Rev. Melanie Yankey
The Rev. Melanie Yankey is a lifelong Kentuckian whose faith and ministry are deeply rooted in the communities of Central Kentucky. Raised in Danville in the Baptist tradition, she developed an early love for scripture and the life of the Church that continues to shape her vocation.
Melanie spent nearly two decades living and working on a farm in Salvisa, where she cared for her family while tending the daily rhythms of rural life. In 2015, she found a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church, beginning a path of discernment that led to ordained ministry.
She has served the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington since 2017 as Administrative Assistant, where she has supported diocesan leadership, coordinated conventions and major events, and contributed to the operational life of the Church. Her parish ministry experience includes serving as Assisting Priest at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Georgetown, as well as formation and internship work in Danville, Paris, and Harrodsburg.
Melanie completed the ACTS program at the Sewanee School of Theology and is currently participating in the Virtual Curacy Program through Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. She was ordained to the diaconate in June 2025 and to the priesthood in December 2025.
Melanie looks forward to joining St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church as Priest-in-Charge beginning July 1, 2026. She brings a collaborative leadership style, a heart for pastoral care, and a deep commitment to creating spaces of belonging, healing, and spiritual renewal through word, sacrament, and community life.
She lives in Lexington and enjoys needlework, spending time with friends and family, and travelling to the beach, mountains, and lakes. She is the mother of two adult children, John (with his partner Mary, in Columbus, Ohio) and Madeline (Newport, Kentucky). She is a pet grandmother to 2 dogs (Ellie and Fufu), 4 cats (Kitty, Nugget, Ernest and Edgar) and 2 horses (Belle and Ajax). A longtime member of Al-Anon, she approaches life and ministry one day at a time, grounded in faith and sustained by grace.
Dr. Vicki Bell, Organist and Choir Director
Dr. Vicki is semi-retired from the faculty of Asbury University, where she is currently Part-time Professor of Music Theory. She has previously served as organist/choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church in Danville and at Good Shepherd. She is an Artistic Co-Director of the Kentucky Bach Choir, and the Director of ECCO, a choir of Asbury alumni who sing sacred music a capella.