The Vestry of Trinity Church

My name is Sharon Scott-Smith and I live in Manassas with my unruly Golden Retriever Lucy). I am blessed to be a mother of three, grandmother of four and great grandmother of one. Prior to living in Manassas, we owned a Bed and Breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley for nine years and also lived three years each in Stone Mountain, Georgia and Walnut Creek, California. I'm a retired teacher. In addition to serving as the Trinity Vestry Secretary, I'm involved in local politics as well as serve as an election official for the City of Manassas during federal, state and local elections.

The first 18 years of my life were spent on a farm in rural Iowa. Through a thousand twists and turns in life, I am now in Manassas. These twists include 8 1/2 years in the Army, being an Army spouse, and a federal employee. I was an Intelligence Analyst (during the Cold War), and now work in Human Resources for the Department of the Army, with the Intelligence and Security Command, in the area of Talent Management and Professional Development. Which translates to assist employees to change and grow. My transition from being a member of the Disciples of Christ Church occurred in 2008, when I found my true home. I have been a Vestry Member in St. Augustine Episcopal Church, in Wiesbaden, Germany. My current volunteer organizations include the Manassas City Volunteer Fire Department, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. My experience in managing the finances of volunteer organizations include the Parent Teachers Students Association, and the Boy Scouts Of America. I have served as a guest auditor with multiple organizations, and am excited to contribute to Trinity.

Amy Verner is a Manassas native who grew up in the Baptist church, where she was very active in the music and youth ministries. She and her husband Chris Magee (and their cat, Gus) live in Manassas Park and have attended Trinity's 11 AM worship service for the past several years. Amy sings in the choir and has served on the Vestry since January of this year. Amy has her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Elementary Education from The College of William and Mary, and her M. Ed. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of Virginia. In addition, she earned her ESOL Certification in 2016. She has taught 4th grade for over 20 years at 

Signal Hill Elementary in the Manassas area. There, she has held various leadership roles, including Team Lead, Mentor for several new teachers, Accompanist for the school chorus, and Math Lead Teacher. She is also active in the local educator's union, the Prince William Education Association, having served on their Board of Directors from 2016-2020 and as Government Relations Committee Chair during the same time period. She has also held leadership roles on the state-level Communications Committee, and as delegate to both the VEA (Virginia Education Association) Convention and the NEA (National Education Association) Representative Assemblies. She is humbled and grateful to serve on the Vestry and to be chosen to be on the 

Discernment Committee.

I grew up in upstate New York and was very active with the youth and music programs at the catholic church my family attended. I have a bachelor’s degree in music from East Carolina University, where I met my husband, Mike. My husband and I settled in Virginia in 2006 and lived in Burke and Woodbridge before recently moving to Bristow. About 12 years ago, my husband and I felt we wanted to try a different spiritual path and “auditioned” several churches in the area. We knew we found what we were looking for 

during the first service we attended at Trinity. We took the opportunity to attend a Fresh Connect lunch with our then three-year-old daughter hosted by Vinnie and Stuart, and the next year, our baby son was baptized by the two of them. During my time with Trinity, I 

have been involved with the Sunday school program and recently became a member of the church choir. I have worked for Prince William Public Libraries for the last fourteen years and currently work at the Lake Ridge branch.

My husband, Nick, and I moved to Manassas in 1988 and began attending Trinity. Both of our children were baptized here, Elizabeth by the interim minister before Stuart and Michelle by Stuart. Both were confirmed at Trinity and were each acolytes. In the years we have been at Trinity I have served as: Lay Reader, Usher, Chalice Bearer, Sunday School teacher, VBS leader, Christian Ed Director, Bible Circle member, and participated in many other ministries and groups. This is my third time serving on the vestry. I have worked for Prince William County Public Libraries for 28 years, currently I work at the Haymarket Gainesville Branch.

Gene Molinelli was born to first generation Italian American parents in northern New Jersey and raised in southern New York, a suburb of New York City, where he became a Yankee fan like his dad. At the University of Notre Dame, Gene majored in physics, and was Editor-in-Chief of the ND Science Quarterly in his sophomore year because no one else would do it. He contributed fiction based on campus life to the student newspaper and science fiction to the Quarterly; and, graduated summa cum laude. After junioryear, he won a summer appointment at Argonne National Laboratory, where he entangled his future wife, Judith Evans. They went to Columbia University, got married, had two daughters, Elise and Noel, and earned Ph.D.s in Ocean Physics and Neurobiology, respectively. Gene and Judi moved to Fairfax County in 1979 where Gene worked as scientist and eventually deputy director for companies providing services to the US. Navy. The couple’s son, Evan, entered the family then. Gene served as Chief Scientist on airborne surveys north of the Arctic Circle, was named among technology trailblazers in the state, and patented an oceanographic data process. Gene followed Judi to George Mason Law School at night while running his own consulting firm by day; and, became a patent attorney. He is now a partner at Wolter VanDyke Davis PLLC, a patent law firm headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Judi is retired but keeps busy managing the home and some investment properties and trying to preserve historic Manassas. Gene continues to prosecute high tech patents for numerous clients. Gene has been a mentor for Special Olympics bowlers and is still an outfielder in the Northern Virginia Senior Softball league. Gene and Judi discovered the welcoming inclusive spirit of Trinity Episcopal Church shortly after we moved to Manassas in 2013, so we left the confines of the Roman Catholic Church to be part of this wonderful community.

I am excited about Trinity’s future. I believe I have the experience and energy that will be helpful as we chart our new course. My husband John and I attend the 8:30 a.m., service. I am on the flower guild and serve as a reader. My background is in media and public 

relations. In my early career I worked as an assistant press secretary to a NJ governor. Later I was a public relations specialist for a small lobbying public affairs firm. I served as a vestry member at Trinity Church in Princeton, NJ. I also served as junior and senior 

warden during a four-year transition period retirement of rector, interim priest, and calling of new rector). I was responsible for running the stewardship campaign for four years ($1.1 million budget). Also served as co-chair for $3.5 million capital campaign. I have extensive volunteer experience. Served seven years on Princeton Board of Education (four years as president or vice president). Served as facilities chair during $84 million capital campaign.

I would like to contribute more to this community which has become very important to me. I have a Bachelors of Health Science from the University of Florida (Physical Therapist) and have worked on and off in the 30 years since graduation in a variety of 

settings. My favorite patient population is definitely the elderly. Our children are young adults ranging from 20 to 27 years of age. We have one child who identifies as non-binary, two daughters, and one son. I now work from home as a chart coder for Hartford Healthcare system. I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and remained active and committed to that faith until 2020, when we transitioned to the Episcopal Church. I enjoy meeting new people and warmly encouraging engagement in activities that I am passionate about. I have some leadership history in my volunteer life. I served as PTO president and treasurer for a few years while my children were in grade school. I have served as a greeter and door opener for Trinity.

I enjoy being of service in the community. I work as an IT software engineer in Virginia. 

From the ages of 8-18, I sang in the cathedral choir in St. Asaph, North Wales, UK. I have a BEng degree in Engineering in the UK. In 2002 I moved to Virginia and still live here. For the past 15 years I have attended Trinity church weekly at the 8:30 and 11 a.m., services. I am committed to my Christian faith. I choose to be baptized as a teenager by the first female minister in the parish of Mold in North Wales. I believe in the teachings and values of the Episcopal Church. I enjoyed reading at the 8:30 a.m. Sunday service and have been an usher for many years. On Monday nights I make a pot of coffee and setup chairs for weekly church meetings on Vint Hill in Nokesville.

Having served in many varied Episcopal churches over the years, I believe I can offer some new ideas and support the transition into Trinity's next journey with Rev Talk. I am an Army spouse of a retired service member and have spent 40 years traveling the globe before settling in Woodbridge. My husband and I have five grown children who live nearby and are raising their young families now. I retired from Prince William County Schools to offer my services full time as a professional grandmother/babysitter to our 

family (that has currently grown to include 11 grandchildren!). We have been members of Trinity for 13 years and have been fortunate to have our children married in this church, and grandchildren baptized here. We attend the 11 a.m. service. I am both energetic and dependable, and eager to help in any way I am called to assist Trinity as we grow into the future with our new priest in charge. I was received into the Episcopal church 35 years ago (raised Catholic) and have served as a parish Treasurer, Hospitality chair, Youth Group leader and Meals on Wheels.

I have been a member of Trinity for many years and have volunteered in many different aspects of the life of the church and have served on prior vestries. I would like to continue to serve Trinity as a vestry person during this exciting time of change. I retired from the education field several years ago. I began my teaching career in special education in Maryland and moved to Virginia after I got married. I worked as an educational diagnostician for Manassas City and Manassas Park City School divisions. I finished my career as Director of Special Education with Manassas Park City Schools. As a member of Trinity for many years, I have served as Christian Education director, teacher, junior warden, usher, altar guild and chalicist/altar assistant. As altar assistant I assist at all three services depending on the schedule. I enjoy working with different people and the challenge of helping Trinity become the best version of all of us who are part of this caring and inclusive church family.

I enjoy my current volunteer work with Trinity Church and look to expand upon my service. I'm 51, married to Matthew since 2001, have a son, daughter and one year old grandson. I have been attending Trinity since 2013 and confirmed February 2014. I currently attend the 11 am service. I graduated in May of 1993 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Virginia. My husband and I own a "mom & pop" small IT company based out of Fairfax City, which he founded in 1993. We are currently the only two employees. My primary job is that of web developer designing e-commerce registration systems for associations and their conventions and meetings. I work with the Food Ministry and also help as a greeter. I've helped out with the Altar of Hope the past two years.

Rich lives in Old Town Manassas with his wife, Ann, and has attended Trinity for the last 25 years, usually at the 7:30 a.m. service. He has previously served on the Vestry, taught Sunday School, and served as President of Region 7 of the Diocese. He recently retired after practicing law for nearly five decades; for the last decade as Senior VP and General Counsel of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Post retirement, Rich serves as a commissioner of the Manassas Utility Commission and a board member of the Upper Occoquan Service Authority.

In 2003 my wife, Terri, and I were lucky to find Trinity. From the first day we walked into the church we felt welcomed, included and invited into this LOVING community. I have grown in my faith and we have grown as a couple because of Trinity. In 2011 we were married in DC. The next day our Union was blessed at Trinity. We wanted and needed God as part of our love and commitment. Together we have served in many Trinity community outreach programs. I have served as Sunday School Teacher, Junior Youth Group Leader, Vacation Bible School Teacher, member of the vestry, Senior Warden, Chalice Bearer, Greeter, and facilitated Via Media The Episcopal Way. Most recently, I was a member of Trinity’s Discernment Committee.