The Rev'd Amy Chambers Cortright - Associate Rector

The Reverend Amy Chambers Cortright came to Calvary in August of 2006 from the Church of the Incarnation in New York City where she served as Assistant Minister for two years. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College and General Seminary, Amy has played an active role in the church for as long as she can remember. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Amy was baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Ascension and St. Agnes and was later sponsored for ordination by the Church of the Holy Trinity in New York.

Amy's particular interests include liturgy, pastoral care, and the creative aspects of ministry, especially "thinking outside the box" and crafting energizing ways of doing ministry in community. Away from church, she enjoys being with her family, spending time outdoors, and exploring.

Laura Davidson - Parish Administrator

Laura Davidson is "almost" a native of Columbia, moving to Columbia from Hannibal, Missouri, in 1965 with her mother and two older sisters.

Laura attended Robert E. Lee Elementary School, coming to Calvary Episcopal Church for Girl Scout meetings in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. She was one of the many children who loved sitting on Calvary's stonewall after school and after visiting the Brown Derby and grabbing a piece of horehound candy!

For the past 11 years, Laura Davidson has served as Calvary Episcopal Church's Parish Administrator. For 11 1/2 years, Laura was in the property management field and after all those years, she needed a positive career change. Laura found herself at Calvary Episcopal Church, back at home once again!

Susan McGee - Receptionist

Susan McGee is a native Mid-Missourian growing up in a rural area with her father and seven siblings. Susan attended New Providence Baptist Elementary School until it closed following her 5th grade year. Coming to the "big" city of Columbia to attend public school was a major change in her life. One of the things she discovered after coming "into" Columbia was the Missouri Theater and the wonderful stone wall of Calvary Episcopal Church. Although she always thought this was the most beautiful church she had ever seen, she never thought she would be able to enter such a beautiful place.

After many years of struggling through school and dead end jobs, Susan decided to become a secretary. Upon completing secretarial training, she worked for the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics for 5 years, the City of Columbia for 1 year, and the Columbia Public School system in various departments for 13 years. Unfortunately, she was to retire after only 13 years of service due to declining health.

After nearly 4 years of being home, she was asked to substitute for the receptionist at Calvary while she was on vacation. The receptionist resigned her position and Susan was asked to stay on until new help arrived. January 1, 2004 Susan was hired part-time and has been on staff at Calvary as a receptionist/secretary for the Parish Office since. Finally, after 30+ years, she was able to enter that big, beautiful church and do something to give back to the community.

Ed Hanson - Director of Music

Ed Hanson has served Calvary as the Director of Music since 1986. He and his wife Kathy were married at Calvary in 1978, both were confirmed here, and their three children were all baptized here. Calvary is definitely their church home!

At Calvary, Ed selects the hymns, service music, and anthems for each service. Under his direction, the Canterbury Choir (children’s choir) sings each Sunday at the 9:00 service, and the Cambridge Choir (adult choir) sings at the 11:15 service. Ed also directs two handbell ensembles: The Alpha Ringers (beginning) and the Agape Ringers (advanced). These groups throughout the year as selections become ready. The younger Sunday school children also gather together with Ed each month to sing together and learn about the various church seasons through music.

Professionally, Ed works as a music specialist at Russell Blvd. Elementary School. He is currently in his 27th year of teaching! He directs the Russell Choir and the Columbia Fifth Grade Honors Choir, a select group of seventy-five singers from across the school district. He is also active in the Missouri Choral Directors Association and previously served as the Chair for Children’s Choirs for MCDA. He holds memberships in the Missouri Music Educators Association, Organization of American Kodaly Educators, the Choristers Guild, and the Missouri State Teachers Association. Both his undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the University of Missouri.

Ed's hobbies include theatre, both acting and attending, running, and tennis. He also enjoys a good book, a great concert, or a superb CD! (Ed also loves a good meal, particularly from one of his favorite local eating establishments!) Finally, Kathy and Ed both enjoy the social life we share with our friends at Calvary, especially those wacky Cambridge Choir folks! We feel blessed to have Calvary in our lives!

Sheryl Mehrhoff - Organist

Sheryl Mehrhoff began as the organist at Calvary on October 30, 2005. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Atkinson, Nebraska. Her paternal grandparents were charter members of this congregation. With a strong interest in music at a young age, she began taking piano, and later organ lessons, from her aunt who was the church organist. She started playing for church services while in high school.

Sheryl graduated from Concordia Teacher College in Seward with three majors (religion, education, and social sciences) and two minors (primary education and organ performance). Several of her organ teachers, Theodore Beck, Charles Ore, and David Schack, have published numerous sacred organ compositions. Before coming to Calvary, she served as principal organist for five years at Salem Lutheran Church, a congregation of about 2000 members in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and prior to that, ten years at Trinity Lutheran Church in Monticello, Minnesota. Other congregations she has served for several years include St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Louis, and she also had the opportunity to play a Noon Concert at Christ Church Cathedral.

Running counterpoint to Sheryl's involvement in church music has been a long career in education. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and has worked in a wide range of settings and with students from preschool through college level. Two of her most interesting jobs were coordinating programs for gifted students and later teaching preschool through eighth graders in a computer lab setting. She also enjoyed the challenge of developing programs and materials in two innovative schools based on Howard Gardner's model of Mutiple Intelligences.

Sheryl is grateful to share her life journey with her husband, Art, who is currently serving as the academic coordinator for the Museum of Art & Archeology at MU. They enjoy visiting places of historic significance, frequenting some of the excellent restaurants in Columbia, gardening and attending special events at MU.