St. James' Clergy and Staff
Rector: The Rev. Amy Spagna
The Rev. Amy Spagna (she/her/hers) has served as rector of St. James since November 2019. She came to Woodstock via the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Prior to this, Amy served as supply clergy for several parishes in Virginia and Tennessee, and on the staffs of Christ Church in Westerly, Rhode Island and Trinity Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As an assistant, she worked extensively with formation programs for all ages, pastoral care, and outreach programs, including helping to supervise the Trinity Soup Kitchen, which served the needy on Bethlehem's North Side for close to 40 years. She holds degrees from The School of Theology at Sewanee, Yale Divinity School, and Randolph-Macon College.
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Prior to ordination, she taught Latin for Fairfax County Public Schools for 11 years. Her academic interests are primarily in the areas of church history, particularly in helping others to understand the past in order to improve how we act in the present; and ecclesiology (how the Church organizes itself). Her other interests and hobbies include music, cooking, and taking figure skating lessons.
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Click here to email Rev. Amy.
Organist and Choirmaster: Dr. James Lorenz
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Dr. James Lorenz joined the staff at St. James as organist and music director in October 2014. Jim was formerly organist and choirmaster at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Fort Myers, Florida. At. St. Luke's, he provided all organ music for services and directs the adult, treble, and handbell choirs. He has also directed viola da gamba and recorder consorts at St. Luke's. He participated in the parish's Shakespeare Players, providing both direction and original incidental music.
Jim grew up in upstate New York and later enrolled at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York, where he earned a bachelor's degree in church music. His education continued at Florida State University, where he earned both a master's and a doctorate in organ performance. In addition, he received a certificate in early music from Florida State. While the organ is Jim's principal instrument, he has also studied harpsichord, piano, voice, and harp.
Outside of his parish work, Jim has performed widely as a solo recitalist in Florida and has served as the assistant director of the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers, as an adjunct professor at the Bower School of Music (Florida Gulf Coast University), and as an adjunct organ and harpsichord professor at Edison College (Fort Myers). The choral works he has prepared, directed, and/or performed in the last ten years include J.S. Bach's St. John Passion; the Requiems of Fauré, Mozart, and Rutter; and Orff's Carmina Burana.
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Click here to email Jim.
Interim Parish Administrator: Hannah Forbes​
Click here to email Hannah.
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Training Parish Administrator: Randi Harron
Randi Harron is joining us as parish administrator, as of December 1st. Randi writes: "Many may know me from my 21 years serving at the Prince and Pauper and for constantly talking about my son, Bo. I'm a detail oriented person with a big heart who enjoys helping others. I grew up in Lebanon, went to college in CT, lived in MA, before being fortunate enough to buy my grandparent's home in N. Pomfret. We've lived there 32 years. I'm looking forward to now working in your community."
Randi will be working with Hannah through the month of December.
Parish Sexton: Sean Whalen
Sexton Sean Whalen raises sheep on his family's farm in the center of Weathersfield, and is active all over Windsor County: he has been a member of St. Luke's in Chester since 1983, rows with Upper Valley Rowing Foundation in Norwich, and has served as Weathersfield's Town Moderator since 2023. He can also be seen each December on the Springfield High School stage in the Dance Factory's annual production of The Nutcracker. Delighted to be working for St. James to keep this beautiful church looking and functioning its best! ​
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Parish Treasurer: Maria Tomaselli
Click here to email the finance team.
Wedding coordinator: Julie Groppe
Julie has been assisting clergy with overseeing weddings at St. James for more than 10 years. When not helping brides make it down the aisle, she is an employee benefits administrator and long time St. James choir member.
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Click here to email Julie.