Meet our team

Our Vestry

The Vestry is the lay leadership of the church made up of 10 elected volunteer parishioners.  They are the legal representatives and agents of the parish, charged with specific responsibilities by the canons of the Episcopal Church.  They share leadership responsibilities with the Priest-in-Charge.  Their duties are described as:  Discernment of God's call, Identification of new leaders, Stewardship and development of resources, and special duties when a congregation is without a rector.  

Officers of the Vestry are composed of a Senior Warden, a Junior Warden, a Clerk, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The members and officers of the Vestry are elected in January at the annual Parish meeting by eligible voting members of the parish. The Wardens, Clerk, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer all hold office for one year. Non-officer members of the Vestry  are elected to serve for three years. 

Ministry Leaders

Lay Leadership is a strong part of the St. James' community's faithful call to serve God.  While our Vestry members are the canonical leadership, they each serve in many ministries as well.  The Lay Leaders listed below shepherd the many activities that make our community a vibrant place to be.  There is a sweet, sweet spirit in this place.  

Current Ministries: Christian Formation (Youth); Men’s Club

Dan Aramini

Dan joined St. James’ in 2002 with his family. He is a retired Budget Analyst (SNET/SBC/ATT). Dan has held many roles at St. James’ and loves the tasks he now handles. He is a talented photographer and videographer who is always taking photos of activities at St. James’. He coordinates our legendary Men’s Club gatherings and dinners. Most importantly, he works extensively with our teenage parishioners. As a preacher, Dan tries to connect the obscure and commonplace elements of our faith with action-oriented considerations. Dan volunteers for Williams College, Heads Up Hartford, and Read to a Child. Hobbies include soccer, pottery, harmonic overtone singing, and playing cribbage with his daughter Caroline (who lets him win sometimes).

Carl Benker

Current Ministry: Ushers

Jeannette Brown

Current Ministries: Blood Drive; Coffee Hour; Shawl Ministry

Our family joined St. James’ in 1967. Except for times away for college and living in Windsor, I have called St. James’ my church home. I attended Sunday school, benefitted from a Camp Washington scholarship, and the YPF program through my teens As an adult, I have been a Lector, Network editor, Sunday School Teacher, Vestry member, Diocesan Delegate, and general Convention Deputy. I have served on the Worship, Outreach and Fellowship Committees, and Shawl Ministry. For the past 13 years, I’ve run the Red Cross Blood Drive and Chaired the Stewardship Committee. Corporate worship and participating in the sacraments feed my spirit. Feeding people gives me joy!

Libby Campbell

Current Ministries: Meditation (Holy Well); Newcomers

Libby arrived at St. James Glastonbury in 2022, having spent the previous 36 very active years in a variety of ministries at St. John’s in Canandaigua, NY where, after being part of a discernment committee was led to the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation program for Spiritual Direction in 2010.  Always paying attention to where Spirit leads, she became a Spiritual Director, group discernment, and meditation leader, Reiki Master.  Raised in Drexel Hill, PA, her early life found her at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts studying the classical arts and portraiture.  She got off of the art track while raising her three daughters and working as an administrative assistant but found a rich life within the Episcopal church that has brought her here with a grateful open heart and mind and an awareness of God’s all-embracing love as seen in the warm welcome and active ministries found here at St. James Glastonbury.  Please keep an eye on this website as I will share bits of wisdom and guidance that have come to me in a section called Holywell, a figurative place of depth, healing and restorative peace.   

Cheri Cooper

Current Ministry: Altar Guild

Cherie is a life-long member of St. James’ having been baptized, confirmed, and married in this church. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Shirley Fuller, and grandmother, Celia Fuller, Cherie has served on the Altar Guild for 40 years. She has also sung in the choir, taught Sunday School, and been part of the Finance Committee and Shawl Ministry. Cherie worked as an elementary teacher at both Eastbury and Hopewell Schools in Glastonbury for 30 years. Since her retirement, she has enjoyed traveling to Ireland, England, and Italy as well as participating in book club discussions and the challenge of playing Mahjong. Cherie’s favorite pastime is spending time with her daughter, two sons, their spouses, and her 7 grandchildren. St. James’ Church and its community of caring people will always hold a special place in her heart. 

Ed Crow

Current Ministry: Men’s Club

Joan and I joined St. James’ in 1974. Both our sons were baptized and raised in St. James’. Joan was the head of Sunday School for about 5 years and I taught 5 grade Sunday School for about 10 years. I was Senior Warden for 6 years during the major renovation of St. James’. We have seen St. James’ grow until we needed 2 priests and then saw St. James’ decrease until we could not afford 1 priest. We are most happy today that we are getting young families and children back into our Church. Until I retired from Pratt & Whitney, I never cooked anything. Now I enjoy cooking and currently am the cook for St. James’ Men’s Club. Dan Aramini and Mitch Chester do the hard work of scheduling and clean up for the Men’s Club. We feel the Men’s Club is an important addition to worship and fellowship of St. James’. In particular, many of the jobs that keep the physical plant of St. James’ working are undertaken by many members of the Men’s Club , but the important part of Men’s Club is the fellowship among the men of St. James’.

Janice Davis

Current Ministries: St James’ Website; Choir

Looking for a spiritual home in 2010, Janice found St. James’ and was happily plunged into helping with the Spring Fling. In tandem with many generous and enthusiastic parishioners, Janice has offered to contribute wherever needed, She joined the choir and finds plenty of use for her professional marketing and computer graphics skills. She provided catalogues for several Art in the Abbey extravaganzas. Together with a beautiful team of passionate and talented folks, she organized a Christmas Tea, and has participated in several subsequent Teas in various capacities. She is currently helping to revamp St. James’ website. Some hobbies are Mahjong, drawing, learning history, working out, day trips to some of the sweet little towns in New England, and walking most days with her husband, Joe.

Clint Dixon

Current Ministry: Christian Formation (Adults)

Clint and his wife Marie joined St. James’ in 2024. He is retired from several careers and fully enjoys his retirement. Clint has held several roles at S. James’: a reader, lay preacher, and leader to Adult Bible Study (ABS). Clint has been leading our ABS group since 2009. He loves history—in particular U.S. wars, but his first choice to read has always been the Bible. Clint was very involved with his four sons and their athletic adventures, which included many different sports. The one sport tht they all Loved and participated in was wrestling. He now has two grandchildren that wrestle: Zack (17) and Brooke (13). He takes great delight in following their matches and tournaments. Both are exceptional wrestlers, and he is extremely proud of their accomplishments. He has a total of seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren whom he adores. Clint and Marie are foodies and enjoy get-aways whenever they can manage it.

Caryl Donovan

Current Ministry: Flower Guild

I grew up in East Hartford, oldest of 8 children. We were very involved in Hartford’s Christ Church Cathedral. I was a member of their girls choir, GFS and youth group. I met my husband to be when we were in the church nursery. We started dating in Junior High. In 1961 I went to Hartford Hospital School of Nursing. I was president of my class. Bob and I married in 1964. I was a pediatric nurse at Hartford Hospital. When Bob finished school, the Navy enlisted him and we moved to Norfolk, VA. After the Navy, we moved to Glastonbury in 1970.   We had 2 daughters and a son, and joined St James’ in 1972.  We ran the children’s worship service for 3-5 yr olds for a few years. I was on the Vestry and Bob was on the finance committee.  I also served as secretary of the Hartford Deanery.  Presently we both are board members representing St James’ for Naubuc Green and I am chairperson for the flower committee. Love being part of this wonderful church.

Current Ministries: Pastoral Care; Choir, Outreach; Altar Guild

Shortly after Janet joined St. James' Church in 1975, she became a member of the Altar Guild and the Adult Choir. She has served on the Vestry under the leadership of The Reverends Victor Ross, Nancy Gossling, and Denise Cabana. When she retired from teaching she found time for Episcopal Church Women activities and pastoral care opportunities. Reading, learning and music can be lifetime gifts. Janet finds these in her GMChorale experiences. Nature walks. Sipping tea with friends. Soft moments with St. James' families. She is also the coordinator for the Prayer Tree Ministry and serves as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, bringing pastoral care to St. James’ members.

Janet Donston

Rick Edwards

Current Ministry: Finances

Rick joined St. James; in the md 1990’s. He is presently retired after working 28 years at Aetna Life and Casualty and 14 years at MassMutual Insurance Company in various managerial and information technology financial positions. He was the Assistant Treasurer at St. James’ for 6 years, a vestry member for three years, and has been the head of the Financial Committee for the least 10 years. Over the last year, he has been working several hours a week at St. James’ assuring bills are appropriately being paid and church income properly recorded. During this same time, Rick has been actively involved in the drafting and signing of a 5-year lease with the Children’s House on Montessori on Main and subsequent cleanup of the church basement in preparation for the school’s opening this Fall. Rick enjoyed playing baseball, softball and basketball in his younger years and presently enjoys watching sports and reading.

Fred Faulkner

Current Ministry: Lay Preacher/Sermons

Pat Goodrich

Current Ministries: Altar Guild, Shawl Ministry

St. James’ has been in my family history for generations.  I became a member in 1978.  I am a member of the Finance Committee, Altar Guild, and Knitting/Shawl group.  I truly believe that St. James’ is a significant part of my life.

Debbie Hamer

Current ministries: Lunch in the Park, Backpack Program

Joseph Janice

Current Ministries: Represents St. James’ at Annual Convention, Outreach, Blook Drive, Building Maintenance

I am the third oldest of  nine children raised in the public housing Project of Charter Oak Terrace in Hartford CT, I found peace, friendship, and religious  nurturing as a choir boy , alter boy, boy scout and member of, Young Peoples Fellowship at Christ Church Cathedral.  I graduated from University of Connecticut with a B,A in history, Political Science, and psychology, then served in the U. S  Air Force near the end of the Veteran War. I was a forensic  Treatment Specialist for the stated of Connecticut for 25 years and after my retirement and educational counselor working with developmentally disabled individuals for 10 years.  Now retired , I enjoy spending time hiking, exercising, traveling and going to the theater with my wife Elisa and finding great joy spending time with my children Emily, Joey and Alizon, and doting over my grandchildren, Leo, Maxie, Princess Esther.  I am happy to to have   been welcomed into the community of St. James and enjoy the family atmosphere at our services. I find fulfillment in volunteering in the outreach  Ministry, volunteering at the blood banks and helping out with occasional maintenance chores at St. James. I am honored to serve as delegate to the Connecticut Episcopal Church Convention.

John Korber

Current Ministry: Video Streaming

Having attended St. James’ in his youth, John is grateful to give back to the parish community where he and his wife are now raising their family. Applying his expertise in technology and operations to support the church’s digital initiatives — from launching live-streamed worship during the COVID-19 pandemic, to modernizing collection processing, to developing ongoing strategies that expand St. James’ online connection, John gets his hands in al sorts of projects. John’s hobbies are limited to listening to his kids’ musical performances and driving them to and from their myriad activities.

Sharon Phipps

Current Ministries: Sharon’s Fun Table (for Carol’s Closet); Christmas in July, Minister of Communion

Minutes of the St. James’ Vestry Meetings and the 2025 Annual Report