The Reverend Canon Neal P. Longe began his service as Rector of St. Ann's on January 1, 2012. Prior to being called to serve at St. Ann's, Father Neal was the associate priest at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Colonie, NY.
Fr. Neal was born and raised in Johnstown, NY not far from St. Ann's, and sponsored for ordination by St. John's, Johnstown. He and Lisa, his wife were married in 2004 and they have two teenage children Maria and Noah.
Fr. Neal holds a Master of Arts Degree in Theology from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA . He also holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Psychology from the Crane School of Music College at Potsdam, as well as an Associates degree in Nursing from Fulton-Montgomery Community College at Johnstown, NY. Fr. Neal is a Registered Nurse and has worked in the Emergency Department, the Intensive Care Unit, and Occupational Health.
Fr. Neal serves the parish in many ways, sharing the love of Jesus and connecting people to Christ, transforming people, families, and communities. Fr. Neal is passionate about preaching, leading bible studies, and teaching. Pastoral care is an integral part of all the ministries he is inolved in.
In March 2024, Fr. Neal was appointed by the Bishop to serve as Canon to the Ordinary for Resource Developement. In that role he supports the Bishop and the Diocese with Pastoral Care, Consitutional and Canonical issues, finances, property, and administration. Fr. Neal served as the Dean of the Western Mohawk Deanery for 10 years. He also has served the Diocese in a variety of other leadership roles. Fr. Neal is also blessed to serve as Priest-in-charge for St. Peter's by the Lake Summer Chapel in Old Forge.
With a heart for First Responders, Fr. Neal serves as a Deputy Fire Coordinator - Chaplain with the Montgomery County Fire Service and Office of Emergency Management, as well as Chaplain to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Amsterdam Fire Department, Amsterdam Police Department, and the Capital District Fraternal Order of Police.
Fr. Neal holds a third degree black belt (III Dan) in Taekwon-Do. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and their two dogs, connecting with friends, and furthering his education by reading and listening to podcasts.
Deacon Alan Hart lives in West Glenville with his wife, Deacon MaryCarol Hart, who also serves at St. Ann's. They have four children and eight grandchildren. Dcn. Alan, 76, for 34 years was a sportswriter at the Albany Times Union. He is the author of four books of non-fiction dealing with local history.
He graduated from Scotia-Glenville High School in 1964, received an Associates Degree from Hudson Valley CC in 1966, a BA from UAlbany in 1969, and a Masters Degree in English from UAlbany in 1997.
He was ordained as a deacon in June of 2006 and had previous tenures as a deacon at Christ Church in Schenectady and St. Mary's of Lake Luzerne prior to coming to St. Ann's in July of 2012. Dcn. Alan is a big fan of sports and recreation. He enjoys bowling and he loves golf and fishing. Dcn. Alan loves music, especially singing and playing guitar and banjo. In recent years Dcn. Alan has enjoyed sketching and painting with acrylics. He is an amateur songwriter and enjoys performing his own work at benefit concerts and family gatherings.
Personal: Born, Ellis Hospital,
Schenectady, NY. Cradle Episcopalian and lifelong Scotia resident.
Married to the Rev. Alan R. Hart @ St.Andrew's, Scotia, May 22, 1994.
Education: 1974 graduate of Scotia-Glenville High School.
Education For Ministry @ St George's Church, Clifton Park, NY.
Deacon School @ St. Andrew's, Scotia.
Ordained June 10, 2006.
How God Called Me: Since childhood, I have felt the need to be a caretaker and to be of service to others. (My childhood idol was Eleanor Roosevelt.) The call to the Diaconate seemed to me an extension of this feeling. Even so, it was while Rev. Mary Chilton was Priest-in-Charge at St. Andrew's that the process actually began. She encouraged me and recommended that I read the Acts of the Apostles to learn more about the ministry of deacons. After much prayer, time, and thought, I felt the nudge to move forward, and was very pleased and humbled when the Vestry agreed to present me as a candidate. Their support, and the support of the entire congregation, continues to be invaluable; the ministry of the Diaconate is an ongoing process. While reading and studying Holy Scripture helps me to grow and mature in faith, I find that those to whom I minister have much to offer me in knowledge and in the sharing of their faith with me.
Don has been serving the parish as Sexton since 2013.
Lisa Longe earned a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Music Education from SUNY Potsdam. She has been teaching music in public schools since 2003. Between graduating college and starting her teaching career, Lisa spent a year as a Jesuit Volunteer living in community and working in Washington, DC. She is married to the Very Rev. Neal Longe and they have two children, Maria (born 2006) and Noah (born 2008).
Her ministry goal is to bring people to a deeper place of worship of the Lord; to create a spiritually comfortable atmosphere where people move past just singing and into a personal and corporate place of adoration for the One who is all together lovely and worthy of praise.
Vestry Members
Wardens: Gary Sorensen (2025) and Don Tatro (2026)
Clerk of the Vestry: Kathy Hazzard
Class of 2025 - Peter DeMasi, Christine Munn
Class of 2026 - Kathy Hazzard, Ismael Santiago
Class of 2027 - James Bryant, Bonnie Riedell
Wardens and Vestry
Qualifications, Expectations, and Terms of Office
Qualifications
Vestry Member:
- Professes Jesus Christ as Lord and believes in the fundamentals of our faith as expressed in the Creed.
- Age 18 or older.
- Baptized Member of St. Ann’s for greater than one year.
- Regular attendance to church services (multiple times per month).
- Pledged financial contributor that support the Biblical mandate of tithing and are either tithing or working towards the tithe.
- Active in at least one ministry of the church.
Warden:
- Meets the qualifications of a Vestry member.
- Must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
- Active in multiple ministries of the church.
- Previous experience as a Vestry member.
Expectations
Vestry Member:
- A witness to our faith.
- A shepherd for the congregation.
- A leader in the congregation.
- Active participation in Vestry committees
- Attendance to Vestry meetings mandatory except for occasional excused absences.
- Attendance at church functions.
- The term of office for a Vestry member is 3 years.
Warden:
- Same expectations as a Vestry member.
- Lay leader for the congregation.
- Legal representative for St. Ann’s
- In the absence of the Rector, serves as a pastoral and faith leader for the congregation.
- The term of office for a Warden is 2 years.