Our Clergy & Staff | St. Paul's Cleveland Heights

Clergy

The Rev. Gabriel Lawrence

Assistant Rector

The Rev. Patricia Rose

Assistant Rector

The Rev. Rose Anne Lonsway

Interim Assistant Rector

The Rev. Gabriel Lawrence

Assistant Rector

My name is Gabriel Lawrence, and I am the Assistant Rector for Newcomer, Engagement, Hospitality, and Pastoral Care ministries. I am passionate about building community where all are welcomed, loved, and valued. I am thrilled to serve this community at St. Paul’s, where God’s love is sought after and shared with the world.

Originally from Nashville, I spent 15 years in the Diocese of Georgia before being called to St. Paul’s. I hold an MDiv from the University of the South, Sewanee, and a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Georgia Southern University. Before my ordination to the Diaconate in October 2023, I worked as a parish music director, piano instructor, florist, composer, community organizer, and event planner. In addition to my call to ordained ministry, I enjoy running, cooking, hiking, and spending time with my Cavalier King Charles spaniel, with whom I share a name.

The Rev. Patricia Rose

Assistant Rector

Rev. Patricia is our clergyperson for Adult Formation and Outreach. She offers St. Paul’s many gifts, including her passion for formation and outreach inspired by the Gospel, her strong pastoral care skills, her collaborative nature, and her calm demeanor.

Patricia had a 30-year career in education and communications, in addition to being a Spiritual Director for 17 years before entering the ordination process. She graduated from Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) in May 2021 and has been the Curate at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio, until 2023. Her time at St. Stephen’s gave her broad exposure to parish ministry, including preaching and presiding, pastoral care, formation, social justice, and hospitality. In addition, Patricia was responsible for worship and ministries at a small parish giving her experience in all administrative, finance, and building needs of a parish as well as experience in initiating new ministries.

The Rev. Rose Anne Lonsway

Interim Assistant Rector

Rev. Rose Anne was ordained a priest in 2014 following a long career as a registered nurse and health care administrator. She is a graduate of Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary and spent two years as a resident deacon and priest at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Delaware, Ohio. She retired in 2023 after serving Grace Willoughby as Rector for eight years. She is “Mom” to son Ed, daughter-in-law Natalie, and daughter Jennifer. She is "Mimi" to three grandsons, Brady, Andrew, and James.

Music Staff

Kevin Jones

Director of Music

Lois Bell

Handbell Choir Director

Kelsey Ferguson

Director of Children and Youth Choirs

Todd Wilson

Artist-in-Residence

Carolyn Hoff

Sacred Music Intern

Karel Paukert

Organist/Choirmaster Emeritus

David Osburn

Carillonneur

Kevin Jones

Director of Music

Kevin Jones began formal musical training at the age of four. He attended Southern Methodist University and completed his undergraduate degree in organ performance at Ashland College (now University). Mr. Jones went on to earn graduate degrees in Collaborative Piano and in Organ Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He also holds the Master of Science in Education degree in Human Services from the University of Dayton.

From 1996 to 2004, Jones held the post of Musical Director/Conductor of the New York City based Gilbert & Sullivan ensemble, the Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd. With that ensemble he made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut as guest with Skitch Henderson’s New York Pops Symphony Orchestra. While on the East Coast, he was in demand as a conductor and collaborative artist, appearing frequently with soloists and ensembles throughout the region. He has worked as assistant to conductor Anton Coppola in productions of Aïda, Gianni Schicchi, La Bohème, Lucia, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rigoletto. He appeared with regularity at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall with Mid-America Productions, and made his Weill Recital Hall début with flutist Koaki Fujimoto. He has performed at Ashland University, Cleveland Museum of Art, Oberlin College, Merkin Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Purchase, and Weill Hall. Internationally, he has performed throughout Europe and the Far East, most recently playing a solo recital in the 11th-century St. Mary’s Church in Helsingborg, Sweden. Jones also performed on the Pipes at One series at St. Paul’s Chapel, New York City, in 2019.

Following positions in Hartford, Connecticut, Westchester County, New York, and New York City, Jones was Minister of Music at First Congregational Church, Columbus, from 2013 to 2022 where he directed a large music program of four choirs and the longstanding series Concerts at First Church. He led the First Church Choir in choral residencies at Lincoln, Norwich, Gloucester, Chichester, and Winchester Cathedrals, U.K. In June of 2022, Jones was appointed Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights.

Lois Bell

Handbell Choir Director

Lois has been a church musician for nearly forty years, directing and performing in both vocal and bell choirs. She recently retired from teaching music for 25 years in the Willoughby-Eastlake Schools. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Bucknell University and a Master of Music Education degree from Kent State University. Other interests include ballroom dancing, activities with her daughter and travel, especially to visit her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in Chicago.

Kelsey Ferguson

Director of Children and Youth Choirs

Kelsey graduated from CIM with an MA in violin performance. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s and grew up singing in our choirs.

Todd Wilson

Artist-in-Residence

Internationally renowned organist Todd Wilson recently retired from Trinity Cathedral. Todd serves as head of the Organ Department at The Cleveland Institute of Music and Curator of the E.M. Skinner pipe organ at Severance Music Center (home of The Cleveland Orchestra). He maintains a very active concert schedule around the world, has numerous recordings to his credit, and is known as one of the world’s leading organ pedagogues.

Carolyn Hoff

Sacred Music Intern

Currently an undergraduate organ major at The Cleveland Institute of Music, Carolyn originally hails from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. You may find Carolyn at the organ on Sunday, helping out with the Youth and children’s choirs, or even singing with the Senior Choir.

Karel Paukert

Organist/Choirmaster Emeritus

Karel has served at St. Paul’s Church since 1979. He is the Curator Emeritus of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Before coming to Cleveland, Karel was associate professor of Organ and Church Music at Northwestern University and directed music at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston. He continues to concertize and teach internationally. He especially likes to return to his native Czech Republic.

David Osburn

Carillonneur

David’s parents were married by St. Paul’s Rector Ted Evans in 1940. He was baptized here in 1943. His mother Ruth was Parish Secretary at St Christopher’s by-the-river in Gates Mills and ran the nursery school there for 30 years. David played the 8-bell chime there before it became a 23-bell carillon. He studied organ at St. Paul’s with Walter Blodgett, later with Marilyn Mason at University of Michigan where he also studied carillon with Percival Price. David has been carillonneur at St. Pauls since 1990 and by day he is a private piano teacher. He is a member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA).

Staff

Susan Armstrong

Assistant to the Director of Children & Youth Ministries

Brenda Burton

Controller

Lauren Dockery

Director of Children and Youth Ministries

Ethan Greenberg

Sexton

Steve Halasz

Sexton

Paul McCuen