St. Philip’s Staff Members
All St. Philip’s Staff Members can be reached by calling the church office at (302) 239-2100 or via email stphilipswilmington@gmail.com
Senior Pastor, Rev. Patrick V. Downes
Pastor Patrick was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. He is a cum laude graduate of St. Elizabeth High School, the University of Delaware, Widener University School of Law, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Patrick was ordained in 2002 and has served at St. Philip’s as Senior Pastor since that time. In the community, he has served on the founding board of directors of Family Promise® of Northern New Castle County and he serves as a Circle of Care leader for Resettling International Refugees. He is passionate about outreach to impoverished areas and peoples both in the United States and Internationally. In his spare time, he enjoys Philadelphia Phillies baseball, hiking, working out at the gym, homebrewing beer, playing guitar, driving his convertible roadster, and riding his motorcycle. Patrick lives in Wilmington with his wife, Dawn, and their three children.
Associate Pastor, Rev. Amy Wright
Pastor Amy is a proud and life-long Lutheran. She grew up in Minnesota, she has a B.A. in Religion & Communication Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College, and received her Masters of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary. She met the love of her life, Zach Wright, at Princeton and they have been inseparable ever since. Her husband is currently the Pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in North East, MD. She is passionate about pastoral ministry, leading and teaching creative initiatives and studies, and having fun along the way! She felt the Call from God to be a Pastor when she was 13 and going through Confirmation. That Call has remained steadfast and strong ever since and she is ecstatic to be serving at St. Philips! She loves coffee, BBQ chips, ice cream, and a good joke! And, of course, Jesus!
Parish Administrator, Lisa Kalinowski
Lisa grew up in Landenberg, PA. She lived in West Chester for the first 8 years of marriage and returned to Landenberg in 1990. She is a 1981 graduate of Kennett High School and attended Goldey Beacom College before getting married and working full time. Lisa has always loved working in an office environment and has over the years worked for a title company, catering company, and one other local church. Lisa and her husband, Dan, still live in Landenberg and have three children. Lisa and Dan were youth leaders at Landenberg United Methodist Church for many years. They now enjoy time together with their grown children and their granddaughter. Ocean City, NJ is where you can find her when not at St. Philip’s!
Director of Music, Dr. Stephen Benscoter, CAGO
Stephen has been the Director of Music at St. Philips since 2011. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Director of Music at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hilltown, PA; Central United Methodist Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA; and Bethel Hill United Methodist Church, Huntington Mills, PA. Since 1998, Stephen has served in various church music roles, from accompanying, to leading choral and instrumental ensembles. In addition to church music, Stephen is an active musician and teacher. Stephen holds a B.A. from Temple University and a M.Ed. from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate from Wilmington University.
Director of Choir Ministry, Dr. Lauren Elizabeth Conrad
Lauren is a well known lyric soprano in the area and is thrilled to work with St. Philips Chancel Choir as our Director of Choir Ministry. Dr. Conrad worked as a soloist and chorister with the all professional Christ Church Choir at Christ Church Christiana Hundred under the direction of Bruce Barber. She has also worked under the baton of world renown composers and conductors including Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Sir Philip Ledger, James O’Donnell, Andrew Lumsden, and most recently Michael McCarthy. Dr. Conrad recently appeared as a soloist for the Bach Nach dir Herr, verlanget mich and Pergolesi Stabat Mater with the Christ Church Choir and Mozart Coronation Mass with Aldersgate United Methodist Church. In May 2019 she performed as the soprano soloist in Carl Orff’s masterpiece, Carmina Burana with Delaware Choral Arts. Dr. Conrad has had the opportunity to study voice with several incredible teachers and presently works with Dr. Christopher Arneson. Dr. Conrad shares her love of choral music and vocal pedagogy as the Director of Vocal Music at Concord High School. At Concord she directs four choral ensembles during the school day as well as serves as music director for the Concord Players. Dr. Conrad lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania where she loves to spend time with her family and friends, and fur family Jax, Zoey, and Alonzo. www.laurenconradmusic.com
Arden Shindel, Nursery Caregiver
Arden is a sophomore vocal major at Cab Calloway School of the Arts. In her free time she likes to read and practice singing. She loves working with kids and performing. She hopes when she is older she can major in biology.
Autumn Piazza, Nursery Caregiver
Autumn lives in Hockessin Delaware and has a farm with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and a donkey. When she is not at St. Philip’s, she attends her own church and loves her time there. She is a freshman at Odyssey Charter School, and has two little siblings that are 2 and 3 years old. She loves little kids and is excited to work with them at St. Philip’s!