Saint Mark’s Clergy & Staff

Dr. Matthew Bester
Director of Music (directorofmusic@SaintMarksColumbus.org)

Matthew Bester hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He holds both a PhD and a Master’s Degree in Musicology from The Ohio State University as well as a Graduate Certificate as a Specialist in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from Ohio State’s Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree cum laude in Music from Harvard University.

While living in Boston, he founded and directed the Holden Consort, an amateur orchestra and chorus with a diverse repertoire of choral and orchestral works, and was music director of the Lowell House Opera for a fully staged production of Gaetano Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. From 2002 to 2004 he was Assistant Conductor of the Ohio State Men’s Glee Club. In 2006, he founded Fior Angelico, a Columbus-based chamber chorus dedicated to the performance of early music. He remains active as a singer, performing regularly with the all-professional chorus ProArteOHIO, for which he also serves as Associate Conductor. From 2000 to 2011 he was a soloist and bass section leader at Saint Mark’s.

In addition to his role as Director of Music at Saint Mark’s, Matthew also serves as Secretary of The Friends of Early Music in Columbus, which organizes on the Early Music in Columbus concert series. He lives in Dublin with his wife and three children.

Michael Schreffler
Organist (organist@saintmarkscolumbus.org)

Michael Schreffler began his musical studies with piano lessons at the age of 9. While not especially attracted to the organ at first, a new instrument installed in the Methodist church in his hometown, and his grandmother’s encouragement to take some lessons over the summer following his senior year in high school, gave birth to a passion that continues to this day. While majoring in English at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, he pursued organ studies with Rebecca Borthwick, performing a senior recital alongside completing his thesis in creative writing. For 30 years, Michael worked as a casualty claims adjuster for the State Farm group of companies, all the while continuing as a church musician, serving various congregations in southwestern Pennsylvania and northwestern and central Ohio. He has also studied privately with Craig Dobbins, John Walker, Robert Glasgow, and Richard Fitzgerald. In January 2022, Michael was appointed organist for Saint Mark’s, where his duties include accompanying the choirs and playing for services. Michael also teaches organ and has performed numerous recitals over the course of a 44-year career as an organist. Prior church positions include First United Methodist of London, Ohio, and St. Lucas Lutheran (ELCA), Toledo. He holds memberships in the Association of Anglican Musicians and the American Guild of Organists. He and his husband, Rob, make their home in Columbus and have six grown children between them as well as eight grandchildren.

Gary L. Garber
Organist-Choirmaster Emeritus (emeritusmusic@SaintMarksColumbus.org)

Gary L. Garber studied with Mabel Zehner at Ashland University, with Ann Labounsky at Duquesne University, and with Karel Paukert and the late John Christian at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He attended the Royal School of Church Music in 1983, and from that year was Director of Music of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church until his retirement in 2012.

Melanie Jacobs
Office Manager (officemanager@SaintMarksColumbus.org)

Originally from small town Lodi, Ohio, Melanie moved to Columbus in 2012.  She loves to travel and had the privilege of participating in the 2017 Saint Mark’s mission trip to Guatemala. She has worked and volunteered as an administrative assistant in various settings, including the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, and as an AmeriCorps Service Member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio. Melanie has been married to husband Kyle for six years and has a two-year-old daughter, Scarlett. In her spare time Melanie enjoys quality time with her family, practicing yoga, and taking long walks in Griggs Reservoir Park. Melanie serves as a part-time member of the Saint Mark’s staff.

Bill Silliman
Head Verger (headverger@SaintMarksColumbus.org)

Bill Silliman is a member of the Saint Mark’s Verger’s Guild and a member of The National Verger’s Guild of the Episcopal Church. He became Head Verger in 2016.

Vergers are the “master of ceremony” in the church. Originally located in cathedrals, they become widely recognized in churches of all sizes in the 1990’s. A verger is expected to conduct liturgy with an expert knowledge of all lay ministries, from acolytes to ushers, altar guild to lectors and intercessors. In the absence of the clergy they are the “last word” in matters pertaining to worship.

Bill lives with his wife, Dianne, in the Columbus area, and they are the proud grandparents of Cora, Cameron and Aubrey. He serves as a volunteer member of the parish staff.