Clergy, Staff, & Vestry | St. Andrew's Cathedral

Clergy Staff Vestry

Clergy

The Right Reverend Morris K. Thompson, Junior

Interim Dean

EMAIL: mthompson@standrews.ms
OFFICE: (601) 487-2734

The Reverend Deacon Sarah Stripp

Deacon

Sarah Stripp serves as a vocational deacon at the Cathedral. In addition, Sarah is the Managing Director for Springboard To Opportunities, a nonprofit helping families in affordable housing reach their goals in life, work, and school and has been working in community development based non-profits for the last 9 years. While Sarah grew up in Michigan, she has been in Mississippi since 2014 and now considers it home and is passionate about creating communities where all people have an opportunity to flourish. Sarah is a graduate of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellowship and the Aspen Institute’s Jackson Workforce Leadership Academy.

sstripp@standrews.ms

Staff

Jessica Nelson

Canon for Music

Native Mississippian Jessica Nelson holds degrees in music and liturgy from Millsaps College (2005) and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (2009) and the Colleague Certificate from the American Guild of Organists. She has directed the Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy, served on the board of the Association of Anglican Musicians, and served two triennia on the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. Prior to her call to St. Andrew's, Jessica was organist/choirmaster at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Tupelo and taught on the faculties of the University of North Alabama and Northeast Mississippi Community College. She is the editor of Church Publishing's 2022 Ponder Anew: Conversations in 21st Century Church Music, a collection of essays, interviews, and sermons focussed on the changing landscape of church music.

Jessica lives in Jackson with a dog named Eloise. In her spare time, she composes a little and watches Netflix a lot. Her published works are available from St. James Music Press, Paraclete Press, and Selah Publishing.

EMAIL: jnelson@standrews.ms
OFFICE: (601) 487-2738

Michelle Lewis

Cathedral Administrator

Michelle grew up in Eldorado, Arkansas and holds degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Landscape Contracting from Mississippi State University.

Having a strong commitment to improving the community through individual and group effort led her to join and take on leadership roles within the Junior League of Jackson, serving multiple years on the Junior League’s Board of Directors. Prior to accepting the position of Cathedral Administrator, Michelle was on staff at the Junior League of Jackson as Director of Administration. She is also a registered Landscape Architect and the sole proprietor of Michelle Borst Lewis, Landscape Architect, LLC.

Michelle and her husband Kevin have been members of the Cathedral since 1999. They have two daughters, Emma and Sophie and currently reside in Ridgeland.

EMAIL: mlewis@standrews.ms
OFFICE: (601) 487-2742

Laurie McCarley

Administrative Assistant

Laurie McCarley is married to Hal McCarley and has two girls Catherine (24) and Mary Eliza (21). She lives in Madison, MS and has been at St. Andrew’s Cathedral since November 1992;

EMAIL: lauriemc@standrews.ms
OFFICE: (601) 487-2739

Gracey Belote

Ministry Coordinator

A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Gracey grew up attending St. Luke’s and St. Peter’s by-the-Lake. She is a graduate of Millsaps College, where she studied neuroscience and philosophy. She has a deep appreciation for spaces that bring people together and foster meaningful connection, a perspective that shapes her work at the Cathedral.

When she’s not at work, Gracey can usually be found gathered around a board game with friends or investing in students as the Alumni Advisor for her sorority at Millsaps.

EMAIL: gbelote@standrews.ms
OFFICE: (601) 487-4215

Katherine (Kat) Penton

Director of Children and Youth Ministries

Kat is our newest team member and we are so glad to have her! We'll have a bio up for her soon.

EMAIL: kpenton@standrews.ms

Carey Yelverton

Bookkeeper

Carey has been a member of St. Andrews since 1996 when she and her husband Ralph moved back to Jackson. They have two daughters named Lawson and Caroline. Carey holds a Banking & Finance degree from Mississippi State University and an MBA from Mississippi College. She has worked as a bookkeeper and administrator at multiple companies since 2008.