About Us
About Our Church
We believe that Grace Episcopal Church is called by God to live the way of Jesus through a ministry of reconciliation, seeking to restore all people to unity with God and each other, through prayer, worship, spiritual growth, witness and action. Our parish community is a group of diverse people who come together through worship, fellowship, spirituality and service to make God’s love known. We are all ages, stations in life and theological backgrounds. Our parishioners often speak of our congregation as a family, perhaps because we find nourishment here in both faith and friendship.
Here are our annual reports.
Clergy, Staff & Vestry
CLERGY
Dustin Trowbridge, Rector
STAFF
Michelle Lara, Parish Administrator
Jie Y. Segal, Music Director
Sandra Rodriguez, Church School Director
Jim Sevier, Sexton
Leah Buchanan, Hospitality Assistant
Verne Becker, Security Administrator and Livestream Coordinator
VESTRY
Emily Nevill, Senior Warden (Finance)
Liz Weber, Junior Warden (Property)
Retiring Class of 2025: Sally Cochran, Adrienne Langford, Sarah Styles
Retiring Class of 2026: Angela Metzler, Paul Shusterman, Paula Spruck
Retiring class of 2027: John Loftin, Mary Bish, Elaine J. Hinsch
VOLUNTEERS
Sally Ann Mock, Assistant Treasurer/Pledge Secretary
Patty Hyland, Assistant Pledge Secretary
About Our Staff
The Rev. Dr. Dustin Trowbridge
Rector
Email:dtrowbridge@gracechurchnyack.
The. Rev. Dr. Dustin Trowbridge joined Grace Church as Rector in January 2023. He previously served as rector of St. James Church in Danbury, Connecticut. Prior to his service at St. James’, Fr. Dustin was rector of St. George’s Church in Newburgh, New York. He also served as associate rector at Trinity Episcopal Parish in Wilmington, Delaware. Fr. Dustin grew up in a small town in West Virginia. He completed his undergraduate work at Yale University where he majored in English Language and Literature. He followed that with service as an English teacher with the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, and later at Fatih University in Istanbul, Turkey. Returning to the United States, he enrolled at Indiana University, earning a M.A. in Central Eurasian Studies as well as a Master of Public Affairs. While at Indiana University, Fr. Dustin served as a Peer Minister with the Episcopal Campus Ministry, from where he was called to the priesthood. Fr. Dustin attended General Theological Seminary in New York, earning his Masters of Divinity degree in 2009, and has since earned a Doctor of Ministry from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 2020. He was ordained a priest in 2010 by The Rt. Rev. Wayne P. Wright of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware, on behalf of The Rt. Rev. Catherine Waynick of the Diocese of Indianapolis. To contact Fr. Dustin, call 845-358-1297.
Michelle Lara
PARISH ADMINISTRATOR
Email: ParishOffice@gracechurchnyack.org
Michelle Lara grew up in Brooklyn, NY and attended Berkeley College. Her professional background includes Director and Owner of a boutique design studio for over a decade, and a web producer and writer for a South Florida based newspaper. On her personal time, Michelle enjoys cooking, reading and hiking with her husband of over 20 years and their two children.
Jie Y. Segal
Music Director
Email:music@gracechurchnyack.
Jie Segal holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from Manhattan School of Music, studied with Kent Tritle. He is the author of Chinese for Singers, the first comprehensive guide for Western singers to use in singing Chinese texts. He is also on music staff at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, where he has performed, among others, Messe de Minuit by Charpentier, Musikalische Exequien by Schütz, and Missa O quam gloriosum by Victoria with the Cathedral’s professional choir. In 2015, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall, directing Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Cantata. Dr. Jie is a recipient of the Asian Culture Council Fellowship (2011) and the U.S. China Cultural Institute Fellowship for Young Conductors (2006). As pianist and vocal coach, Dr. Jie performed at La Lingua della Lirica Festival in Italy (2015-16), and performed Bellini’s opera I Capuletti e I Montecchi at Manhattan School of Music (2013). In China, Dr. Jie was lecturer at Shanghai Conservatory of Music where he conducted the Symphonic Chorus, and the chorus master at Shanghai Opera House.
Sandra Rodriguez
Church School Director
Email: smrod74@yahoo.com
Sandra “Sandy” Rodriguez, a special education teacher, grew up in Valley Cottage and went to Nyack Public Schools. She graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a BS in Special Education, and earned her masters at CUNY Hunter. She has worked in early intervention for 25 years and specializes in medically fragile infant care. She came to Grace Church when her daughter Estelle was born in 2012. She was a church school teacher for several years before becoming director. She also volunteers with Midnight Run.
For more information about Church School, 845-358-1297, Ext 15. smrod74@yahoo.com
Jim Sevier
sexton
Email: 1026abs@gmail.com
Jim Sevier grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and attended Washington University. He was a purchasing manager for more than 45 years, mostly in fabrics and industrial management. He is a Son of the Revolutionary War — his relative was John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee. He loves history, working in the garden and repair work of all kinds. He is married and has four children and eight grandchildren.
Verne Becker
Security Administrator and Livestream Coordinator
Email: heyverne@gmail.com
Verne Becker has attended Grace since 2001, and serves as chair of the Adult Spiritual Formation Commission in addition to his security and livestreaming duties. He is a retired middle school teacher, most recently at Saddle River Day School in Saddle River, N.J. He lives in Nyack with his wife, Nancy, and two cats.
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