Rev. Dr. William Stomski Interim Rector
“Father William” was born and reared in Pittsfield and Lenox, Massachusetts. He earned an art degree from Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, and entered seminary at Gettysburg Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As a Lutheran pastor he served parishes in Harrisburg and Lancaster, PA. During his first pastorate he received a Master of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, in liturgical studies. He then served at the national church level as the liturgical design consultant and designer at Ecclesiastical Arts Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Shortly after the merger in the Lutheran Church creating the ELCA, William taught at St. Pius X co-ed High School in Houston, Texas. There he joined the Episcopal Church along with his husband, Ernie Westbrook. Soon after, the “call” to return to active parish work led him to reception as an Episcopal priest, and with a move to Florida had a career of fourteen years as the chaplain and sacred studies teacher at St. Joseph’s Episcopal School, Boynton Beach, Florida. He devoted his weekends to serving St. Joseph’s Church leading worship, teaching J2A, and leading a Bible Study group. During these years he earned a Doctorate of Divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary at Alexandria, Virginia.
William was called to become the rector and dean of Trinity Episcopal Church in 2015 which became the Cathedral Church for the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada at Christmas 2016. A cathedral interior renovation occurred during covid.
Father William is an accomplished watercolorist, and he loves hospitality and cooking.
Dr. Jeffery Cooper Director of Music
Originally from San Jose, Jeffrey Cooper became the last organ major to graduate from CSU Chico. Having studied organ and choral conducting there with David Rothe, at the University of Notre Dame with Craig Cramer, and at the University of Houston with Robert Bates and Matthew Dirst, he finally returned to Chico to continue his work in church music at St. John's. He is also the artistic director of the chamber ensemble Butte Baroque.
Sherry Wallmark Parish Administrator
Rev. Annie Ryder Associate Priest
Anne (“Annie”) Ryder and moved to Chico from New Hampshire last summer. Of the many places she has lived, Chico felt most like home and the right place for this time of her life.
Annie was ordained to the priesthood in 1996 in the Diocese of El Camino Real. She served at All Saints Carmel, CA, for 18 months, St. Patrick’s in Pagosa Springs, CO, for 6 years, and Christ Trinity (Episcopal/Lutheran) in Sheffield, MA, for 12 years. Annie retired in 2016. During that time she traveled 12 times to Ghana where she volunteered at a Babies Home, assisted with worship in several settings, had many amazing adventures, and became family to two special young women. One of them named their son, Mr. Ryder!
Annie is Mother to Megan and Grandma to teenagers Molly and Maeve, who live in NH.
She has a little poodle named Rory.