Senior Warden, Charlie Adkins
Junior Warden, Jeff Schweitzer
Treasurer, Avery Cook, Jr.

The vestry is a body of lay people charged with working with the Rector in overseeing the temporal affairs of the St. Michael's. The vestry is the legal representative of St. Michael's with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property.

​2024 - 2026 Term

NANCY COOK has been a member of St. Michael’s since 1991.  She and the five kids came as a package deal when Rev Peter Cook became rector of St. Michael’s!  She taught at Sam Houston High School until 2003 when she joined the faculty of McNeese as a Spanish professor. St. Michael’s loved and supported the Cooks through all their family challenges and traumas. Peter and Nancy chose to stay in Lake Charles after his retirement in 2014. Peter went to be with the Lord in February 2023. His remains rest next to that of their son James in the chapel. St Michael’s has been and still is family to the Cooks.
 

COLLEEN FONTENOT is a cradle Episcopalian baptized in San Antonio, confirmed in Prattville AL and a member of St. Michaels since 1988. 
“I love this church and my church family. I love growing in faith through our various programs, church services and in being an active participant in several of our ministries throughout the years. My husband, Ron, and I have been married for  forty years. I have two children (one deceased), six grandchildren and one great granddaughter. My deepest love is in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and  cannot express strongly enough for all to dedicate whatever time, talent, and treasure they may have to our Lord and Savior.”  
 

MATTHEW LOVEJOY is a lifelong resident of Sulphur. He graduated from  Sulphur High School in 2008 then attended McNeese State University where he earned his bachelor’s in nursing. He worked in the Emergency Room for 7 years before earning his master’s in nursing from McNeese in 2020. Matthew currently works in rural health helping the community of Hackberry. He also continues to work in the ER on occasion and Urgent Care on weekends. He is an active  member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and plans on attending the 2024 national conference in Nashville TN. Matthew has been married to Ashley Lovejoy since January 2014, and they have two children: Wyatt (7) and Walker (3). Matthew enjoys fishing and spending time with his family and extended family. Matthew is a “cradle Episcopalian”; he was raised at Holy Trinity in Sulphur but has been attending St. Michael’s since 2019 where he has found his new home.

LISA SOBER was born and raised in Baton Rouge where she was a Southern Baptist. She studied piano at McNeese with Dr. Fred Sahlmann and earned a bachelor of music degree in piano pedagogy, and master of music in piano performance from MSU. She is married to Michael and has three daughters, Analynn, Hannah, and Sarah.
“I am a self-employed nationally certified piano teacher with a full studio, and am active in LCMT, LMTA, MTNA and NFMC. For over 30 years Michael and I have been members of the LA Choral Foundation. Served as organist/choir director for St. Andrew’s in Moss Bluff, where I was confirmed.  I visited St. Michael’s in 1994, I knew this was our church “home” because the presence of the Holy Spirit and opportunities for ministry. Even though my husband is Roman Catholic and a Cantor for OLQH, he became involved with Alpha, helping with choir and youth group, and I assisted with a regional Alpha conference in which I was the publicity chair and music leader. Linda Brown and I founded a prison and re-entry ministry “The Open Door, FBCO, Inc.” I have previously served on the Vestry, taught   Sunday school, served as interim choir director/organist, was on the organ as well as the liturgy and music committees. Currently, I am an active member of DOK, and of course the choir.”

​2023 - 2025 Term

Jeffery Schweitzer is married to Tommie since 1980 and a member of St. Michael's since then. Graduated from McNeese with BS and MS in Environmental Science and worked at Citgo for over 35 years and retired 6 years ago and have been working part time as an Environmental Consultant. Jeff is an avid bow hunter and fisherman and serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and oversees a breakfast team. This will be his fourth time on vestry, having been a Senior Warden twice and Junior Warden once before.

​Harriet Green, her husband, Chick, and their five children came to St. Michael's in 1967. Career Army, he was returning from Vietnam to serve his final military tour at McNeese's ROTC department. At one time or another, Harriet has been involved in most activities at the church: Lay Eucharistic Ministry (LEM)' Episcopal Church Women, of which she was Diocesan President for two years; head of the Mission Committee. She was also church secretary from 2000 until 2004. She is a graduate of the Education for Ministry program (EFM) and has served on the vestry twice previously. Harriet is a retired teacher of foreign languages, with a doctorate in education. She has served on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and was a Senior Reporter for KPLC-TV for 16 years.​
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Kathy Tell is a graduate of Bell City High School and a Phi Beta Lambda alumnus of Sowela Technical Community College. She worked for 10 years as an office nurse in a local family practice clinic. She has been a member of The Diggers and Weeders Garden Club since 2004, and currently serves as an officer at the Local, District and State level of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. She is a breast cancer survivor, lover of genealogy, and world traveler. Her blended family consists of her husband Ron, 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Having been raised a Catholic, St. Michael's has been her home since being received in 2011. She is active in ECW, Altar Guild, and compiled The Herald newsletter for more than 10 years.
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Kay Vanchiere came to St. Michaels when she and her family moved to Lake Charles in 2002. She is originally from Minden, Louisiana, but her husband, Mike, grew up in Lake Charles. Kay and her sons Joe (28) and Jim (23) were all confirmed in the Episcopal Church at St. Michaels. She was active for over 10 years in teaching and running the Children's Sunday School program. She served on the Search Committee after Father Cook retired and currently serves on Altar Guild. She has a BA from LSU and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin. Kay is a grant writer and coordinator at Sowela Technical Community College.

​2022 - 2024  Term 

Charlie Adkins is a cradle Episcopalian who first came to St. Michaels in 1969 to participate in the St. Michaels’ Youth Group Program. He was married at St. Michaels to a fellow parishioner, Jackie Henry. They have two grown children and four grandchildren. Charlie and Jackie have tried to be active in the Episcopal Church serving as Camp Hardtner Summer Counselors, Youth Group Director, Choir Members, Sunday School Teachers, previous Vestry Memberships, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Rector Calling Committees, and service on Diocesan Boards, Diocesan Conventions, and Diocesan events. Charlie is a retired educator and Jackie is a retired church Administrative Assistant.

Stasha Bell has lived in Lake Charles most of her life and has been a member of St. Michaels since the early 1980’s. She is a graduate of LaGrange High School and The University of Louisiana in Lafayette with a BS degree in Health Information Management. Stasha is currently on the Leadership Team at CHRISTUS Ochsner Health  serving as the Director of Health Information for the region. Stasha is blessed to be the mother of 2 boys, her son Reece Savoie, who is now a Sophomore at Barbe High School after attending many years at St Margaret’s Catholic school along with his brother, Quinten.  Quinten, forever 11, left to stay with Jesus in 2018. Stasha feels fortunate to be the daughter of Larry and Royia Bell, long time parishioners of St. Michael’s.  Her family’s strong faith has strengthened them through the good times and the tough times.

​Heather Guidry received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from McNeese in 2007. She is the Director of Nursing for Direct Care Inc., a non-profit agency serving autistic adults. She enjoys teaching Godly Play, and participating in ECW activities at St. Michael’s. Growing up in Houma, Heather attended St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church and School. She moved to Lake Charles in 2004. She enjoys time with her husband Seth and children Mary Louise (12), David (12), Madeleine (10) and Everett (9) as well as cooking, competitive swimming and running, reading and practicing yoga.

​Randy Venable grew up in Sulphur and moved to Lake Charles in 2001 when he  married Kathy and became a member of St. Michaels.  He is a graduate of Sulphur High and McNeese State University with a BS in Marketing and an Associates in  Liberal Arts.  He has been a Real Estate Agent for the past 13 years and previously worked in commercial HVAC and industrial refrigeration sales.  He participated on the men's breakfast team cooking the sausage and French toast.  He previously served on the Vestry during Father Peter's leadership and he looks forward to working with Father Seth and the current and new Vestry members.