Clergy and Staff

The Rev. John R. Palarine, Rector

John Palarine graduated from Seabury-Western Seminary and was ordained in 1973.   He has served in inner city parishes in Chicago, IL. and St. Paul, MN.  He was Canon for Youth and Education on the Bishop's staff in Central Florida from 1981 to 1991.  He was the Associate Rector of a large church in Clearwater, Florida before coming to Church of Our Saviour as Rector in January of 1996.

Fr. Palarine has been a leader in the Episcopal Church on a local, diocesan and national level for 25 years in the areas of youth and education.  He has been the keynoter and coordinator of numerous conferences at Kanuga Conference center where he has also served on the program committee.  His heart is with young people, families and all persons in their Christian Formation.  His personal priorities center on being Pastor, Preacher and Teacher.

Our Rector is active in the Diocese of Florida serving Cursillo, Habijax, Sulzbacher Center (homeless ministries), and the First Coast Region. He has served in this Diocese on Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and is currently the chair of the Diocesan Pastoral Care Commission.

Fr. John is married to Joanne who is very active in many ministries at Our Saviour.   They have two children;  Adam and Emily.

The Rev. Ronnie Willerer, Associate Rector

I am often reminded of words said to me in the spring of 2003 – “to expect God to give God’s best” – because God does not do otherwise.  Being a part of the family of the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour is a tangible experience of God’s best!

I am a long time resident of Jacksonville.  In fact, I grew up at St. Andrew’s in Arlington, where Max and I were married thirty years ago this past June.   We have two grown sons and a very special (and beautiful) new daughter-in-law!  Our sons and I each have English Springer Spaniels who are very important members of our families.  My dog, Fenway, (and yes, they are all three named after baseball parks) was a wonderful companion during seminary.  When both of our sons come home with their dogs, the house gets a bit chaotic (and loud).

After finishing my undergraduate work in Philosophy at UNF, I attended seminary at The School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. Prior to seminary, my career focus was raising our sons.  I was an optometric assistant/technician before our children were born, returning to work in an occasional part-time position after our boys were a bit older.  I was active in several diocesan programs: Cursillo, Happening, and Christ Spring.  I served as the Diocesan Lay Director for Breakout! and was the Interim Summer Camp Director at Camp Weed for the 2003 summer.

If you are a member of the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, thank you for helping to make this a place where God’s love is flowing!  If you are looking for a community where God is at work in the hearts and lives of the people and reaching out into the community, please come and experience what is a tangible expression of God’s best!

The Rev. David McElwain, Priest Associate

David McElwain was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.  He earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and a Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Kansas.  Ordained in 1986 he served at the Ceresco Baptist Church in Ceresco Michigan from 1986 to 1989.

Commissioned in the U.S. Navy on March 17, 1989, he completed the Chaplain’s Basic Course in August of 1989 and returned to his church duties while serving as a Reserve Chaplain.  In January of 1990 he entered active duty service which has taken him around the world. Through the Navy’s Pastoral Care Residency he developed skills in dealing with the human response to trauma--combat related, natural and interpersonal.  He has served on ships, with Marines, in hospitals, at Chapels and doing retreat ministry in the Navy’s CREDO program.  He is currently assigned to Naval Hospital Jacksonville on the Naval Air Station.

While in Okinawa he served in a lay capacity at All Soul’s Episcopal Church in Chatan, Diocese-Nippon Sei Ko Kai.  After returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 he sought ordination in the Episcopal Church and worked with Bishop Daniel in East Carolina toward that goal.  Then as a postulant/candidate for holy orders he assisted at St. Anne’s in Jacksonville NC and Church of the Good Shepherd in Norfolk VA.  As part of reading for orders he earned a certificate in Anglican Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific.  In February 2008 he completed the transition-which culminated a ten year journey toward the Episcopal Church-when he was ordained to the priesthood. He and Linda have been part of the COOS family since transferring from Norfolk in late 2007.

Together he and Linda are parents to seven children, four of which were a sibling group adopted from Costa Rica. 

 The Rev. Richard Turk, Priest Associate

Father Richard Turk was born in Perth Amboy, NJ.  After graduating high school in 1957 he attended Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ from 1957-1958.  He then attended St. Charles College, Catonsville, MD.  He received his BA from St. Mary's Seminary in 1963 and went on to Theological studies at St. Mary's Seminary-University from 1963-1967.  Fr. Turk was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, NJ.

His years of church serve included the Church of St. Gregory the Great, Hamilton Township NJ, 1967-1969 and Sacred Heart Church, New Brunswick, NJ, from 1969-1973.  While in New Brunswick he was Chaplain to Douglas College, the women's college of Rutgers and taught a class in New Testament theology.  During this time he was also Chaplain for the New Brunswick Police Dept. and even had my own monthly radio show.  In 1973 he transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas HS in 1973 to serve as Chaplain and as an assistant football coach!!

Fr. Turk resigned his Roman Catholic Ministry in 1974 and moved to Philadelphia where he worked as a drug counselor for "The Bridge" and as Director of Referral for the Philadelphia Urban Coalition offering job training and job placement for ex-offenders from Graterford Prison.

Fr. Turk received his M.TH. in 1975 from Princeton Theological and his D. Min. from Columbia Theological in 2003.

Fr. Richard married his wife Davette in 1975.  In 1976 he was called as Assistant to the Rector of St. Thomas' Church in Whitemarsh, PA and became a full-time associate. 

In 1978 Fr. Turk was called by the Rt. Rev. Lyman Ogilby, Bishop of Pennsylvania.  In 1980 he was called to serve as Canon Missionary on the staff of the Rt. Rev. Frank Cerveny to develop a ministry to the prisons of North Florida and to Victims of Crime. 

In early 1986 Fr. Turk was asked to serve as Interim Rector of Holy Cross Church, and in May 1986 was called as Rector of St. Andrew's.  Fr. Turk remained at St. Andrews until his retirement in February 2005.

He is currently an adjunct professor at FCCJ.

Mrs. Gina Barber, Housekeeping

Mrs. Joanne Blalock, Parish Secretary

To love God and this Parish Family is the ministry of the Parish Secretary. Joanne is a "cradle" Episcopalian who began her employment career as a Parish Secretary in Salisbury, N.C. and has now come full circle with her position at Church of Our Saviour. In between these two positions, Joanne married Harry Blalock and became the mother of daughter, Christian Elizabeth, and son Adam who is married to Jenny. She earned her AA degree in Business Administration from deKalb Junior College and is a Certified Professional Secretary.

Mr. Kirk Clendaniel, Facilities Manager

The name Kirk means 'church' or 'dweller by the church'. After almost 20 years in the paper converting industry, Kirk joined the family of Coos in 1997 and is right at home.

Kirk’s biggest hobbies are fixing things and helping people - so you see he is a perfect fit.

His other hobbies are RVing, shooting, fitness, woodworking, welding and fabrication, auto repair, traveling and learning.

Kirk has an extensive background in an industrial setting. His skills learned from the industry include among others: truck driver, machine operator, mechanical engineer, materials buyer and plant manager. Surprisingly enough, these skills are often used on a daily basis here at COOS. Kirk is always willing to learn and has most recently become ‘EPA section 608 certified’ from Mainstream Engineering Corporation.

Although Kirk was born in Salisbury, Maryland, he has spent most of his life in Jacksonville and has been in Mandarin for twenty years. He and his wife, Cheryl, were teenage sweethearts. They have two grown children who also reside in Jacksonville.

“I love my position here at COOS. My passion in life is to help people and I am a natural problem solver. I can’t believe they pay me to work here when really I am just doing what I love to do. God, I love this place”.

Mrs. Diane Gates, Office Assistant

Diane has been an Episcopalian for nearly 30 years.  Growing up in Birmingham Alabama, she graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a BA in Business Administration.  Diane has lived in Jacksonville since 1989 and has been a member of COOS since 1991.  An active member, Diane sings with the Parish Choir, and serves on the Pastoral Care Team, the Worship Committee, and the Altar Guild.  On Sundays, Diane and her husband John regularly visit those who are unable to attend worship and bring them communion as Lay Eucharistic Visitors.  Before joining the office staff at COOS Diane spent nine years in college administration and 26 years in the mortgage banking business.  She enjoys her ministry of caring for others through her work in the COOS office.

Mrs. Pam Gillis, Children's Ministry Coordinator

Mrs. Becky Janes, Bookkeeper

Becky grew up in Ohio and moved to Florida after high school to attend college. She graduated from University of North Florida with a B.B.A. degree in business. After college she went into sales in the grocery business. Becky worked for several companies and a broker, then spent 11 years with Gerber Baby Food calling on grocery stores with the last five years being in management. With Gerber she traveled all over Florida and South Georgia and now truly appreciates the three-mile trip to work at COOS each morning.

Becky joined the staff at COOS as bookkeeper in September of 1998. She very much enjoys working in a Christian environment and thinks the staff and parishioners are great. Becky is married and she and her husband David enjoy riding motorcycles, canoeing, traveling, fishing, and more together.  Becky attends Mandarin Assembly of God.

Frances Shults, Director of Youth Ministry

Frances Shults is a cradle Episcopalian growing up in Eastern North Carolina. Frances graduated from St. Mary's College in Raleigh, NC with an A.A. degree and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. degree in Political Science. She has lived in Jacksonville for 17 years and been an active member of COOS for the last 10 years where she has worked in various ministries including Christian Formation and Youth Ministry. As Youth Director, her goals are to continue to invite the Youth of our parish and community to come to know Our Lord, Jesus Christ by teaching them how to serve the Lord through fun, fellowship, outreach and spiritual growth. Her ministry endeavors to lift up each individual’s gifts and talents as they grow into adulthood.

Doris Latour, Volunteer Coordinator

In 1999, I was visiting churches in the Jacksonville area, looking for a church home.  A friend suggested that I visit Church of Our Saviour in Mandarin.   Since that day, it has truly been a church home for us!    I have been involved in various ministries here, and continue to work actively with the Worship Committee and many of our church events. 

I accepted the position of Volunteer Coordinator a couple of years ago.   I love helping people become more active in our church.   I feel strongly that once you get involved and become passionate about what you are doing, you truly become a part of our church community.       We can see that we are all working together to spread God’s light into the world…each volunteer opportunity at Church of Our Saviour is an important part of who we are and what we can do when we work together. 

My husband and I live in Orange Park and we have four grown children and six amazing grandchildren.      I love organizing, reading, and being outdoors (more so in warm weather than cold weather!).   We have had a lot of opportunities to travel, and I have enjoyed seeing some of the places I read about as a child.   I grew up in Huntington, West Virginia and still enjoy trips home to visit family and friends. 

If you are looking for a church home, I invite you to come to Church of Our Saviour for a visit.   You will be welcomed!

Helen Skipper, Nursery Coordinator

Helen is a cradle Anglican/Church of England. She was christened (as were both her children), in the family church of St. Just-In-Roseland, Cornwall, England. Helen was born in West Africa and since then has lived on a boat crossing the Atlantic twice, in Cornwall England, Belgium, Montreal, Canada and New Jersey. She moved to Jacksonville in 1985. Helen is a British national and became a US citizen in 1994.  She has a Bachelors of Science in Sociology from the College of Charleston and worked for a tugboat company, for a cruise line in the Caribbean, a dispatcher for an Ambulance service and as an International Relocation Manager . Helen has always loved being around children of all ages and was a babysitter from the age 12 until graduating college. She was a nanny twice, the first time helping a family while the mother underwent chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer and another time for a family with newborn triplets. She is married to Norman who is a merchant marine and has 7 year twins and two stepchildren 13 and 20.  Helen attended St. John's Chapel for a year prior to joining the COOS Parish and became a member of the Parish Staff in August of 2007.  Helen loves the COOS Parish and all the families/staff members at COOS and feels blessed to be working within the children's ministries and blessed with wonderful caretakers that provide childcare in the nursery.
 

Laura Davis, Director of Music Ministry

Laura grew up in Georgetown, S.C.  She attended the University of Hawaii and received a B. A. degree in Music Education from the University of North Florida.  She has done graduate study in organ performance and choral music at Florida International University and The University of Miami. 

Laura has traveled extensively with her husband Ben and their three children during his Navy career.  She has served as organist/choir master in numerous churches in various cities in the United States including Honolulu, Hawaii, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Laura is a retired Music Educator, having taught twenty one years at Key Largo School in Key Largo, Florida.  She developed Orff Instrument and Choral Music programs for the elementary school.

In retirement, she stays very busy working as substitute/interim organist-choir master for churches in the Jacksonville area and Georgetown, S.C.  Laura’s other interest and hobbies include traveling in their motor home, sewing, knitting and stain glass work.

She and her husband Ben are very active members of St. Paul’s by the Sea, Episcopal Church.