Our Clergy & Staff

The Rev. Benjamin Hankinson, currently Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon, Illinois has accepted the call to become St. Andrew's 34th Rector as of February 1, 2020. His first Sunday at St. Andrew's will be February 2.

Fr. Hankinson earned his baccalaureate degree from the University of South Carolina, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2009. He subsequently attended Nashotah House Theological Seminary, obtaining his Master of Divinity degree Cum Laude in 2014.

In August 2014, Bishop Daniel Martins ordained Fr. Hankinson to the priesthood. Fr. Hankinson became Priest in Charge at Trinity in Mt.Vernon in 2014 then subsequently Rector.

Within the Diocese of Springfield, Fr. Ben has served in these roles:

• Dean of the Eastern Deanery*;
• Member of Diocesan Council*;
• Coordinator for Youth Ministry*;
• Chair, Department of Youth;
• St. Michael's Youth Conference Director*;
• Episcopal Church Camp Board Member and Lead Spiritual Director;
• Member of Constitution and Canons Committee.

(*Indicates Fr. Ben is currently serving in this capacity.)

In the Mount Vernon Community, he is serving as President of the Jefferson County Ministerial Association and Board President for the Lifeboat Alliance Homeless Shelter.

Father George Pence, a retired priest who is a member of St. Andrew's, has been assisting St. Andrew's as an officiant and other for several years.

He was born in Milwaukee and grew up in Chicago. He has lived in the Edwardsville area a total of 28+ years (ten years in the 60s and 17 years recently). His wife of many years, Ione, died recently.

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. George is a late vocation priest, coming to the Priesthood at age 40, after a career as a University Professor and Administrator. He was ordained a Priest in the Diocese of Central Florida in June of 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 and Treasurer, Diocese of Quincy in Illinois. He has also served as interim priest at St. Paul's Alton and interim Pastor of a Lutheran Church in Godfrey.

Father Boase will officiate at Sunday services on January 12, 19, and 26.

Henry Evans describes himself as “Someone who loves to play the organ!” He holds the Bachelor of Music Degree and a Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Piano Pedagogy from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville and a Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance from the University of North Texas. In 1992, He was awarded the Organ Scholar Fellowship at Church of the Incarnation (Episcopal), Dallas, TX. He has played the organ and conducted church choirs for thirty-six years. During his extensive training, he studied with several well-known organists. His teachers included Kathleen Thomerson and Jesse Eschbach, and he was one of the last students of the French organist Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier. He has served as dean of the Saint Louis and Southern Illinois Chapters of the American Guild of Organists.

Eight parish volunteers currently work in place of an office staff member and oversee the printing of bulletins for Sunday services and special services, handle office phone calls and voicemail, distribute mail and packages, declutter the office, and help with organization in the choir room and the kitchen.

Current Office Volunteers are Marianne Cavanaugh, Mary Jane Helsel, Velma Schmidt, Marilyn Strangeman, Jane Weingartner, LaVernn Wilson and Cindy Yelverton. Marilyn Strangeman is pictured (left) as she prints Sunday bulletins. Contact Jane Weingartner to become a volunteer in the parish office.