Staff
Rector
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 has served the needy in Bethlehem for close to 40 years. She holds degrees from The School of Theology at Sewanee, Yale Divinity School, and Randolph-Macon College.
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.
Rev. Amy can be reached by email at aspagna@stjameswoodstock.org.
Organist and Choirmaster
Dr. James E. Lorenz
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 Bach's St. John Passion; the requiems of Fauré, Mozart, and Rutter, and Orff's Camina burana.
Jim may be reached at jlorenz@stjameswoodstock.org
Parish Administrator
Hannah Forbes
Hannah joined the St. James staff as the Parish Administrator in July of 2022. She grew up in Vermont with the Shir Shalom Jewish community and became connected with St. James through working at the synagogue. She is a graduate from The Evergreen State College with a BA in Sustainable Design and Development. Outside of her work with the synagogue and with St. James Church, she is the Board President of Global Campuses Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission of empowering adults with disabilities through education. In Hannah's spare time, she enjoys traveling, crafting, and cooking.
Hannah is enjoying getting to know the St. James community. You can reach her at hforbes@stjameswoodstock.org
Treasurer
Karen Vitols
Karen has been a long-time parishioner at St. James, has served 4 terms on the Vestry and has been the church Treasurer since 2004. She is retired from her family business at the Shire Apothecary and now enjoys playing golf, pickleball and taking Yoga classes.
Karen and her husband, Imants have two children and four grandchildren.
Wedding Coordinator
Julie Groppe
Julie has been 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.