Our Leadership

Carrie Martin
Carrie is a life-long Episcopalian who grew up attending St Paul’s Episcopal Church located in Manhattan, Kansas.  Carrie earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from The University of Kansas in 1990.  She then moved to New Jersey taking a position in pharmaceutical industry specializing in manufacturing operations and government regulatory affairs.  In 2018, Carrie relocated from New Jersey to New Braunfels, Texas to live near her family and joined the St. John’s church family.  As a member of St John’s, she has supported Holy Celebrations, Hospitality and Flower services and is in the St. John’s worship choir.  Carrie also sings with the New Braunfels Gemischter Chor Harmonie and enjoys reading, walking, and her dog Biscuit.

Tom Nolan
Tom found god at the age of 30. Thank god he did because who knows what misguided paths he may have stumbled upon in gods absence. Shorlyafter moving to New Braunfels in 2014, Tom married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie at St. Johns. After looking at a group of churches in New Braunfels, the couple met with Ripp and felt that we they had met the community that would help them grow their faith. Tom is a Texas native that has split time between his home state and Colorado. Tom has recently started his own business, planting roots in NB and looking forward to seeing how he can help the church grow.

Renee Wendel
She/her/hers
Mom
Partner
Friend
Teacher
Learner
Sports fan

I am originally from Hilo, Hawaii, and was raised in the Catholic faith tradition.   My husband, Clarke and I met in San Marcos, Texas, in of all places, church a bar.  We were married in 1996, and after a “secular period” during our younger lives, we were looking for a church home. We found St. John’s in 2007 and have been attending ever since.  In 2011, I was received into the Episcopal Church, and I’ve served this community in numerous ministries over the years. Clarke and I have two young adult children, John and Jami along with our furry four-legged family members Winnie and Ash.

Some of my favorite past and present ministries include Camp Outreach, liturgical assistant, Family Promise, Sacred Ground, and adult Christian formation.  St. John’s is such an exciting place to be.  I have seen so many people find a home in this community.  The invitation to God’s table and recognition that we are all on a spiritual journey opens the door to faith for so many people from so many diverse backgrounds.  I accepted the vestry nomination because I’m inspired to see this community continue to thrive in this time of transition, evolution, and continued growth.

My professional background is in speech-language pathology as I have a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  I am currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas State University and Director of Clinical Education in the Department of Communication Disorders.  My skill set tends toward the analysis, organization, and presentation side. Teaching has allowed me to find clear ways to communicate information and to find relevant ways for a variety of people to engage with a topic. I like to promote community and have done that in small ways, especially during the pandemic.  I am passionate about education, inclusion, sustainable growth, and challenging the status-quo. I am honored to be part of this very special community and I look forward to serving.