The Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Young  began his service as Assistant Rector at Christ Church in April 2014. Ron was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ron attended Cornell University majoring in both electrical engineering and political science. He worked as an electrical engineer for nineteen years in the defense industry in research and development and system and policy analyses.

 In the 1990s he began to explore his calling to ministry and received a Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School. In 2002 he began doctoral study at the General Theological Seminary with a focus on the history of the Episcopal Church. Ron received his Doctor of Theology degree in 2009.

Prior to his call at Christ Church, Ron was an adjunct professor of Church History at the General Theological Seminary in New York and served as a lay assistant in Saint Peter’s Church, Essex Fells for 5 years. He was ordained in the Diocese of Newark and continued to serve Saint Peter’s until his call to Christ Church.

Ron enjoys travel, sailing, fishing, kayaking, cooking and entertaining, and antiquing.

Cindy Kline is the Parish Administrator, who answers the phones, assists with the weekly bulletins, publishes the newsletter, and generally keeps things running smoothly at Christ Church.

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Cindy attended St. John Fisher College and has lived in the area her entire life. She grew up in East Rochester.

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She lives in Pittsford with her husband and Great Dane, Gus. Cindy loves spending time with her family including 4 granddaughters under the age of 4.

Commended for his “masterful artistry” (The Diapason) David Baskeyfield has earned a reputation for creative programing, showcasing virtuoso facility tempered by intelligent interpretation, authoritative command of registration and informed above all by intuitive and communicative musicality. “From the first few notes, Baskeyfield’s musicianship let the audience relax. He has that kind of unruffled technique an audience likes in a star, and lent palpable architecture to longer works… by not over-lingering on details early on in pieces, he won the listener’s indulgence in his grander rhythmic gestures later on.” (Choir and Organ, UK).

Baskeyfield specializes particularly in the music of the French composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. One of relatively few organists in North America to improvise regularly in recital, his interest in organ improvisation is informed by study of the apostolic succession of teachers and students at the Paris Conservatoire; this was a school of playing in which composition and improvisation were closely linked. However, his concert repertoire is wide and eclectic, at home with the music of the Old Masters of the 17th-century as with that of the great 19th-century virtuosos. “Baskeyfield knows how to tell a story with the organ, and there seems to be no literature he cannot interpret convincingly.” (The American Organist)

His two recorded albums to date, both showcasing instruments of particular significance, have been received to consistently high praise: on his debut recording (ATMA Classique): “the perfect combination of organ and organist” (American Record Guide); “His choice of tonal colours is masterful… The disc is a fabulous recording and an important document for this historic instrument now more than a century old.” (theWholeNote). His latest, “Dupré: the American Experience” (Acis) was recorded on the landmark Franco-American organ of St. Mary the Virgin, Times Square, NY, the ideal vehicle for the music of a Frenchman who was so strongly influenced by the instruments he encountered during his multiple American tours. It includes the US premiere recording of his edition of an unpublished orchestral transcription by Dupré. Choir and Organ notes “astounding virtuosity and musicality.”

Baskeyfield was an organ scholar at St John’s College, Oxford, where he read Law. On the encouragement of David Higgs, he crossed the Atlantic to begin graduate work at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Higgs, studying improvisation with William Porter. His doctoral research examined the influence of the Paris Conservatoire organ improvisation curriculum on the composed repertoire of Dupré and Vierne. He is the recipient of an unusual number of first prizes in playing competitions; these include the Canadian International Organ Competition, St Albans, Miami, and the AGO National Competition in Organ Improvisation, all with audience prize.

He has taught on the Sacred Music curriculum at the Eastman School of Music and is the Director of Music at Christ Episcopal Church, Pittsford, NY. Aside from solo performance he enjoys work as a collaborative pianist and organist, continuo player, and occasional cocktail pianist. He has been broadcast a number of times on American Public Media’s Pipedreams, as well as NPR’s With Heart and Voice and, more locally, as part of the daily playlist on classical station WXXI. He has occasionally given theatre organ recitals. He is currently enthusiastic about cooking, brewing and sports fishing. He shares his house with two springer spaniels, Lucy and Wilbur.

He is represented in North America by Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc.

Alden will be the principal accompanist and will share some conducting with David. He is beginning the Master of Music degree at Eastman, where he also did his Bachelor of Music. Last year he took a year out to serve as organ scholar at Truro Cathedral in the UK, where he accompanied daily services and assisted in training the boy choristers. He will begin at Christ Church Sunday, September 4 and is looking forward to meeting the congregation!

Liz Salamone is the Director of Children’s Education at Christ Church. In addition to running the Sunday School program, she plans family fellowship events and other activities that involve children.

A Rochester native, Liz graduated from Boston College and the University of Cincinnati and worked as an actuary before returning to Rochester. She is active in the Pittsford Central School District PTSA and serves as the treasurer of Pittsford United Nursery School. Liz resides in Pittsford with her husband, two sons, and crazy dog.

Dr. Mark Brummitt leads Christ Church's Adult Education program. Mark is the Associate Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He gained a BA in Theology at King's College London, received the English Fellowship to complete the Master of Sacred Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York, studied theater and performance at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts/King's College London, and completed a PhD in Biblical Studies at the University of Glasgow. He writes regularly for several publications. 

David Jutsum is currently a first-year seminarian studying for his Master of Divinity degree at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

A Rochester native, he holds his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he majored in film and minored in Japanese Language. After graduation, David emigrated to Japan, where he worked as an instructor of English as a Second Language and regional manager of foreign staff at a private language school. 

He and his wife returned to the US in order for him to pursue his call to ministry in June of 2019. Since then, they have been active in the community at Christ Church on East Avenue. In addition to his seminary studies, he continues to work as an ESL instructor and a freelance illustrator.

David has always had a passion for exploring new ways to appreciate and praise God and His creation. He enjoys drawing, painting, photography, and filmmaking. He has forgotten six foreign languages and spends his free time doing crossword puzzles, jogging, and cooking.

Emily Wood graduated with a B.A. from Hobart and William Smith colleges and a M.B.A. from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She worked at GeVa Theatre as the Assistant Financial Director for over 10 years followed by 12 years as the Senior Accountant at Temple B’rith Kodesh. During Tax Season, Emily also works at H&R Block as a Tax Preparer.

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She was the Treasurer and a member of the Vestry at St. Paul’s Church, Rochester, NY for 6 years. She is currently active as an Usher, Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Altar Guild and Bell Choir.

Emily has 2 children, Alexander and Madeline who also reside in Rochester and a 20 pound cat named Serge. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking, gardening and reading books.

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Mary has been a member of Christ Church and altar guild member since 1980. Mary worked as a public health nurse for the Monroe County Health Department for over 30 years ending in August, 2004. When the Rev. Winifred Collin asked Mary to help with the services during the week and team up with another person to set up, restore and keep the church functioning and safe for our parish family and visitors through many services, Mary gladly accepted.

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