Our Leadership

The Rev. John E. Denaro

Priest-in-Charge

The Rev. John E. Denaro began his ministry as Priest-in-Charge at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on March 1, 2011. His arrival to Brooklyn and the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island follows nearly two decades of service in parishes in the Diocese of New York, including Calvary/St. George’s, Christ and St. Stephen’s, St. Edward the Martyr, St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery, and Holy Apostles–all in Manhattan–and Grace Church, Middletown.

In addition to his experience in parish ministry, Fr. Denaro worked in the church communications realm, as a video producer at Trinity Church on Wall Street and, most recently, as the Church Relations Officer for Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), the refugee resettlement arm of the Episcopal Church. His efforts over eight years at EMM supported parishes and communities throughout the U.S. to respond at a local level to global needs, which he will continue to pursue with the people of St. Ann’s.

Fr. Denaro grew up in the Bronx and is a graduate of Williams College and the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University. He lives in Brooklyn Heights with his partner, Joel Van Liew, and two cats. He has been known to engage in serious cupcake baking in his free time.

The Rev. Nell B. Archer

Assistant Priest-in-Charge

The Rev. Nell B. Archer came to St. Ann and the Holy Trinity in September 2010 after serving at St. Paul’s Church in Carroll Gardens. She was called to St. Ann’s to help broaden the parish’s ministry to the growing population in downtown Brooklyn.

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, she is a graduate of Duke University. Following a rewarding career in documentary film and television, she discerned a call to ordained ministry and attended The General Theological Seminary.

Central to her understanding of the life of faith is the conviction that the good news we are called to share with others comes to light as we reflect on our experience in light of God’s promises in scripture. Preparing sermons is a discipline that helps her to integrate her faith with what she observes happening in the world around her.

A resident of Brooklyn for over twenty years, Mother Archer currently resides in DUMBO with her partner Nancy Webster and their three children. You are likely to see her on the streets of Brooklyn riding her trusty Trek that she has had since college.

Gregory Eaton

Director of Music/Parish Administrator

Gregory Eaton has been the Director of Music and Organist of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church since 1993. At St. Ann’s he plays the landmark E.M. Skinner organ of 1925, and can be heard most weeks of the year in the church’s weekly organ recital every Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. He also serves as Dean of the Brooklyn Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

A graduate of the University of Redlands, California, his major teachers have been Eva Clover in piano, Jeffrey Rickard in conducting, and Dr. Leslie Spelman in organ. An invitation to join the music staff of Trinity Church, Wall Street, brought Mr. Eaton to New York in 1984. After two years at Trinity, he served as Director of Music of the Church of the Epiphany in Manhattan, prior to accepting the position at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity.

Concurrent with most of these appointments, Mr. Eaton was Lecturer in Church Music of the General Theological Seminary, from 1984-2006. In addition to his church music activities, Mr. Eaton is also, with David Hurd, one of the co-founders of Chelsea Winds recorder ensemble, and an occasional composer of both sacred and secular music.

James White

Sexton

Peter Farley III

Treasurer

Wardens

Syd Farley
Frank Kain

Vestry

Claudia Barber
Cheryl L. Branche
Robert Buck
Jacqueline de Weever
Suzan Frazier
Barbara Gonzo, Clerk
Colleen Heemeyer
Joyce Pickering
Roger Wieber