Leadership

Leadership

meet our clergy, assisting clergy and staff

Adam Kradel photo

The Rev. Adam Kradel, PhD – Rector

Fr. Adam was reared and ordained in the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia. He has served parishes in the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe and Dioceses of West Virginia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Pennsylvania, and Central Pennsylvania.

After serving parish full time for a three years, Fr. Adam entered a doctoral program in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His dissertation examined the religious rhetoric used by United States Presidents and the reception of this rhetoric by the mass public.

Upon finishing his dissertation, Fr. Adam returned to parish life using experience gained in Political Science to help members of God’s Church negotiate being devout Christians in a post-Christendom culture.

Fr. Adam was drawn to St. John’s because of the deep sense of Christian community, the well-developed sacred music program, and the desire to increase the formation of devoted Christians both young and old.

He is the husband of the Rev. Melissa Wilcox, and father to three energetic children. In his spare time he cooks Ukranian kebabs on the grill and fights neighborhood bunnies in an attempt to grow his own lettuce.

Melissa Wilcox photo

The Rev. Melissa Wilcox, Assoc. Rector

The Rev. Melissa Wilcox was ordained a priest in 2001. Melissa is a fourth generation Episcopal priest, but the first female to take Holy Orders in her family. Melissa graduated from Colby College in Maine and Virginia Theological Seminary.

Before attending Seminary, Melissa served the church in the Diocese of Kagera, Tanzania. Melissa speaks fluent Kiswahili and is interested in issues of inculturation in liturgy. In seminary Melissa was head of the Seminary’s Mission Society where she continued to foster relationships in the Anglican Communion.

Melissa loves to preach and has served on the faculty of The Episcopal Church’s excellence in preaching program. She has had sermons published in the Sermons that Work preaching series.

Prior to being called to St. John’s, Melissa served churches in Chicago, Illinois and Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She was also a university chaplain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

At St. John’s, Melissa oversees pastoral care, the newcomers’ program, and ministry with Dickinson students. She is delighted by the energy and leadership at St. John’s and the commitment to ongoing Christian formation that parishioners value.  She feels deeply that the church is one of the last vestiges of true intergenerational community, where at its very best, the church is attending to the deepest questions of our lives—within the context of worship, fellowship, and service.

Melissa is married and also the mother to three lively children who can throw out theological zingers at the drop of a hat.

Aimee Confer photo

Aimee Confer, Dir. of Children & Youth

Aimee Confer directs our Children and Youth Ministries. She and her family have been a part of St. John’s Church since the 2009. Aimee has been an educator since 2000 and loves finding ways to spark a love of learning among children from birth to early adulthood.

There are so many ways to connect kids and their families with the church, and building relationships is key to creating lifelong learners and a lifelong relationship with God. Aimee enjoys helping children and youth find their place in the myriad of activities at St. John’s.

Aimee loves being with her husband, Dan, and her two kids, James and Emma. She also loves reading, cooking, and traveling.

Hannah Koby, Organist/Choirmaster

Hannah Koby is a church musician and organist from Kent, Ohio. She holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music (MM, Organ Performance) and Valparaiso University (BM, Church Music/Organ) and studied abroad at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Rottenburg am Neckar, Germany. Hannah has served as musician in several congregations in the Anglican and Lutheran traditions in Indiana and Ohio, and as summer substitute at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, the birthplace of the Lutheran Reformation. A deaconess student with the Lutheran Diaconal Association, Hannah has spent a formative internship year in Germany with the ELCA Wittenberg Center in partnership with the LWF Center Wittenberg (Lutheran World Federation). She is the 2022 Associate Cantor for the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival, where her duties are centered in leading worship and teaching young musicians.

Larry Alexander photo

Larry Alexander, Parish Administrator

Larry was employed in the Supermarket industry for over 30 years, working for the Safeway and Ahold corporations before joining the staff at St. John’s as a second career. During the course of his life, he has been a member of nine parishes. He has been on the vestry of three parishes, served on the altar guild at six parishes, and served at the altar in all nine parishes.

Larry moved to Carlisle about seven years ago when Ahold opened a corporate office in town. He became a member of St. John’s after his move. His knowledge of the liturgy of the Anglican Church, and experience in office management, seem to have been a good fit for this position. Larry’s personal interests include iconography, antique church textiles, and genealogy.

Josh Edgington photo

Josh Edgington, Sexton

Josh Edgington is a cradle Episcopalian who was raised in Western Pennsylvania. His mother was a faithful member of St. John’s for many years. Josh joined the staff as sexton in 2015.  

In addition to making sure St. John’s is a clean and welcoming space, Josh also ensures the building is organized for every function and group that uses the building. In addition to his work at St. John’s, Josh also runs a restoration business.

Assisting Clergy

The Rev. Ann Whitesel photo
The Rev. Ann Whitesel, Deacon
The Rev. John McDowell
The Rev. John McDowell
The Rev. Harry Knisely photo
The Rev. Harry Knisely
Father Don Turner
The Rev. Donald Turner