The Rev. Duncan A. Burns, Rector

The Rev. Duncan A. Burns has served as Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Huntington from 2014-present. He has been married to Barbara McCartney Burns since 1982 and has three children. Fr. Duncan graduated from Bay Shore High School, Colgate University (Bachelor of Arts), and Seabury-Western (Master of Divinity). He currently serves as the treasurer of Episcopal Ministries. He was appointed on the Board of Directors of Episcopal Ministries of Long Island in 2015 and was elected to the board by the convention in 2016 and 2019. He also serves on the board of Rural Migrant Ministries on Long Island. Fr. Duncan was ordained a priest on January 17, 2004 by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He is a proud citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Fr. Duncan served at Historic Christ Church in Alexandria Virginia from 2003-2005 and as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Kingston, New York from 2005-2014.

The Rev. Zachary D. Baker, Curate

The Rev. Zachary Baker began his curacy at St. John's, Huntington in August 2023. He was ordained into the dioconate in January 2023 in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. He will be ordained into the priesthood in September 2023.  In his own words,

I am incredibly excited and blessed to be joining you on this journey called church. My name is Zachary Baker, and you can call me Zach or when the time comes, Fr. Zach. I am a native of Michigan, growing up in the suburbs of Detroit. My relationship with Jesus Christ can be best be framed through friendship, something that means a great deal to me. Jesus is my Lord and Savior, but intimately he is my friend. My call to the priesthood comes out of this relationship; in being a priest I am a friend to the world offering the gifts of grace through the sacraments and proclaiming God's truth. I came to the Episcopal Church in 2011 after the usual "spiritual journey" in college and found a faith that was willing and wanting to engage in the tough topics that we face today. Personally, I love reading, journaling and writing, genealogy, stamp collecting, biking around town, baseball, and do some golfing. I look forward to meeting and getting to know you! 

The Rev. Claire D. Mis, Deacon

I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to serve at St. Johns, while completing my studies for the diaconate.  My husband Gary and I are originally from Western New York – having met at Niagara University.  We have been married for almost 42 years and have two wonderful sons, Jeremy, a legal aid attorney for Suffolk County, and Eric, an ICU nurse in Colorado Springs.  Gary and I have enjoyed travelling and the picture of us here is at Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey was filmed, near Oxford, England. 

I spent over 30 years working as a School Counselor, as well as a Department Chair for school counseling—a career that brought me much joy and growth, both professionally and personally.  Upon retirement, I was able to ramp up my volunteer work in various ways:  serving on the Vestry at Caroline Church in Setauket, as the Lay Director for Long Island Episcopal Cursillo and as a volunteer with Good Shepherd Hospice.  My work in hospice has been varied and quite meaningful. It is a gift to be able to share that precious time with a patient as well as with the family as they say goodbye to their loved one. 

The seeds for my Christian journey began as a baby, and I am grateful for my parents who were faithful in bringing me and all five of my siblings to Greece Baptist Church – where early on my grandfather was the minister.  When Gary (formerly Roman Catholic) and I married, we knew that it was essential to find a church home in which to raise our children and thankfully, the Episcopal Church welcomed us with open arms.  This is our home!

Alex Pryrodny, Organist & Choir Director

Alex Pryrodny is a New York City based pianist, organist, composer, and music director. Originally from Ukraine, Alex started studying piano at the age of 3 and gave his first public performance at the age of 6. By his early teens, Alex has won the title of Ukraine’s best young composer twice, as well as several international competitions in classical piano, composition, and improvisation. At the age of 16 Alex moved to the United States where he studied composition and classical piano in the University of Maryland and jazz piano at the New School in New York City (BFA in 2008). Alex has performed in concert halls and jazz clubs in the United States, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, Poland, and Ukraine. In 2012 he has been awarded the 2nd place at the highly prestigious Montreux Jazz Solo Piano Competition in Switzerland.

In addition to his career as a pianist, Alex has been studying organ and vocal sacred music since childhood and in 2002 he started working as a church musician on a regular basis. He has organized and performed in various fundraising and charity concerts for the St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Deer Park, the Franciscan Episcopal Community of Little Portion Friary in Port Jefferson, NY and in his current capacity as the music director of St. John’s in Huntington. Whether in a church, concert hall or a jazz club setting, Alex’s goal is to use the incredible power of music to inspire, uplift and bring people together.

Jennifer Placido, St. John's Nursery School Director

Coral Freas, Parish Administrator

Coral Freas started as Parish Administrator of St. John's in March of 2017 right before Holy Week. Before coming to St. John's, Coral worked as the bookkeeper for the Brothers of the Society of St. Francis, American Province and Little Portion Friary. She began her work in not-for-profit administration at the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco's Early Child Education Department.

Born in Huntington, raised and educated in Hawaii, Coral graduated from H. P. Baldwin High School on Maui and received her BA in Theater from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Coral has served as Treasurer of Northport High School PTSA, and as President and Treasurer for the Norwood Avenue School PTA in Northport.