Church of the Atonement Vestry
Vestry meetings at the Episcopal Church of the Atonement are held on the second Sunday of each month following the 11:00 Mass. Meeting minutes are recorded to provide insight to the agenda and discussions of church affairs, in addition to being used as a means to document important decision making on behalf of the Atonement Vestry. Following approval by the vestry, minutes will be posted on this site monthly, as well as our bulletin board in our parish hall.
View the vestry's by-laws
Vestrymembers
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Dave Beil, Warden
Dave Beil and his partner Jeremy McElroy moved to Chicago in 2016 after 11 years in Atlanta, where he completed his Master of Architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology. He continues to work from home for Foley Design in Atlanta, focusing on continuing care retirement communities while studying for his six architecture licensing exams. He currently sings in the Atonement and St. Cecilia choirs. He also had the privilege to sing at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in Manhattan while completing his Master of Science in Architectural Sciences of Built Ecologies, a joint venture of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the architecture firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. As a member of the vestry, Dave is excited to support Atonement’s music ministry, participate in community outreach, and assist in exploring opportunities for our facilities and grounds.
Charles Bonilla, Warden
Charles worshipped at Atonement since 2012, when he arrived at the invitation of his friend Marge Ford. A life-long Illinois resident and U.S. Navy veteran who is blessed with a fulfilling professional life as a Career Counselor for Veterans, Charles is also blessed because of Atonement. This community is a very special place with many opportunities to deepen one's spiritual growth! He has attended EfM, assisted with church clean-ups, learned the Rosary, and regularly pray with the Rosary group on Saturday mornings. Currently he serves as a lector and manages the lector schedule for the 8:00 Mass, and sits on the financial and stewardship guilds. In 2016 Marge Ford and Charles were married at Atonement at the 9:00 Mass.
Tim first came to Atonement in 2017 on an invitation from his friend Tim van Alstyne. After searching for a church home in Chicago for many years, Tim, his wife Evie, and their two children, Yves and Julien, fell in love with Atonement straightaway; Tim and Evie were received into the church in 2019, the same year the children were baptized at Easter Vigil. Since then, Tim has served on the Finance Guild, and as a lector and a chalice bearer at the 9:00 Mass. He is eager to grow his service and commitment to the church as a member of the vestry. Professionally, he has worked as a bookkeeper and in business management for 15 years.
Michael Waltz, Clerk
I was raised in rural Pennsylvania as a member of a Lutheran church. While in college I joined Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Penn., a parish with a rich Anglo-Catholic tradition. Shortly after attending graduate school in Indiana I moved to Chicago and joined the Church of the Ascension. When my husband Steve and I moved to Edgewater in the early 1980s we transferred to Atonement and have been parishioners ever since, with the exception of a few years when my work took us to New York City. I’ve come to love Atonement not only because of the spiritual growth I’ve experienced here, but because I’ve found a community committed to caring for each other and for the larger community around them.
Jennifer Ash
My very good friend and neighbor, Jerry Mash, invited me to attend Mass with him at the Church of the Atonement. This was just over three years ago, and I have been attending mass each Sunday at Atonement ever since. I had never before encountered a church community so welcoming, so accepting and so inclusive, and I am so grateful that I have found my “spiritual home” here at Atonement. I am currently a lector and intercessor, an officiant at Morning Prayer, a member of the committee for Adult Formation and an enthusiastic member of Q&A. It is a privilege and an honor to participate in the life of the community at Atonement, and I took forward to serving on the Vestry as we negotiate the various challenges confronting us during this period of transition.
Evie Aadland Coe
Evie Aadland Coe has been a member of Church of the Atonement for five years, attending both the 9:00 and 11:00 services. She has actively contributed to the parish through her involvement in EfM, the St Cecilia Choir, and the Altar Guild, among other activities. As a former rector search committee member, Evie has a
deep understanding of the parish’s needs and priorities. She brings expertise in writing, editing, graphic design, and communication, and she is committed to serving the church during this critical time of planning for its future.
Glen Gabert
Dr Glen Gabert has been a member of Church of the Atonement for one and a half years, regularly attending the 11:00 service. A seasoned academic leader and former community college president, Glen has extensive experience in strategic planning, development, and managing large facilities. He and his husband, Gregory, are inspired by the sense of community at Atonement. Glen is eager to contribute his
expertise to the parish’s leadership and mission.
Aaron Johnson
Driven by his commitment to equity, Aaron works as the project manager at the Office of Community Engagement, Racial Equity, and Strategic Initiatives in the Chicago Department of Housing. He manages efforts that center the community's voice and addresses the racial harm of past government policies. Before joining the housing department, Aaron spent several years advocating for racial equity, conducting public policy research in housing, education, and transportation, and engaging in community and labor organizing. He holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor’s in sociology from Truman State University. He will enter a Master of Divinity at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary later this year.
Sena Leikvold
Sena and her husband, Charles Stewart, came to Atonement in 2019 and were drawn in by its purposeful worship and liturgy and the daily opportunity for prayer. They felt welcomed and included—and continue to—in Atonement’s faithful community. In her professional life Sena was a public high school English teacher. Some of the experiences she brings from past episcopal churches include serving on vestry and later as warden at St John the Divine (Champaign) and, at Church of Our Saviour (Lincoln Park), as Parish Life coordinator and chair of that church’s first parish council. At Atonement Sena has become involved in contemplative practices and groups. Currently she serves on altar guild, is an acolyte, attends the Thursday contemplative prayer group, and is a weekly officiant at Morning Prayer. Additionally, this year she sits on the stewardship campaign committee. With Charles, she helps manage the finances of and communication with the partners of the Chiapas Project. She is grateful for this opportunity and will feel honored to be of service working on Atonement’s vestry.
Amanda Patrick
Amanda started at Atonement in March 2015, after moving from Corinth, Miss., where she worshiped at St Paul’s Episcopal since childhood. Amanda and her spouse, Jim Dertz, were married at Atonement in 2019 and reside in Andersonville. She works as a transcriber for an online archive as she works toward her MLIS degree (Master of Library and Informational Sciences). Outside of her studies, Amanda has still been known to carry a book(s) on her, and is an avid thrifter, museum-goer, and baker.
Charlaine Reynolds
Charlaine Reynolds has been a member of Church of the Atonement for two years and attends the 8:00 service. She brings 25 years of professional and volunteer non-profit experience, with expertise in organizational management, fundraising, and social services, particularly for older adults. Charlaine is eager to contribute her skills and community-centric perspective to the vision and mission of
the church, with a special interest in Outreach and Parish Life.
Br Will White CMJ
Br Will White began his term on vestry in October 2024. Br Will has served as the director of operations at Church of Our Saviour (Lincoln Park) since 2017 and brings over a decade of experience in administration and property management. His own ministries both at COS and at the Atonement include preaching, building and property, Altar Guild, altar flowers, adult formation, Education for Ministry (EfM), lector, liturgical trainer, and he has served on vestry and Diocesan Council in the past.
He is a vowed religious in the Community of the Mother of Jesus, a vowed religious community in the monastic tradition of the Episcopal Church, and supports the work of the National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities. He loves his work and is grateful for the opportunity to explore his vocation within the Church. He lives in Evanston and he shares his home life with his partner Johnard and their corgi Lily.
Alex Wyman
Alex Wyman has been a member of Church of the Atonement for six years and attends the 9:00 service. A lifelong Episcopalian, Alex brings over 20 years of teaching experience and a passion for building community. Fluent in Spanish and familiar with Latin American culture, Alex is eager to help Atonement extend its welcome to Spanish-speaking individuals and families. As a parent raising a child in the Episcopal tradition, Alex is committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive parish life.