The Rev. Canon
George E. Pence, Assisting Priest
The Rev. Canon George E. Pence was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1939 and
grew up in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in History and Philosophy at
McKendree University, an M.A.in Social Science from the University of Illinois,
an M.T.S. from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Church History and Ethics
and a Ph.D. in Administration of Higher Education and Statistics from St.
Louis University. Fr. Pence is a late vocation priest, coming to
the Priesthood at age 40, after a career as a University Professor and
Administrator. He was ordained Priest in the Diocese of Central
Florida in 1979.
Since ordination, he has served Parishes in Texas, Florida,
Wisconsin, and Illinois and his last two assignments were as Rector, St.
John's, Kewanee, IL, and as Canon Administrator/Treasurer, Diocese of
Quincy (IL). Fr. Pence retired from full time ministry in 2001 and
subsequently began serving as Assisting Priest at St. Andrew's. Currently, he is serving as the interim priest at two nearby mission churches.
At St. Andrew's, Fr. Pence assists with pastoral care in the Parish by
working with the Prayer Group, celebrates Mass on the first Tuesday
of each month and helps with visitation to parishioners in the hospital
and home bound. Fr. Pence and his wife Ione will be celebrating 50 years
of marriage in December 2012.
Henry Evans, Organist and
Choir Master
Henry Evans has been organist and choirmaster at Saint Andrew’s since
2003. He holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville and the Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas.
From 2002 through 2003 he held the organ scholar fellowship at Church
of the Incarnation (Episcopal) in Dallas, Texas. While at Church of the
Incarnation, he learned the ancient and modern music of the Anglican
church, played the organ and conducted choirs. His teachers include
Jesse Eschbach and Kathleen Thomerson.
He was one of the last American students of the French organist
Marie-Madeleine Duruflé -Chevalier. He is currently the sub-dean
of the Saint Louis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.