LEADERSHIP
The Reverend
Claire Nevin-Field
RECTOR
The Rev. Claire Nevin-Field came to the priesthood in 2006 after a career as a nurse and nurse-midwife, and joined Emmanuel in December of 2022.
Claire is a “cradle” Episcopalian, and has had a lifelong fascination with Jesus- finding him to be challenging, comforting, puzzling, humbling, joyful, engaging, and life giving. She is particularly passionate about God in Creation, about seeing and sensing God in the world all around us and she is a total Bible nerd-loving to read, study, and talk about the texts and the God we encounter in them. She fully subscribes to Anne Lamotte’s assertion that “laughter is carbonated holiness” and believes that one of the calls of the Christian is to get into good trouble.
Claire and her husband Andrew share their home with their dog Harriet, their cats Shakespeare and Little Bit, and they share their yard with 5 chickens.
PARISH OFFICERS
BETTY WELLER
Senior Warden
Betty came to Chestertown after graduating from Frankfurt American High School to attend Washington College. It was in Chestertown that she raised her family, became a career educator and began attending Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Over the years, Betty has participated in the choir, Kitchen Krew, Emmanuel Bazaar, and has been a Eucharistic minister and lay reader. Since retiring in 2018, Betty is becoming more involved in the community and enjoying time with family, especially her five beautiful grandchildren.
BRAD HOLLOMON
Junior Warden
Brad, a recovering engineer, grew up as a GE brat in Schenectady, NY, studied economics at Harvard and joined the Peace Corps, where he served in Venezuela at a more promising time. On his return, he earned a masters degree in engineering from Dartmouth and went on to serve you taxpayers in various capacities promoting clean and renewable energy technnology here in the US and in several developing countries around the world.
After raising three sons, he and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Chestertown in 2012, where he taught English as a second language, tutored in Emmanuel’s after-school program, while it lasted, and served as Junior Warden. He now plays the trumpet with local groups and enjoys sailing on the bay, rowing on the river, bicycle riding in the country, and walking the dog, Pippa.
TIM LAVERY
Treasurer
Tim Lavery is Vice President, Organization Development Manager at asset management firm T. Rowe Price, where he works closely with leaders to ensure that teams are appropriately structured, aligned and focused to achieve desired business outcomes. Prior to his role with T. Rowe Price, Tim was with management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton for 18 years, where he specialized in change management and strategic communication, primarily for the U.S. Army research and development community. Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism with a minor in sociology from Loyola University Maryland and has earned multiple change management certifications as well as being certified in a number of organizational assessments. In his free time, he enjoys running, collecting automotive literature and maintaining a small fleet of old vehicles. Originally from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Tim lives in Chestertown, Md., with his wife Beth and son Harrison.
KATIE DODDS
Registrar
Katie and her husband Gary Lewis have lived on the Easton Shore for five years and love the people and being surrounded by such natural beauty. Katie works at the Talbot County Free Library in Easton, MD as an Administrative Assistant and finds it extremely rewarding. She says that no two days are the same and she enjoys the variety of tasks which range from working with patrons to attending library conferences. In her spare time, Katie’s hobbies include reading, cooking, photography, and travel. Katie especially enjoys visiting historical societies and museums.
Music Staff
STEPHANIE LAMOTTE
Music Director & Choirmaster
Stephanie LaMotte became part of the Emmanuel team in October 2017 as our Director of Music and Choirmaster. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from San Jose State University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis & Clark College, and a graduate certificate in Bible from Multnomah Seminary. Stephanie studied conducting in Sarteano, Italy with Simon Carrington from the Boston Conservatory and worked closely as personal assistant and accompanist to renowned choral director Charlene Archibeque. She was the featured guest soloist with the Willamette Falls Symphony, performing the Grieg piano concerto. Stephanie has led five international choir tours, including trips to Germany, Ireland, Hawaii, Austria, and Canada. Previous church positions were in Oregon, where she was the Music Director & Organist at the Church of the Transfiguration in Sisters, and the Creative Arts Director at a large metropolitan church in Portland, overseeing vocal and instrumental music, drama, dance, visual and technical arts. In addition to her church position, Stephanie LaMotte is the Assistant Director & Accompanist for the Chester River Chorale and the Director of the a cappella ensemble River Voices. She has spent summers in Italy as faculty with the Tuscia Opera Festival, serves as the Board Treasurer for the Kent Cultural Alliance, and feels at her most creative when composing music. Stephanie lives on the Bay with her husband, Richard LaMotte, and enjoys her kids and grandkids, travel, cooking, yoga, kayaking, and beach combing.
AVIS WHEATLEY
Organist
Avis Wheatley joined the Emmanuel music program as Organist in September 2016 after having played for many of our services of Choral Evensong for several years. Avis is a graduate of Bridgewater College in Virginia with a BA in music and Spanish. Currently she teaches at the Gunston School in Centreville. Previous organ posts include Centreville United Methodist Church, Bridgewater Presbyterian Church, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Kent Parish, in Chestertown.
Vestry
"In the presence of Almighty God,
I (name) do solemnly promise and declare that I will faithfully execute the office of Vestry Member of Chester Parish at Emmanuel Church, Kent County, without prejudice, fear, or favor, according to the best of my skill and judgement. And I further declare my belief in the Christian religion."
Vestry Officers
Betty Weller, Senior Warden
Brad Hollomon, Junior Warden
Tim Lavery, Treasurer
Katie Dodds, Registrar
The Vestry is the lay leadership body of an Episcopal congregation. Vestry members are elected by the voting members of the parish and serve as the legal representatives and agents of the parish, charged with specific responsibilities by the canons of The Episcopal Church including the management of parish finances and parish buildings. In addition, the Vestry works collaboratively with the rector to define and articulate the mission of the congregation and to support that mission in word and in deed.
At Emmanuel, the Vestry is composed of nine elected members serving three year terms, two wardens, a treasurer and a registrar. Each year, at the first Vestry meeting following the Annual Meeting of the Parish, all members take the Vestry oath:
Nancy Dick
2026
Earl McGimpsey
2026
Elizabeth Riedel
2026
Katie Dodds
2026