Join us on Sunday, January 31, at 11:30 am on Zoom for the 170th Annual Meeting of the congregation of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral! For the first time in our history, Trinity’s Annual Meeting will happen on Zoom. Click here to call in on the 31st!
We’ll confirm newly-elected vestry members and delegates to Diocesan Convention (see bios below!), reflect on the past year and look ahead to all that is to come. Per the canons of the Episcopal Church, pledging members of the Cathedral congregation are entitled to voice and vote at the meeting, and everyone is welcome to join us for the celebration of our year together. See you there!
Vestry Nominees
Faith Curammeng
The journey of Faith M. Curammeng hasn’t always been easy, but upon entering the red doors of Trinity, she felt she had found a community to call home. Faith grew up in both the Assembly of God and the Roman Catholic churches. She was introduced to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in the early 2000s, when a college friend invited her to hear women priests. Upon hearing the words of the the Rev'd Pam Mott, she was mesmerized that there was a church that allowed women to stand at the pulpit. In 2006, Faith found herself back in Portland and decided to enter the red doors once again, looking for some respite after a few years of being tossed around in the storms of life. Rather than jump straight into the waters of the community, Faith slowly waded into church life. In 2008, she was confirmed at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. During her time at Trinity, she has worked on various media projects, run audio for services, served as lector, and most recently has started working with the tech league on the online broadcast of services. Faith also currently serves on the Commission to End Racism in the Diocese of Oregon.
Faith earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Media Broadcast from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. She went on to earn a Master of Arts in Communication Arts with an emphasis in intercultural and media communications from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. With the help of Mary Sicilia, former Canon Educator of Trinity, she was able to complete writing her thesis Media Exposure, Social Contact, and Asian American Stereotypes.
After almost a decade in radio promotions, TV news, and TV commercial production, Faith is now a Communication Studies instructor at Portland Community College. She has also taught classes at George Fox University and the University of Portland. Faith grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where her parents still live. Her younger brother lives in San Diego. She identifies as an introvert and is primarily left-handed. In her spare time, she likes to referee soccer, run marathons, hike mountains, and eat vegan desserts. She currently lives in St. Johns with her partner Sal, dog Leicester, and cat Tiki.
Ford Morishita
Ford and his wife Jolene are native Oregonians and have been married for 35 years. Previously, they lived in Milwaukie, where they raised two children, Alyssa and Keean. Ford was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Jolene was baptized as Catholic. Searching for religious harmony, their spiritual journey led to St. Johns the Evangelist Church in Milwaukie, Oregon, where they found a welcoming home in the Episcopal faith for over 16 years. However, when the children “flew the nest,” Ford and Jolene yearned for a parish which could extend their religious and social consciousness. In 2016, they signed up for a Wednesday class on White Privilege at the Cathedral, and that was it! They became members of an amazing community at Trinity. Ford serves as a Lector, a Thanksgiving Community Dinner volunteer, and a member of the Immigrant Welcoming Committee.
Ford holds a BS in Biology and MAT in Biological Sciences from Lewis and Clark College. He retired from the North Clackamas SD following 33 years of service, the last 11 years as AP Biology and Biotechnology Teacher and head track coach. Following retirement, Ford became Regional Science Coordinator for ESD112 in Vancouver, WA, which provided instructional support and teacher leadership opportunities for thirty K-12 school districts in the region. He was also contracted by Discovery Education as a STEM Consultant for two years. Currently, Ford works part-time as a University Supervisor for teacher candidates at Portland State University-College of Education.
Ford’s board service has focused on science education/policy which includes: Teacher Advisory Council (founding member) for The National Academies of Science, Advisory Board Member for Smithsonian Science Center/Smithsonian Institution, President and CAGS Chair for Oregon/National Science Teachers Association, and Advisory Council (founding member) for Chalkboard Project of Oregon. Presently, Ford serves on the Advisory Board for OR MESA (Math Science Engineering Achievement) and as a member of IBC (Institute for Biosafety Committee) at Providence Cancer Research Center.
Alan Murray
Alan was baptized and confirmed as a Roman Catholic in Singapore as a young adult. His faith journey took him through many paths, including years in a Pentecostal church and the United Methodist church. His hunger for liturgy and sacrament drew him to the Episcopal Church. He was received into the Episcopal Church by the Rt. Rev. William Swing, VII Bishop of California, in 2006.
Alan and his husband Tom and their daughter Elizabeth moved from San Francisco to Portland in 2016, and Trinity became their spiritual home. Alan and Tom find different ways to engage in the life of the church; currently, he is the chair of the Cathedral Life Commission and a member of the Family Ministries Commission with his husband. He also enjoys teaching Godly Play to first and second graders. What drew him and his family to Trinity is its radical hospitality, excellent music and liturgy, a vibrant congregation, and a robust family ministry.
Alan is a church governance geek! He served on the Congregation Council at Grace Cathedral San Francisco for six years as a member, Vice-President, and President, and as an ex-officio member of Grace Cathedral Board of Trustees. He was part of the General Convention Deputation from California and Oregon in 2012, 2015, and 2018, and is co-chair for the General Convention deputation for 2021.
Alan's churchwide experience includes serving on the Executive Council Committee on the Status of Women (2012-2015) and he is currently serving on the Task Force on Women, Truth and Reconciliation. He co-chaired the Asian Caucus for the Deputies of Color during the 79th General Convention and is currently the Peace and Justice Coordinator for Province VIII of the Episcopal Church. Recently, he concluded his service on the 11th Bishop of Oregon Search Committee.
Alan graduated from Fresno Pacific Mennonite Seminary with a graduate degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in both California and Oregon, and he works as a Clinical Practice Specialist in Optum, a behavioral department of the UnitedHealth Group. Alan enjoys gardening, food and wine, reading, walking the family dog and watching the British gardening show “The Gardener’s World." He and his family loves traveling and exploring the great Pacific Northwest!
Barbara Whitmore
Originally from Minnesota, Barbara moved to Portland in 2009. She began attending Trinity in 2015, drawn initially by the glorious music she had heard about. The beauty and depth of the Sunday morning services, the wonderful sermons, and the outreach and social justice ministries kept her coming back. She has been involved with the Wednesday Community Lunch, both as a Listening Post volunteer and server. She has also been a Thanksgiving Dinner volunteer, and, since 2017, has chaired the Immigrant Welcoming Team.
Barbara graduated from St. Olaf College and had an earlier career as a social worker for various non-profit organizations. Completing a Masters Degree in Organization Development from Pepperdine University, she later worked in organization and leadership development at Honeywell, U.S Bank and Medtronic. In a final career change, she worked for the American Refugee Committee in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and at the International Rescue Committee Headquarters in New York.
Barbara has been delighted to discover the many outdoor wonders of the Pacific Northwest! Reading a good book, going to the movies and the theater (when that was possible!), and taking jazz piano lessons are other favorite pastimes.
Delegates to Diocesan Convention
Beth Ferguson
I have been an active parishioner at Trinity since the summer of 2017 when I moved to Portland. I teach Godly Play, help facilitate Catechesis, serve on the Family Ministry Commission, and also serve on the newly created board of the diocesan Academy for Formation and Mission. I previously served on a parish vestry and as a diocesan convention delegate for many years and also as an alternate deputy to General Convention in the Diocese of Utah. I live in Multnomah Village with my husband and have two adult daughters, one in Portland and one in Calgary.
Chris Hardman
Chris Hardman has been a parishioner at Trinity since the First Sunday of Advent, 1995. He is a Verger and member of the Cornerstone Benedictine Community. He is currently serving as one of Trinity's delegates to the Diocesan Convention. He also served as a delegate from 2004-2007. From 2005 to the current time, he has had the immense privilege of serving as one of the high school youth mission leaders for the youth mission trips in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Montana. From 2008 to present, Chris has served as a member of the Outreach Commission. This includes service as a Thanksgiving Dinner volunteer since 1996, and as Co-Chair of the event from 2008-2014. He has also served as a member of the Cathedral Chapter and Vestry. On the Diocesan level, Chris serves as the Church Attorney for the Diocese of Oregon, and from 2017-2019 served as a member of the Diocesan Constitution and Canons Committee, which the Bishop tasked with revising the foregoing. He and his bike both love Anglican Cycle!
Alicia Johnson
Alicia Johnson came to Trinity in 2015 to work in youth ministry. She continues to work with Trinity's middle and high school students, in addition to serving on the Spiritual Formation Commission and with the Healing Prayer ministry.
Having been raised in Baptist and Nazarene churches, Alicia was drawn to the beautiful liturgy and thoughtful theology of the Episcopal Church as a college student. Alicia works as a statistician at OHSU. She and her partner, Scott, live in the Montavilla neighborhood in Portland.
Stephanie Montgomery
Stephanie Montgomery was born in Virginia during the era of Jim Crow segregation, and her father was the first in his family to go to college. Her mother grew up Baptist, but when Stephanie's father was stationed in Omaha, Nebraska, her family joined St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, beginning her journey as an Episcopalian. When she moved to Portland in 2008, Stephanie's new Church home, St. Philip the Deacon, had a similar namesake. In 2012, she began visiting other Episcopal churches in Portland; having always enjoyed the services at Trinity (although the congregational welcoming seemed more “Portland-nice” than authentic), Stephanie decided to attend Trinity special events, lectures, and classes to gain a broader perspective. After a brief time living away from Portland, Stephanie began attending Trinity on a regular basis and became a member in 2018, citing Trinity's choice of Eucharistic services; the incredible organ and organists; the beauty of the Church, especially during Advent; the healing ministry; the Labyrinth; the bookstore; Dean Nathan; the classes, lectures, and other learning offerings; and the willingness and activism of the Church family to embrace change.
Professionally, Stephanie serves as a consultant to Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center + Rosemary Anderson High School, an alternative school that services marginalized and under-represented youth through the age of twenty-five. In addition to working with the Leadership Team, she serves as a senior advisor to POIC’s President & CEO and work with the POIC Board to guide policy around diversity, equity & inclusion. Her volunteer engagement includes the Rosemary Anderson High School (RAHS) Robotics Team, Chair of Stategic Planning for The Links, Incorporated; and docenting & serving as Co-Chair of the Docent Racial Equity & Inclusion Committee at Portland Art Museum. She enjoy traveling, exploring different cultures, learning languages, watching Roger Federer play tennis, reading David Baldacci novels, listening to classical music and Johnny Mathis, and spending time with her grandchildren.