Canon Mark Edw. Childers
Parish Administrator and Director of Music & Liturgy
Mark Childers
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mark Childers has served as the organist for The Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe, New Mexico, since 2006, and as organist & choirmaster since 2009. Mark believes the choir, as an ensemble, must support the spiritual message of the liturgy. “I want them to feel a sense of accomplishment. I would never program anything that would compromise that.” A collateral goal of making the choir work also means being responsive to the wide range of parishioners. Many of Holy Faith’s members come from other traditions. “This church is very broad in terms of where its members come from. We try to make each service accessible to everyone. This is a very sensory experience. The music of the Church doesn’t just support the service, it raises it; it brings the people of God to that place where heaven and earth meet.”
Since 2011, Mark has served Holy Faith in the full-time position as their Parish Administrator and Director of Liturgy & Music, overseeing all aspects of the life and activities of the parish.
Outside of Holy Faith, Mark is an active member of The Association of Anglican Musicians. Founded in 1966, AAM recognizes that the music of the church finds its primary expression within the framework of the liturgy, this Association takes as its purpose the elevation, stimulation, and support of music and the allied arts in all their aspects in the Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican tradition, and especially in their relationship to liturgy. Mark also serves as Canon for Liturgy & Music for the Diocese of the Rio Grande, a position he has held since 2018, and as a 3-time Deputy to General Convention. Since the fall of 2018, Mark has served the wider Episcopal Church as a member of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, currently serving as its Chairman.
Kathlene Ritch
Director, Royal School of Church Music and Bell Choir
Kathlene Ritch
Soprano Kathlene Ritch was raised in an academic family of musicians and theatrical talent. Kathlene sings in the choir at Church of the Holy Faith and serves as Director of the Bell Choir and the Royal School of Church Music program, a ministry that she embraces with boundless energy.
The structured approach of RSCM is results oriented, combining sight training and ear training while simultaneously exposing children to the classical repertoire. As students progress, they also achieve real rewards and recognition and eventual certification by the organization. Students in RSCM range in age from six to 14. The program is open to the Santa Fe community at large. “I feel like I’m giving back something of value by helping these youngsters find their own voices or get over the butterflies that come with live performance,” she says. Able to benefit from highly personalized instruction from a voice professional, students can eventually earn a place in the 11 a.m. Choral Eucharist on Sunday.
Kathlene came to Santa Fe in 2011, after living and working professionally in Austin, TX, where she studied music at The University of Texas, and New York City, where she sang professionally and earned the opportunity to perform with the New York Philharmonic. In addition to her singing duties as a soprano in the choir at Holy Faith, she remains active in the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and is a touring member of Conspirare, a world-class choral ensemble based in her hometown of Austin.
Eli Herrera
Parish Secretary
Elisheva (Eli) Herrera brings a blend of organizational skill, creativity, and warmth to her role as Parish Secretary at Holy Faith Episcopal Church. With a strong background in nonprofit leadership,
administration, and community service, she has supported faith-based and artistic organizations for many years. Eli is passionate about creating welcoming spaces, managing details with care, and helping people feel seen and supported.
She studied economics and music at Tufts University and spent two years living in the Holy Land, experiences that continue to enrich her
perspective and sense of service. In addition to her administrative work, she is a singer, storyteller, and facilitator of transformative experiences that uplift and connect communities. Originally from Illinois and now rooted in Santa Fe, Eli is grateful to serve Holy Faith’s parish family and to contribute to the church’s mission of faith and fellowship.