Back Row (From left to right): Gene Tucker, Thomas Patton, Donald Coventry, George Howard, Bruce DeGooyer

Front Row (From left to right): Ann Alley, Sylvia Howard

The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles (Tuesday, June 29, 2004) marked the occasion of the Ordination of six persons to the Diaconate and one to the Priesthood in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Springfield, Illinois. The Right Reverend Peter H. Beckwith, tenth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield ordained Ann L. Alley, Donald E. Coventry, Bruce U. DeGooyer, George W. Howard III, Sylvia L. Howard and Gene R. Tucker as deacons and Thomas D. Patton as a priest in God’s Church.

Over twenty persons, both clergy and lay, presented the seven ordinands to the Bishop before a packed congregation. Immediately afterwards, ordinands and presenters signed the Oaths.

Frederick P. Velde and Kevin Babb, Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese read the first and second lessons respectively. The litanist was The Rev. Maurice C. Lee, while the Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Langford served as Deacon of the Eucharist. The Rev. Canon Eugene Stormer, President of the Standing Committee and recently named Canon Pastor of the Diocese, was Master of Ceremonies and the Preacher. The Bishop's Chaplain was The Venerable Shawn W. Denney, Archdeacon of Springfield and Vicar of St. Luke, Springfield. Oblation bearers were: Ron Copenhaver, Ryan Elisabeth Hoffman DeGooyer, Randall Kampfe, Sue Nance, Amanda Patton, Rebecca Plemons and Joan Reeves. The vergers were Claire Ribelin, Mark Ribelin and Jay Stevenson. The acolytes and ushers were members of the Cathedral Church. The Organist was Alice Edwards.

In his sermon, Canon Eugene Stormer, drew the comparison between the yoke and the stole that was to be placed around the necks of the ordinands. “For those who are ordained already and for those about to be ordained this stole is a yoke similar to that put around the necks of oxen and other beast of burden.  Be assured that Jesus did reassure his followers that his yoke was easy and his burden light. Still by any standards in this world having a yoke around your neck is an odd way to start a job.” The President of the Standing Committee continued, “You will hear in the ordination service that follows, that after the church has prayed for you, and you will need all the prayer you can get, a few of your favorite people will be called forward to put this stole or yoke around your neck.  Now it is true that tonight you get to pick who puts the stole around your neck, in the future that will not be the case.  You will not get to pick your job for that will be decided by the bishop and others in the church.”

Fr. Stormer further reminded those to be ordained that their lives are to be “a ministry of service to the church, the bride of Christ… Ministry is an act of God, it is a part of His self giving love and the way in which He has chosen to continue showing his love for his people throughout the ages…Ministry in the Church and for the church is important.” He ended by quoting the Serenity Prayer written by Reinhold Nieburhr, which he said has helped him tremendously in his own ministry. 

A reception was held immediately after the Service in the Great Hall of the Cathedral Church.

Click here for a full text of Canon Stormer’s Ordination Sermon

Back Row (l – r): Dn. Thomas Langford, The Rt. Rev. Peter H. Beckwith, Archdeacon Shawn Denney

Front Row (l - r): Dn. Ann Alley, Dn. Gene Tucker, Dn. Donald Coventry, Fr. Thomas Patton,

Dn. Bruce DeGooyer, Dn. George Howard, Dn. Sylvia Howard

The Reverend Ann Leonard Alley

“I had been earnestly seeking God's will for my life for a number of years. By 1997, conversations between God and myself had become intense. All I wanted to do was serve the Lord, and I revealed this to Him on a number of occasions. One evening -- mid way through Lent -- God revealed His plan for me to be a deacon. I was very scared! I kept this information between God and myself for a while; but, eventually, I was given the strength and courage to bring it out in the open! And so, the journey began. And each time the doubts and fears rose up within me, something or someone reaffirmed my call. Glory to God, who makes all things possible.” These are words from the Reverend Ann Alley as she reminisced, after her Ordination to the Diaconate, about her call to the ordained ministry which started in Lent 1997.

Born in Arkansas on November 28, 1948 but have lived in Illinois since the age of 4 years, Deacon Alley was educated at Parkland College and University of Illinois. She is also a graduate of Springfield School for Ministry. She has worked in secretarial positions in churches for a number of years. Her first experience was as a temporary secretary at Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church in Champaign, IL filling in for a few months while they were between secretaries. Subsequently, she became the financial secretary and then Administrative Assistant for First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, IL. Currently, she works part time, engaging in secretarial work for St. Christopher Episcopal Church in Rantoul, IL.  Being assigned to St. Christopher, Rantoul as its deacon, she expects that her ministry will also include diaconal responsibilities.

Before becoming a deacon, Ann has been actively involved in the ministry of the church. She has served as an Altar Guild member, Children's Leader in Bible Study Fellowship, Acolyte and Acolyte Trainer, Adult Bible Study Leader, Lay Eucharist Minister, and Caregiver for the elderly.

This coming November 24, Deacon Ann would have been married to Robert Alley for twenty-six years. Bob recently retired from University of Illinois where he was Director of University Payments / Payroll.  They have four children - Stacey (graduate of Illinois State Univ.) is a research assistant for the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago; Heather, (graduate of Parkland College Nursing Program) is a Registered Nurse at Carle Hospital in Champaign; Philip, is a musician and a recent graduate of University of Illinois in English; Emily, graduate of Illinois State University, plans to attend Arizona State University to obtain Teaching Certificate in Art Education.

Since being ordained, the new Assisting Deacon of St. Christopher, Rantoul feels contentment and joy at being ordained. “When Bishop Beckwith's hands were laying on my head and he said, "...and make her a deacon in your Church," I felt peace over me along with an unexplainable excitement and anticipation. I am overwhelmed, remarked Deacon Alley.”

While she is not engaged in the ministry of the church or with family, she enjoys photography, writing and spoiling the dog.

The Reverend Donald Edgar Coventry

Born and raised in Illinois, the Reverend Donald E. Coventry retired as a Lieutenant from Decatur Police Department after thirty-two years of service.  He is currently employed as a Staff Chaplain at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Coventry has been involved at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Decatur, IL as a Chalice Bearer, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Hospital Visitor, Prayer Chain, and Nursing Homes for the past ten years.  As the need arises he assists the blind in enrolling in the Talking Books program furnished by the State of Illinois.

His “sense of call,” he remarks, “did not come as a revelation from God; it actually started from others within the community of faith.”  He mentioned that he was often approached from time to time by members of the church who asked him if he had ever considered becoming a deacon. His response was always in the negative, expressing that he did not feel or experienced a call from God. Coventry continued, “The last time I was approached by a Church member I was given some reading material on the Diaconate and asked to please read it. After reading the material I begin to wonder if it was possible that God was trying to speak to me through others in the church.”

Don, who will be 67 years old in December, has always thought that it was “intellectually dishonest” for him to affirm in church on Sunday morning his belief in God and then not to act on it during the week. This led him to discuss his feelings with Father Gene Stormer who was his interim priest at the time. Father Stormer encouraged him to pursue studies at the Springfield School for Ministry and to continue seeking God’s will in his life. Don truly believes that he is “where God wants (him) to be.” The Assisting Deacon at St. John’s, Decatur, is most thankful for those in the community of believers who encouraged him along the way.

He prays that since his ordination, God will give him the spirit of humility so that he will be worthy to serve Christ and His Church, and with gladness of heart, he will always serve the sick, the poor, the hungry, the dying and all those that God would lead him to.

The Rev. Coventry is married to the former Delores Moyer and they have five children and eight grandchildren.

The Reverend Bruce Underwood DeGooyer

One of the six deacons to be ordained on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Reverend Bruce DeGooyer looks forward to “walking the path God lays out - meeting the people He has for me to meet, doing the work He has for me to do.” Although he knows such a path will not always be clear, nor easy, yet he has no doubt that he will never be alone.

Although a native of Kansas of a military family; having moved frequently, DeGooyer considers Washington State his home state since he has spent most of my life there. He received his education at Washington State University, (BA, English 1974), The Evergreen State College, (MPA, 1986) and the Diocese of Olympia, School of Theology, (Graduation Certificate, 1992).

Presently, he is the Director of Corporate Learning & Development Division with Country Insurance and Financial Services. He joined in 1994 when it moved to Bloomington from Olympia, Washington. DeGooyer has spent more than twenty-five years working with training & education.

Over the years, Bruce’s church involvement includes being an acolyte, choir member, Lay Eucharist Minister, church schoolteacher, youth group leader, Vestry, and Synod delegate. He has long been involved with caring ministries and was reminded of this when he received a congratulatory card from his parish priest when he was in high school, reminding him of his ministry of visiting and meal program to the poor. In recent years, Deacon DeGooyer has been more involved with ministry to the elderly, shut in, sick, those in nursing homes, those with Alzheimer's and other dementia. He has also been involved with St. Matthew's Stephen Ministry as a Stephen Minister and program leader.

The Cradle Episcopalian, born January 20, 1952 and baptized six months later to the date, sensed his call to ordained ministry after walking the Alzheimer's journey with his mother. He saw the brokenness and pain she experienced, and how his mother, other persons with illnesses (not just Alzheimer's), and their family members were hungry for a sense of God's healing presence. This came together at a time when St. Matthew’s, Bloomington, IL was beginning some focused lay pastoral ministry. He believes his call is “to reach out pastorally to others both in the church and in the larger world, to share and communicate within the church the needs he finds ‘out there’, and to help us move to meet those needs as the hands and feet of Christ.”

Deacon DeGooyer has shared been married to Sylvia Hoffman DeGooyer for nearly twenty-eight years. They have two children, a son David, 25, in sales and a daughter, Ryan Elisabeth, 22, USAF in San Antonio, TX.

In reflecting on his feelings about being ordained, the new Assisting Deacon of St. Matthew’s, Bloomington, IL remarked: " I feel humbled, full of joy, amazed at the immanent grace of God!”

His hobbies include photography, cycling, writing, and reading.

The Reverend George William Howard III

The Reverend George William (Bill) Howard III has been searching for his call from God since adolescence--what does God want me to do and be. Not receiving what may be perceived as a call to the ordained ministry, Bill pursued a Bachelor of Science 1956 and Juris Doctorate 1959, from the University of Illinois practicing Law from 1959 until the present.

However, the search became more directed since being a candidate at Cursillo in the 1980's. He remarks, “There was no perpetual diaconal ministry program at that time,” but he entered Education for Ministry (EFM) in 1997 (completing the course in 2001) for further specific discernment and theological reflection. The formation in EFM and then in the Springfield School for Ministry (graduating 2004) deepened his realization of the call to ordained ministry, which became inexorable.

Born January 7, 1935 in Illinois, Deacon Howard has served as a Lay Reader and Chalice Bearer for many years; a member of the Vestry, Warden, and various Committees at Trinity Episcopal Church, Mt. Vernon, IL. He has also served as a Stephen Ministry Leader, a soup kitchen volunteer and at Cursillo, including the secretariat.

Married to the Rev. Sylvia L. Howard who was also ordained a deacon on the same day as her husband on December 21, 1957, they are the parents of Bruce William Howard, deceased, and Jeffrey Gerald Howard, BS and LLB from the University of Illinois.

He feels great joy, humility and determination concerning his Ordination. “It was not my will, but God's will,” he remarked.

The new deacon, who will be attached to St. James, McLeansboro, enjoys scuba diving, reading, gardening and photography.

The Reverend Sylvia Lord Howard

One of the two females, the Reverend Sylvia L. Howard feels blessed, excited and happy to have been ordained a deacon in God’s Church on June 29, 2004. “In having only been ordained recently the reality of it has not set in,” she marveled. This excitement and happiness is doubly gratifying since she shares it with her husband, the Rev. Bill Howard who was also ordained a deacon with her on that day.

Having came into this world on May 17, 1936 in Texas, Sylvia moved to Illinois where she has been a resident since 1939. She received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois (1958) and MS from SIUC in 1977. She possesses a teaching certificate which is currently valid through 2007.

Deacon Howard has served on the boards of Oakwood Cemetery for over twenty years, Mitchell Museum for over twenty-seven years and C. E. Brehm Memorial Public Library for twenty-five years. With regards to her church involvement, she has served as Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Outreach Chair, a member of the Vestry at Trinity, Mt. Vernon, President of St. Anne's Guild, Stephen Ministry Leader, Parish Life Co-Chair, a cook and server for the Soup Kitchen.

“My sense of call developed by discernment during the time I spent in Education for Ministry and the Springfield School of Ministry, I became convinced that this was the plan God had for my life and that I would do my best to fulfill it,” the newly ordained deacon commented. She will remain at Trinity, Mt. Vernon, serving as its deacon.

Sylvia and Bill are the parents of Bruce William Howard (b. 1960 - d. 1977), and Jeffrey Gerald Howard, BS and LLB from the University of Illinois. Jeff practices law with his father in Mt. Vernon.

In her free time, Deacon Sylvia’s hobby is engaging in several forms of needlework.

The Reverend Thomas Dunstan Patton

The sole priest to be ordained on June 29, 2004 was the Reverend Thomas D. Patton. Born on July 13, 1947 in Illinois, Father Patton received his education at the University of Illinois, (BA, 1969), McCormick Theological Seminary, (MDiv, 1996) and Virginia Theological Seminary, (Anglican Studies, 1997).

Before being ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church in June 2003, Patton was involved in a number of professions including banker, stock broker, apple picker, fish shoveler, painter, block-layer, pen/pencil seller, mistake-maker, volunteer chaplain, and adult basic education tester. He is presently a Chaplain with the Illinois Department of Corrections, Logan Correctional Center, Lincoln, Illinois.

His involvement in the ministry of the church included being Sunday School participant and teacher, summer church camp, volunteer chaplain (hospital and prison) being a Presbyterian Deacon, a Deacon in the Episcopal Church.

The newly ordained priest first sensed his call to the ordained ministry back in 1986, but felt he was unworthy to be a pastor. Though he felt that he was a “great salesman,” yet he did not feel that he was ready to accept God’s call.

Fr. Patton will function as a non-parochial priest in the Diocese, continuing to be Chaplain at Logan Correctional Center, Lincoln, IL. He enjoys prison ministry, believing it to be a rare calling. He says, “Our primary demands are insuring security of the institution, its employees, and residents, and Constitutional rights of freedom of religion. The opportunity to awaken inmates and staff to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and His grace, and His desire for love and peace, is the continual challenge.” Tom further states that “being awake, aware, and alert, are Jesus' words for the Last Day. So, too, in prison, continual consciousness of those around us is one key to survival here.”

The father of two, a daughter, Amanda Christine, who graduated Knox College, June 2004, will be teaching English at Forestry College of Beijing in Beijing, China starting September 2004. His son, Jess is a freshman at Academy at Ivy Ridge, Ogdensburg, NY.

The new priest enjoys gardening, reading, biking, cribbage.

The Reverend Gene Richard Tucker

“What a relief, to have the coming together of the efforts, discernment, and education that have taken place over the past 17 years. This is an awesome responsibility, and one I can undertake only with God's help, guidance, and support.” These were the sentiments of The Reverend Gene Tucker as he reflected on his recent Ordination to the Diaconate on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Springfield, Illinois.

Such feelings came out of a call to the ordained ministry which his mother felt originated about 45 years ago at summer bible camp. Deacon Tucker, however, believes “the adult version of this call came in 1987, and intensified especially during the period 1994 - 2004.” Mostly, it was the persistence of the call, and the sense that nothing else would make sense of his life, if he didn't follow through, that convinced him that it was the right thing to do.

He received his education at Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, (Bachelor of Music - with distinction, 1969) and Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA (Master of Divinity, 2004). His previous work experience includes The US Army Band (Pershing's Own), Washington, DC (retired as Sergeant Major); self-employed professional classical singer; Infantry Battalion Operations Sergeant, 29th Infantry Division (Light), Virginia Army National Guard.

Gene, who turned 57 last March, is a native Marquette, Nebraska. The ministries which he has previously undertaken include Worship Committees; Outreach Committees; Habitat for Humanity building project; homeless shelter support; walkathon for homeless ministries; music ministries (solo, choir and directing); teaching (bible studies, music, church history).

The Rev. Gene and Deborah Jane Kinney Tucker were married on October 17, 1981 at Washington National Cathedral. They have two children - Anna Tucker Loomis, (Master's degree from Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, MD, employed by Aetna Healthcare) and Julie Kirsten Tucker, (a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, employed as a graphic artist in Georgetown, Washington, DC.). They have two grandchildren - Mira Isabella Loomis and Sasha Irina Loomis.

During his spare time, he is actively involved in railroading - a tourist railroad, which is run exclusively by volunteers (He was president for seven years); cycling - mostly in commuting to and from school, work and shopping, which provides exercise and does some good for the environment.

Click here for more photos of the Ordination