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Nominees for election to the Parish Pastoral Council
The following ten parishioners have been nominated to serve on the Parish Pastoral Council.
The election takes place over two weekends: June 26–27 and July 3–4, 2021. These pictures and bios will also be displayed in the Narthex during these weekends.
Kathy Burton
My husband Ken and I have been parishioners at Christ the King since 1974. We have 4 sons and 7 grandchildren. In our early years I taught and played guitar for the CCD program. I was also happy to serve our parish young adults through a folk music ministry for 7 years. During this time I was ecumenical director for our Diocese. I began a career with Church World Service, working with area churches and encouraging them to work together to raise funds for hunger locally and globally. Christ the King parishioners have walked with neighboring churches in Lyme and Old Lyme, raising funds to benefit the Shoreline Food Pantry.
Presently, I am serving the parish as a lector.
Ellen Cole
I have been a parishioner at Christ the King Church since moving to Old Lyme in 1984. For much of that time I’ve been a member of the choir, and more recently I’ve served as a cantor as well.
Over the years I have volunteered for the Harvest Festival and its forerunners, prepared food for the Soup Kitchens, and have worked to improve communications from the parish through the parish website and various social media platforms. I have worked as an editor at Yale for 30 years.
My husband Brian and I live in Old Lyme with daughter Megan and son Dan; older son Patrick lives nearby in Mystic.
Barbara Fischer
My husband Mark and I joined CTK in May of 2018. During the Harvest Festival in 2018 you probably saw me assisting in the food tent. The following year I was co-chair for the Harvest Festival Silent Auction.
Throughout the year I help count the Sunday offerings. Up until the pandemic, I participated in the small group Bible study on Wednesday evenings that began in September 2019. In 2020 I attended the soup suppers during the Lent season.
Larry Ghirardi
I have been a member of Christ the King church since 1973. I’m an altar server and eucharistic minister. I have also been a collector, lector, and sacristan.
I graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and I also have a master’s degree in computer science from the University of New Haven. I served with distinction as an officer aboard submarines.
Deirdre Goodwin
Deirdre has been an active member of CTK Church for 25 years. In the past, she has served as a sacristan and Eucharistic minister, as well as a committee member for both the planning and capital campaign for the new church building. She has also volunteered at several Harvest Festivals and in particular co-chaired the silent auction.
Due to her Irish heritage, Deirdre has taken a keen interest in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner celebration. As co-chair, she has helped plan and organize all aspects of the dinner event, including the festive decorations and raffle fundraiser.
Deirdre would be privileged to further serve Christ the King Church on the Parish Council.
Robert Grissom
I have been a member of Christ the King Church — along with my growing family — since 2015, the year my wife, Allison Gaffey, and I were married by Father Joseph Ashe. Since then, our three oldest children have all been baptized here (2016, 2018, 2019), and we are anxiously awaiting a time this fall when our newest baby can also go through this rite. These days our family has taken advantage of Sunday Mass via Zoom, but we are looking forward to being back at Christ the King soon. If elected to the Parish Council, I will offer my experience as both the finance director of Region 4 Schools and the treasurer of the Old Lyme Center School PTO to bring sound financial advice, as well as a family-focused outlook, to Christ the King Church.
Bev Page
Our family have been members of Christ the King for 43 years. During these years we have grown in our faith and a deeper knowledge of Catholicism. We feel that we have been truly blessed to be part of this community of Christ the King.
Our congregation is a part of this process. It is your decision to elect a person you feel can contribute to the needs of our parish. As candidates we are asked to list our positions and activities which we have held both present and past.
Former Activities: Woman’s Club - Board Member; Eucharistic Minister; Choir; Parish Council; Sunday Collection Counting;
Co-chair, St. Patrick’s Dinner; Christmas Fair; Set up and Cataloged Church Library; Editor of the Christ the King Parish Directory
Present Activities: Eucharistic Minister; Library; Harvest Festival; St. Patrick’s Day Dinner - Chair and Co-Chair; Sunday Collection Counting
Al Taday
I’m a retired Naval officer who served 21 years in the Submarine Force, retiring as a commander (05). I have a master’s degree in operations research/ systems analysis. We moved to East Lyme in 1983 and were members of St. Matthias until 2018 when we became members of Christ the King. While at St. Matthias, I served on the pastoral council as a member and president. I was also an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and lector. I was responsible for training and scheduling the EMs, lectors, and altar servers. At St. Matthias I was on the building committee from the planning phase through the dedication of the new church building. I’m an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and a lector at Christ the King and a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council.
David Wohlmuth
I have been an active parishioner in Christ the King Church for around six years, actively participating thru College with the annual Harvest Festival. I became a sacristan for the 10:30 mass, and volunteer at the soup kitchen, and various Men’s Club dinners. I’m an active lector and a eucharistic minister. During the pandemic I assisted with running the cameras for our ZOOM Masses. I look forward to continuing to volunteer as much as possible at Christ the King.
Erika Zapatka
Hello! Many of you have seen me and my boys, CJ (13) and Charlie (11), attending Mass for many years but I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those of you who don't know me. I attended Mercy High School ('95) followed by Providence College (BA in Theology, '99) and came back to Mercy to teach religion for 2 years before returning to school (Quinnipiac '04) to become an occupational therapist. During my senior year at PC I was introduced to Old Lyme through my affiliation with High Hopes and when I returned to school for OT a few years later I moved here. Since then I married an Old Lyme native, Carl Zapatka, and we have made our home, raising our boys, in this amazing community. I have been a member of Christ the King since moving to Old Lyme where I have volunteered in the religious education program, served as a lector and Eucharist Minister, co-chaired and volunteered with the Harvest Festival, and participated in a bible study group. I am passionate about inclusion through universal design, joyful service to others, and supporting young people as they grow and develop into the leaders and citizens of the future. I strive to follow the examples of St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Catherine McAuley, as one who deeply, thoughtfully, and joyously spreads the Gospel message as I journey through life.
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