Rev. John Franklin Carter

Fr. Carter grew up in Milton, Massachusetts. Upon graduating from Milton Academy (1962) he went to Yale University. After college, he spent four years in South Korea working in public health in the Peace Corps. Returning from Korea in 1971, he started up a tree and landscape business which he operated for seven years. A month-long trek in the Himalayas with his wife, Deborah, preceded his decision to attend seminary. After graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1984, Rev. Carter worked as Chaplain of the White Mountain School in Littleton, New Hampshire. From there he went to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Brevard, North Carolina, where he served as Assistant Rector. Together with Deborah and three young sons, the Carter family spent 5 years there before moving back east to Connecticut where he served as Rector of Christ Church in East Norwalk. 

Fr. Carter was called in 1998 to be Rector of St. John’s in Salisbury. He writes “It is a joy and privilege to continue growing together in faith with a congregation that is so warm, open minded, gifted, adventuresome and hospitable. The challenges and generous rewards of our shared spiritual journey are proclaimed in The Baptismal Covenant from The Book of Common Prayer “To seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” 

Fr. Carter’s interests include poetry, art, nature, travel, Hispanic language and culture, reading, gardening, films, hiking and many kinds of music. 

The Carter Family 

Deborah is a Licensed Massage Therapist with a practice in Salisbury. Caleb is married and has entered a PhD program at UCLA. Jacob works for an international student exchange program called Youth for Understanding. Jesse is completing his college studies at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. The family cat is named Zoe. 

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Rev. Canon Lance Beizer

  

Fr. Beizer grew up in the Northwest Corner, in Canaan, where his family had moved because his father was a State Trooper. He attended elementary school in Canaan and then went to Hotchkiss, ‘56, where he developed a life-long interest in both spiritual and ethical issues. College at Brandeis University with a major in Sociology was followed by a year of law school at Stanford University. Deciding that it was the wrong time in his life for school, Lance left to spend four years as a Naval officer – in Iceland and then Moffett Field, California. After a master’s degree in English, Lance worked in Student Affairs at the University of California, San Diego, while returning to Law School, receiving his law degree in 1975 from the University of San Diego. 

  

A 25-year career with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, during the last half of which Lance represented children who were the victims of abuse and neglect were, he says, “especially satisfying, since, though I’d been married, I never had children of my own.” He retired in January 2002 to attend seminary at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (Episcopal), one of the member schools of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Ordained as a priest in September 2005, Lance served first at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Campbell, California, and then at Trinity Cathedral in San Jose as Canon-vicar. 

  

Ann, who had lived in Massachusetts for some 30 years, and Lance were married in July of 2007 at the Hotchkiss Chapel. Their mutual love of New England, led to his return to the Northwest Corner after so many years away. They now live in a new house in Canaan, literally within sight of the one Lance’s father had built many years before. While in California, in addition to filling several diocesan posts, and acting as chaplain of a Chapter of the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, he also served on the board of a YMCA, County Council of Churches, and Child Abuse Council; so he expects to find many forms of community service to keep him busy here as well. In fact, he has just joined the board of the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau. 

  

At St. John’s Lance is delighted to be in a position to assist the rector in the sacramental and pastoral life of the church, and has a particular interest in adult education. Ann and he are very much enjoying becoming part of the life of both church and community, though, admittedly, they also thoroughly enjoy traveling. 

 

 

  

 

 

Lisa Richards: Parish Secretary

As the Administrative Assistant  since October 2007, Lisa coordinates various administrative needs of the Church. Prior to coming to St. John’s, she was employed for seven years at St. Joseph’s Church, St. Joseph’s Cemetery and St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Canaan as the Church secretary and Cemetery Sexton. Lisa holds a Bachelors degree in General Education from the University of Connecticut and an Associates degree in Secretarial Science and Criminal Justice from Tunxis State College. 

She is a parishioner at St. Joseph Church in Canaan and is the Cemetery Sexton for both St. Joseph’s and St. Patrick cemeteries. She is an active member of the Daughters of Isabella. Lisa and her husband David have two children, David Jr. and Chantel. David Sr. works for Mohawk Industries, Chantel is in nursing school at St. Joseph’s College in West Hartford, and David Jr. attends Housatonic Valley Regional High School. 

 

Lillie Mikesell, Choir Director

Prior to coming to St. John’s Church in the spring of 2007, Ms. Mikesell was choirmaster, organist and youth choir director for seven years at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Newburgh, NY. While at St. George’s Church she managed a community outreach program called Grand Music that included some of the Hudson Valley’s finest musicians. 

She is a graduate of the National Leadership Program for Musicians (LPM) Serving Small Congregations at The George Mercer School of Theology on Long Island. She is also a graduate of the University of the South’s four-year Education for Ministry (EFM) program. 

Ms. Mikesell has been a rehearsal and performance accompanist for classical vocalists and for regional opera including a production in 2006 of Amahl and the Night Visitors with full orchestra. At St. John’s she is currently involved with the ongoing African Drumming Project featuring master drummer John Marshall.