Due to our current situation, our Annual General Meeting will be held online this year.
The Annual Meeting of the Église Française du Saint Esprit will be held immediately after the service on Sunday May 2nd, 2021 on our YouTube channel. We hope that you will be able to be with us virtually to exercise your right to vote at that meeting. [Direct link to the video (The meeting part will start around 12:45pm.)]
One Warden, Philip Orawski, is standing for re-election for a two-year term. Two Vestry Persons must be replaced for 3-year terms. The Vestry, acting as Nominating Committee, has nominated Rita Pullium and Samit Ahlawat for these positions. One Vestry Person, Guillaume Ahadji, is standing for reelection for 3-year term.
We look forward to your presence on Sunday May 2nd, 2021.
Many thanks,
Frederic Spitz
Parish Administrator
More info on the nominees:
Philippe Orawski est paroissien depuis 2009 et est devenu membre du consistoire en 2011. Il est né au Royaume-Uni de parents immigrants. Sa mère enseignait l’école du dimanche pendant que son père était Monsieur Bricolage à l’Eglise Protestante de Londres ! Il espère continuer offrir ses services (sans bricolages) pour l’Eglise Française de Saint Esprit.
Guillaume Ahadji came to Saint-Esprit in 2006 and was first elected to the Vestry in 2009. Originally from Togo (West Africa), he comes from a historically important religious family, as his grandfather was one of the very first evangelists in Togo. Guillaume completed his studies in Togo, Germany and Canada, which enables him to speak fluently in French, English and German. He is a graphic artist and printer by trade. Guillaume and his wife Philippine have three children, Jonathan, Johan and Josué. At Saint-Esprit, you will recognize Guillaume by his public speaking skills, as a lay reader for Sunday services, and as a choir member. A person of profound prayer, he also assists with the Prayers of the People. Guillaume has been the motor behind the Fête Afrique, an annual event at Saint-Esprit whose liturgy and reception celebrate African cultures and spiritual expression.
Samit Alhawat found Saint-Esprit Church from the French classes offered by the church. The classes introduced him to the friendly, welcoming and supporting community of the church. The engaging and thought-provoking sermons, an outstanding choir, informative Bible study classes and services, and an enduring message of inclusivity and harmony seen in church celebrations and receptions drew him closer to the community that he now considers his Church. He is a senior vice president at JP Morgan Chase quantitative model building and asset management group in New York. He would like to serve the church and the parish as a member of the Vestry with his professional skills and with abiding humility and dedication for influencing decisions in the best interest of our congregation.
Rita Pullium has had two careers: first as a professor of psychology, specializing in social psychology and its applications to societal issues; second as administrator for a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve higher education in Asia, especially for universities in disadvantaged areas. Since retirement she has served on the board of Morningside Retirement and Health Services and on the Vestry of St. Esprit. Last summer she contributed to an oral history for the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. Amid the many activities that keep her occupied these days, she feels a call to return to the Vestry’s work as it carries out its mission during these challenging times.