The Reverend Cole is a transplant
from the West Coast. Born in San Diego, California into a Navy family
moving regularly and making new friends was just part of growing
up. In 2002, Fr. Cole made his way to New York and, after completing
a Masters in Sacred Theology at the General Seminary in Chelsea,
and his dissertation for a Doctor of Ministry degree from San Francisco
Theological Seminary, he became the Priest-in-Charge of two parishes
in Yonkers, New York. In the fall of 2008, Fr. Cole accepted the
Call to serve as Rector of St. John’s, Staten Island.
In addition
to the responsibilities associated with any growing, active parish,
Fr. Cole has served as Adjunct Faculty at the General Seminary in
the field of Pastoral Theology and is currently an Adjunct Assistant
Professor of Religion at Hunter College/CUNY in Manhattan. His love
of teaching is undergirded by an even greater love of learning.
Recently
Fr. Cole joined this love of learning and teaching to another great
delight, international travel. As a Missioner of the American Friends
of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, Fr. Cole led a very successful
pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2011 and has another one planned for
2013.
As a part of the vital ministry of St. John’s, Fr. Cole
also has responsibility for Canterbury House, comprising 84 units
of affordable housing for seniors that the parish built in 2000.
Through the residents of Canterbury House, the abundance of lay ministries
that exist in the parish, and the dedication of the many members
and friends of St. John’s, Fr. Cole barely has time to miss
the West Coast-- being so richly blessed by the life and ministry
of St. John’s Church and the Staten Island community. |
 Beverly
Wurth Neuhaus is a third generation Staten Islander who was raised
in West Brighton and currently resides in Westerleigh.
She was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church in June of
1994. Currently assigned to St. John’s Church, Rosebank, she
has also served as Deacon at St. Simon’s Church, Concord;
St. Stephen’s Church, Tottenville; and Christ Church, New
Brighton.
She was Chairperson of the Richmond Interparish Council of the
Episcopal Church from 1981 to 1985, and again from June of 2005
to September 2007. Past positions in the church have included being
a Warden, Vestry Member, President of the Episcopal Church Women,
church school teacher.
She is a graduate of Port Richmond High School, where she served
as President of the Alumni Association from 2001 to 2005, and is
currently a member of the Alumni Board of Directors. She graduated
from St. John’s University with a degree in Psychology and
English Summa Cum Laude, and completed graduate studies at Kean
University, New Jersey.
Deacon Neuhaus has a 30 year history in the social services field,
currently serving as the Executive Director of Richmond Senior Services,
Inc. Previous positions were with United Cerebral Palsy of New York
City, the Community Agency for Senior Citizens, and the Staten Island
Branch of the New York Urban League.
She has been a member of numerous community organizations, currently
serving on the Staten Island Hunger Task Force and the S.I. Inter-Agency
Council for Aging. She is also a Board Member of the Neighborhood
Preservation Coalition of New York State.
Ms. Neuhaus received the Senior Service Award from Richmond Senior
Services in 1998 and was awarded by the Staten Island Council of
Churches in 2006 for her work at St. Simon’s Church. She was
named Best Director at the Staten Island Center for Independent
Living Staten Island Academy Awards Gala in 2006. In 2008 she received
the Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award from the
Staten Island Chamber of Commerce the Senior Services Award from
the St. Roch School, the Inter-Agency Council Friend to the
Senior Community Award, and was named a Staten Island Advance Woman
of Achievement.
An avid Staten Island local historian, and Founder and President
of Trivia Tours Unlimited, Inc., she invented and produced the Staten
Island history board game Staten Island Grand Tour Trivia in
2001, and published the book The Bridges of Richmond County in
2003. She is a licensed NYC tour guide and gives tours of the Island
entitled Discover Staten Island.
Ms. Neuhaus was married for 38 years to the late Robert Neuhaus.
She has two daughters, Elizabeth Neuhaus-Booth and Barbara Guenther,
and two grandchildren Stefanie and Matthew Guenther.
She enjoys traveling, creating glass mosaics, gardening and photography. |
