People who serve.
People who care.

It’s how to begin that stumps me every time!
Audrey Miskelley, old enough to retire but not ready yet. Married to Ray who works for the University of California. Three children: Jeremy (married to Crystal, daughter Alex), Patrick (married to Stephanie, daughter Amelia, son Felix, son Lucas), Anna (cat Harold). Ray and I live in the San Francisco Bay area. All the kids live somewhere on the east coast. I was born and raised in the KCMO area and after I graduated from high school in Lee’s Summit. I joined the Army and have not lived in the area since.

While I was working out what I wanted to be when I grew up, I worked in a variety of different fields: soldier, paralegal, student (my personal favorite gig), University Professor (adjunct/PolySci), Interim Youth Minister, priest/pastor. I honestly have loved each of these. I attended Virginia Theological Seminary and graduated in 2005. My first church was the Cathedral in Lexington KY where I was the Canon Evangelist. Before we moved to California I began working with transition parishes. I found that I loved the ministry and was suited to it. Not everyone enjoys jumping around this much. As of this writing I have served in ten different churches of various size and makeup and condition. I love the challenges and the joys of diving deeply into new relationships with new people and new communities. I especially love how different they all are.

Besides my family, I love politics, Lent, and football. Try not to judge. I read constantly and am always looking for new SciFi and hard science, especially all things cosmology and astro-physics. I’m just finishing an excellent book about how the universe is going to end. I know, uplifting. I’m open to most questions and welcome your curiosity. I value learning and it is one of the primary driving forces for me. To learn is to be living.

Deacon Jeff Roper graduated from The University of The South School of Theology (Education for Ministry) in May 2009; the Kansas School for Ministry in July 2010; and was ordained as an Episcopal Deacon on Jan. 8, 2011. Besides being a deacon at St James, Jeff is a Board member for the Winfield Correctional Facility Spiritual Life Center since 2018, a lay Eucharistic visitor and Vacation Bible School teacher at St. James, and previously, a youth sponsor and chalice bearer at St. John’s.  October 2014 Jeff was a recipient of the Deacon’s cross award.

Jeff graduated from the University of Kansas with a BA in English and political science and from Wichita State University with a BA in education and a master’s in English. He earned a Masters in English May 2003 from WSU.  Jeff teaches junior and senior English (AP literature and composition) at Andover High School. In addition to teaching, over the years Jeff has coached football and girls and boys soccer.

Jeff and his wife, Vicky, have two adult children — Jonathan and Megan, and one furry black lab child named “Cocoa”.

Deacon Deedee Evans was born in Washington State, reared in Oklahoma, moved to Wichita from Texas, and graduated from Friends University. She has two children and five grandchildren. For several years, she was director of the volunteer center at United Way of the Plains and is retired after nearly 15 years as a staff chaplain with Hynes Memorial Hospice. She has sung in community and church choirs, played flute in community bands, and has been a singer with the 60-member Wichita Broadway Singers. An ordained deacon for more than 20 years, Deedee focuses on pastoral care, and facilitates two grief support groups, one at St. James and one at a Larksfield, a large local retirement community.

Chelsea Whipple joined St. James as the Christian formation director in September 2016 and then as the program director in 2019. She coordinates the children education ministries as well as pastoral care. Chelsea has a doctorate of ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, master’s degree in New Testament studies from Bangor Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in education from Wichita State University. She has served as a missionary in Monterrey, Mexico, and the hurricane-ravaged areas of Mississippi and Louisiana. She serves as hospice Chaplain at Interim Healthcare and a Spiritual Director.

Chelsea is married to Brandon Whipple and has three young boys.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and anything outdoors.

Susie was baptized at St. James. She grew up in Wichita and has two sons. She has served as our bookkeeper since July 2020. She also is co-chair of the 100th Anniversary Committee, chaired the Olde English Tea for two years
and has served St. James in other capacities.

She worked as a volunteer treasurer/bookkeeper at St. Stephen’s, a volunteer financial consultant/bookkeeper at Episcopal Migration Ministries and helped establish her sons’ businesses. She also was the custodian of records for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. She is a past president of the Junior League of Wichita and has served on many nonprofit boards.

Susie enjoys reading, handwork such as knitting and needlepoint, baking and cooking.

LoWaine grew up in western Kansas. She was with a Christian drama ministry, the Covenant Players, for forty years. She received her certification as a spiritual director through Stillpoint, Pasadena, CA. LoWaine and her husband have been in Wichita for about 8 years and immediately fell in love with the congregation and ministries of St. James. She completed EfM (Education for Ministry)  June 2024. Currently LoWaine is serving with Deb Bagby as mentors for St. James’ EfM program.

Jose was born and raised in Chicago and moved to Wichita in 2009. He then started working at Wichita State University.

In 2016, Jose took on a part-time position as our church sexton, which grew into a full-time job. Jose and his wife, Maribel; son, Jose; and daughter, Jackey; take excellent care of our church.

Jose and his family are responsible for all sexton duties at St. James including cleaning
and setting up for services and special events.

Jose says he and his family seek to provide a “clean and welcoming place for all guests, staff and parishioners”
and feel blessed to be a part of our parish.