Clergy and Staff
The Rev. Sherridan Harrison
Interim Pastor private email
The Rev. Sherridan Harrison is a certified interim priest who specializes in leading congregations through transitions. She came to St. Jude’s from All Saints’, Palo Alto, where she was interim pastor for the past two years. St. Jude’s is her fourth interim post. Ordained in 1994 after completing seminary study at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Sherridan served family, transitional, and corporate size parishes in Corpus Christi, Laredo, and San Antonio, TX, before making the transition to full-time, intentional interim ministry. She believes that spiritual growth and maturity, faithful Christian practice and study of scripture, tradition and history are essential to congregational vitality and clarity of vision. She and her husband, Larry, have four grown sons, four wonderful daughters-in-law, and nine grandchildren. They enjoy reading, music, Sabbath time with friends and family, driving trips, golf, and yoga.
The Rev. Maly Hughes
Associate Rector private email
Maly Hughes was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. A cradle Episcopalian, she was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church in Atlanta. She grew up at the Cathedral of St. Philip’s where she was very active in the music program and youth group (then called EYC). Maly graduated from Northside High School in Atlanta (Buckhead). She attended a women’s college in Gainesville, GA – Brenau College. She graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Voice Performance.
Maly went to seminary in 1993 and graduated from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA in 1996. She was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests in 1997 at Trinity Cathedral, San Jose.
Her first call was as Youth Minister at Christ Church, Los Altos. Later she was called to St. Mark’s, Los Olivos (Diocese of Los Angeles) as Assistant Rector and remained there until joining the staff of St. Timothy’s - Mountain View in 2000. She remained there for nearly ten years before coming to St. Jude’s.
Maly is active in the diocese. She serves as Secretary of the Diocese/Convention and as Vocations Secretary for the Commission on Ministry. She was an Alternate Deputy to the 2009 General Convention in Anaheim.
She is married to Allan Hughes and they live in Willow Glen (San Jose). Allan and Maly both sing with the Choral Project, a San Jose based singing group. Between the two of them they have five grown children: Greg Hughes, Megan Hughes, Mary-Presley Adams Chin, Betsy Adams, and Winston Adams. Allan has a three year old granddaughter, Josephine.
The Rev. John Buenz
Assisting Priest
John Buenz was born in San Antonio, Texas where his parents were long time, active members of Christ Episcopal Church. He graduated with an engineering degree from the University of Texas (Tau Beta Phi) and served as an officer in the Civil Engineer Corps of the US Navy. This was followed by several years as management trainee with Kaiser Engineers International and a year at the Stanford Business School.
He enrolled in the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and was graduated and ordained 1965. Ministry assignments followed as Curate at St Mark's, Santa Clara, California, founding Vicar of the Episcopal Church in Almaden, San Jose, California and then Rector of St Jude's, Cupertino, California. He was active in the development and formation of the Diocese of El Camino Real in 1979/80. There followed ten years as Dean of the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Spokane, Washington. He retired in 1996.
Returning to California, he served for a year as the first Visiting Chaplain to Students at CDSP where he had previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He was granted an honorary DD from CDSP in 1996. In retirement he has served four Diocese of El Camino Real parishes as Interim Pastor and a variety of parishes as either an assisting or supply priest or as a vestry/congregational consultant. In 2003 he was elected to the Alumni/ae Council of CDSP. He is married (Marilyn) and has two daughters and six grandchildren.
His major ordained interests have been in the leadership and development of congregations and Diocesan institutions, sharing the Gospel as it relates to current events in the life of groups or individuals, and providing consulting services to congregations and individual clergy.
The Rev. Bob Hansen
Assisting Priest
Bob Hansen was born and raised on the extreme northwest coast of Oregon. After four years in the US Navy during the Korean War, he entered San Jose State University and was graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He is currently employed (part time) by the same company he began with in 1959. He entered the training program of the Diocese of California, (headed up by The Rev. Ward McCabe) and was ordained Deacon in 1966. In 1973 he was ordained priest. He first served at St. Jude's in 1966. He also served at St. Lawrence, Campbell, St. Timothy's, Mt. View, St. Edward's, San Jose, and has been at St. Jude's since 1983. He and his wife, Sally, live in Campbell, CA. They have seven children and sixteen grandchildren.
The Rev. Bob Mayer
Assisting Priest
Bob is a native of Massachusetts and earned a Bachelor's degree in economics from Brandeis University. He prepared for ordination in the priest-worker training program of the Diocese of California and at the Church Divinty School of the Pacific. He retired from a career as a computer engineer. He volunteers as a hospital chaplain. Bob began to serve at St. Jude's in 1966. Bob has served as an interim pastor for several churches in this area. He and his wife, Joanna, have four children and five grandchildren.
Laura Green
Music Director and Organist email
Laura is a professionally trained organist and pianist. She has gathered and directed eight choirs and choral groups over 30 years, directed the music and accompanied several musical productions, teaches Suzuki piano (certified through Book Three), and is a published composer and arranger. Laura directs the Choraliers, a senior outreach choir that performs for senior facilities. She earned her B.A. in Music (organ) from California State University at Long Beach, with a Secondary Credential in Music. She currently plays for St. Andrew's parish for their Saturday Night liturgy, and is an accompanist for Mission City Opera. She is available with her sister Allison (flutist) to play for healing liturgies and other events.
Billie Bandermann
Choir Director
Billie has been a singing instructor at De Anza College in Cupertino since 1983. She teaches beginning and intermediate singing classes and founded and directed the De Anza Women's Chorus (1992-2009). Before coming to St. Jude's, Billie was the music director at Union Church of Cupertino (1990-2007). She earned her B.A. in Vocal Music from Long Beach State University, M.A. in Vocal Music from San Jose State University, Elementary School Teaching Credential from University of Hawaii, and the International Opera Studio Diploma in Zurich, Switzerland. She has sung with the Honolulu Opera Society, the Vintage Singers, and the De Anza Orchestra. She has been music director and vocal coach for many musicals.
Donna Araiza
Parish Administrator email
Donna is a native of New York but grew up in Aptos in Santa Cruz County. She was raised Lutheran and attended two Lutheran colleges before graduating from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. Donna came to St. Jude’s after working for the San Jose Mercury News for over 22 years in outside sales. One of the things she loved best in that job was creating display ads for her clients. It’s this eye for creativity and design that she brings to St. Jude’s in our print publications. Whether it’s the monthly View or one of the weekly Sunday bulletins, she strives to make it flow easily for newcomers and make the reading interesting for our parishioners. She has two children (one deceased), two step-children and five grandchildren. She augments her part-time job at St. Jude’s with substitute teaching for the Santa Clara school district. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, baking and reading.