepted a position at the Martin Marietta Corporation in Denver, Colorado. He completed advanced studies in earthquake analysis and seismic studies in underground nuclear testing at the University of Colorado. After moving back to Pennsylvania in 1970, he lived in Clarks Summit. He joined a local architectural/engineering firm and developed a structural engineering department, serving as its vice president. In 1972, he opened a consulting engineering firm and retired in 2008.
In 1970, Fr. John and Jan became parishioners at the Church of the Epiphany in Glenburn, Pa. During their years at the Church of the Epiphany, he served on vestry as both Junior and Senior Warden.
In 1989, he sensed a call to ordained ministry. After a period of discernment and being accepted by the Bishop of Bethlehem, he attended the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university. Fr. John was ordained deacon in 1991 and priest in 1992; both services were held at The Church of The Epiphany. Fr. John’s first church was in the coal region of Northeastern Pennsylvania, St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Mountaintop, PA. After completing further education as an Interim Priest, he was called to St. James-St. George Episcopal church in Jermyn, PA, where he subsequently remained as their permanent priest until his retirement in 2008.
During his time as deacon and priest in the Diocese of Bethlehem, Fr. John was asked by the Bishop to examine all the churches and rectories within the diocese and submit architectural/engineering evaluations and estimates of construction for each of the facilities, and, in some cases, provide oversight during the renovations.
Since joining St. Hilary’s in 2008, he has assisted, when called, to celebrate and preach. In 2012 he was asked and served as Priest-in-Charge for three months. Since 2008, he has occasionally supplied at Good Shepherd in LaBelle, Florida. Fr. John’s focus at St. Hilary’s during the time before a settled rector arrives will be to carry out the duties of a rector with the title of Priest-in-Charge.
Kelsey Hutto was born and raised in DeLand, Florida. She is a “cradle Episcopalian”. She graduated from Mainland High School in 2005. Kelsey attended Georgia Southern University where she received her BSK in Exercise Science with a minor in Athletic Training. She met her husband, Alan Hutto, while at Georgia Southern and they were married in 2010.
Kelsey began to discern a call to be an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church while in Statesboro, Georgia. She received a Masters of Divinity from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2012. She was ordained to the transitional deaconate in Savannah on June 30, 2012 and ordained to the priesthood on January 5, 2013 at St. Hilary’s. Kelsey was called to St. Hilary’s July 1, 2012. Kelsey and Alan currently live in Lehigh Acres, with their animals (dog, cat, fish, and snake).
Kelsey gained some of her experience during her college years where she helped restart and grow the campus ministry. She spent many hours assisting the University Chaplain as well as her local Episcopal Church youth. The summer before seminary Kelsey worked with the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches as a Mobile Camp Counselor. She did her Clinical Pastoral Education at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee during the summer of 2010. Kelsey’s field education was in a small rural church in Battle Creek, Tennessee.
Kelsey’s focus at St. Hilary’s is on ministries to children, teens, and young families. She also assists Interim Rector Denise Gray Guinta with additional duties
Born and raised in New York City, Christine has extensive office and administrative experience, as well as a background in graphics and fine arts. She moved to Southwest Florida nearly twenty years ago, when her twin daughters were born. While a stay-at-home mom, she was active in many organizations, mostly for environmental causes, and served as Chair of the Bonita Springs Zoning Board, as well as volunteering in the Big Brother/Big Sister program and as a reading tutor in various elementary schools. Christine also served on Charter review committees, both for the City of Bonita Springs, and Temple Beth El in Fort Myers.
Christine enjoys photography, especially taking pictures of our beautiful surroundings here in Southwest Florida, reading, writing and playing Scrabble.
A church musician since age 13, Stephen has held posts at several local area churches. Starting in 1979, he served as pianist and assistant organist at First Baptist Church in Fort Myers and was Music Director there for three years. In 1994 he became the Organist/Choirmaster for the Unitarian Universalist Church in Fort Myers and was a key figure in the design of their new worship center. From 2002 to 2011 he served as the Music Director for St John the Apostle Metropolitan Community Church in Fort Myers.
Stpehen has enjoyed the opportunity to redesign two local area organ consoles. The organ console at First Baptist Church was outfitted with totally new switching in 1993 and in 1994 he was asked to assist with the redesign of a large organ in Naples, Florida. Stephen also assisted in some of the work done on St Hilary’s organ in 2001.
Stephen’s self-proclaimed biggest accomplishment has been the purchase and installation of a 1927 Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ in his home. His studio living room is home to this instrument with 1765 pipes and several grand pianos.
“I am the product of a long line of Southern Baptist ministers, missionaries and ministers of music,” says Stephen. “Service has always been at the forefront of my musical ministry regardless of which congregations I’ve served. I see sacred music as an additional dimension by which to reach out to people. I have a deep love of hymnody and church choral music.”
Originally from Minsk, Belarus, Alena’s musical career began at a school for young gifted musicians at the age of 7. An accomplished pianist and singer in her youth, Alena was awarded numerous recognitions for piano competitions and did solo work for the Minsk Philarmonic. As a teenager she was a voice for a popular cartoon called “Silver Bells.” At age 19 she started her teaching career at a college for gifted musicians, while continuing to work towards an advanced degree in piano.
Alena came to southwest Florida in 2002 and accepted a position as musical director and organist at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Cape Coral. After four successful years, she was hired by Saint Hilary’s as its organist/pianist. She thoroughly enjoys playing service music and considers the choir and congregation her family.
Outside of Saint Hilary’s, Alena participates in AGO organ recitals and is an active member of the Calusa Musicale. She is also chairperson of the Clara Blood and Betty Turon Scholarships. Her piano students have won numerous competitions including Stars of Tomorrow, Young Artist Awards, Steinway FGCU and the Bach Festival.
Alena is happily married and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She loves to travel and experience new places with her family.
Jerry comes to St. Hilary’s as our Saturday worship musician. An accomplished pianist, Jerry studied piano performance with Ann Rutledge and vocal performance with Barbara Manford at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, graduating with a double major in piano and voice.
Jerry’s music experience encompasses 22 years in directing all areas of Music Ministry primarily for three churches, ranging in size from 900 to 1,400 members. His work has included directing adult and youth choirs, instrumental ensembles, and drama, and coordinating volunteers within the church. He has directed and written major musical/drama presentations, and made two recordings of Christian music.
You may have spotted Jerry playing piano or keyboard at area special events. He has also recently performed as an actor with the Orpheus players in their presentation of “Sisters of the Sea.”
Alan graduated from high school in Petersburg, Indiana. He served in the United States Army for three years as a Carpentry Masonry Specialist, Airborne. He spent the last ten years in the construction/maintenance industry.
Maria is a CPA who works has worked for seven years with several churches in the area on financial management and reporting. Maria is the owner of CPA Accounting and Tax Solutions. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Maria has three children and one grandson. She lives in Naples.
Marissa has worked for CPA Accounting and Tax Solutions with several church clients for the past two years. She is a student in her third year at FGCU, majoring in accounting and finance.
