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Our Team2023-08-02T15:58:53-04:00

Staff

The Rev. Elizabeth Wade

Interim Priest

The Reverend Elizabeth (Libby) Wade has been St. Paul’s Interim Priest since July 1, 2022. She has extensive experience in Interim/Transitional Ministry. Shortly after moving from Kentucky, where she had served as Rector in several congregations, Libby served as St. Paul’s Interim Priest-in-Charge in 2015. Since then, she has served as Interim Priest for St. John’s in Williamstown, Southwick Community Episcopal Church, and Grace Church in Great Barrington. Libby also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience gained prior to ordination as a college instructor, social work case manager, mental health crisis line coordinator, preschool director, children’s minister, and church musician. She received a BA in English and Organ Performance from Huntingdon College and an MDiv from the General Seminary with graduate study at Auburn University and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where she received the Bell Prize for Excellence in Biblical Studies. She and her husband Jim live in Lee. Libby finds working with St. Paul’s quite fulfilling. To contact Rev. Elizabeth Wade, email libby_wade@yahoo.com

The Rev. Jane Tillman

Priest Associate

The Rev. Jane G. Tillman became non-stipendiary Priest Associate at St. Paul’s in April 2016.  Ordained as priest at St. Paul’s in 2014, her primary call has been as a supply priest in Berkshire County. At St. Paul’s, she assists with pastoral care and preaches and celebrates Eucharist monthly. A lifelong Episcopalian and native of North Carolina, Jane has lived in the Berkshires for over twenty years.  Jane is a bi-vocational priest, whose fulltime job is Director of the Erikson Institute for Education and Research at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge. Prior to ordination, as a layperson Jane taught Sunday School, served on the Vestry, was a lay reader, altar guild member, lay Eucharistic minister, and member of the Cathedral Chapter.  She is interested in liturgy and in social justice issues and is a member of the Board of Examining Chaplains for the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. She attended the University of the South, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and completed her M.Div. at Duke University in 1987. After several years working as a flight paramedic on a helicopter, she completed her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Jane gives thanks for the people of St. Paul’s and the faithful spiritual engagement maintained during the long season of COVID disruption.

Sharon Billetter

Ministry Intern

Sharon Billetter is excited to be joining St. Paul’s for a one year Diaconal internship. She has been a member of St. Stephen’s in Pittsfield for over 30 years and is currently in her second year of deacon formation. She is a founding member of the Cathedral of the Beloved and has also completed Servant Leadership Program and Called to Care Ministry, which led her to become a volunteer chaplain at Albany Medical Center.  She is currently in her third unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. Sharon grew up in Pittsfield and graduated from Pittsfield High. She has been married to Matt for 17 years and has twin boys, Brayden and Jacob, and a daughter, Kareen. Her family has resided in Cheshire for almost 10 years. 

Darryl Lafferty

Verger

Darryl Lafferty arrived at St. Paul’s Stockbridge on Epiphany 2020, having previously served as verger at St. Paul’s Kinderhook, N.Y. Darryl is a cradle Episcopalian and native of Kinderhook, New York where he currently resides. Serving in the Episcopal Church has been a lifelong journey for him. Beginning as a youth acolyte, crucifer, thurifer, assistant sexton, choir member, lector, lay eucharistic minister, vestry member, cantor, verger, and licensed as a lay leader in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. Recently retired, Darryl has over thirty years’ experience as a hospitality professional driven by a commitment to serve others. He fosters an environment of continuous learning and development, is a builder of lasting relationships and engages with the community to explore opportunities. Darryl earned his undergraduate degree from Marist College in 2018 and was recognized for his commitment to adult education as the recipient of the Spirit of Adult Education Award.

Kyra Saltman

Parish Administrator

Kyra Saltman is an active cellist and arts administrator based in the Hudson Valley. She has toured the United States extensively as a member of the Petar Jankovic Ensemble, and was the Director of Chamber Music at the Music Institute of Chicago. She is currently the Executive Director of Musica Sacra, a choral ensemble in Cambridge, MA, the operations manager for the Berkshire Opera Festival, and parish administrator at St. Paul’s. Her daughter Adara attends St. Paul’s Children’s Center.

David Smith

Pianist & Organist

David Smith has served as one of St. Paul’s musicians since December 2022. A resident of Columbia
County, NY, he is Artistic Director of Concerts in the Village and Conductor of its resident ensembles, the Broad Street Chorale and Orchestra, and the Chatham Festival Chorus. He is a member of the Broad Street Trio. Smith holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard in English literature and musicology, as well as MA and MPhil degrees from Yale in music theory. He was a student of Nadia Boulanger at Les Ecoles d’Art Américaines de Fontainebleau in Paris, France. He has also been a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School and is a frequent performer on piano, harpsichord and organ. Aside from his musical experience, he has had a career in retail management and finance, following studies at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. David was born in Troy, NY, where an early and influential teacher was Russell Locke of the Emma Willard School. He is past President of the Columbia County Historical Society and The Fifty Group of Columbia County.

Nancy King

Pianist & Organist

Nancy grew up in a northern Boston suburb and graduated from Tufts University. She took piano lessons as a child and began organ study in high school. She moved to New Jersey with her husband, and after their two daughters were in school she enrolled in Kean College of NJ and earned a post baccalaureate major in organ performance and music education. She also earned the Colleague of the American Guild of Organists  certificate.  Nancy was an organist, choir director, and piano teacher for many years in NJ, and upon retiring to the Berkshires in 2000 she became organist/director for Trinity Lutheran Church in Sheffield and later here at St. Paul’s for several years until the COVID pandemic. She is currently playing 2 Sundays a month at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury, CT, and on free Sundays back at St. Paul’s. Nancy is an avid biker and volunteer trail steward with the Berkshire National Resources Council.

Doug Schmolze

Summer Musician

Doug Schmolze, singer and guitarist, studied guitar and composition at the Berklee School of Music, classical guitar with Alexander Bellow and voice with Frank Kelley. He has sung with the Pro Art Choral, the Berkshire Bach Singers, Berkshire Choral Festival, Berkshire Opera, and the Cantilena Chamber Choir. He was the tenor section leader at the First Congregational Church, Stockbridge Ma. for many years and currently with the Crescendo Chorus of Lime Rock, CT.  He is active as a church musician. His repertoire includes art songs and American Songbook favorites from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s and beyond.  His repertoire includes guitar music from Spain and Latin America as well as vocal classics from composers such as Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein, etc. Doug is married and lives in Great Barrington, Ma.

Lisa Kane

St. Paul’s Children’s Center Director

413-298-4913

Rector Search

Our community is looking for a priest who will be both engaged and engaging.  We are looking for a leader who will suggest new ways to engage in outreach ministries and recognize our desire and commitment to love God and our neighbors.  We hope for relatable and inspiring sermons, delivered by a warm personable, open, and empathetic spiritual leader.

If you are interested in being a rector candidate, please contact the Rev. Dr. Richard Simpson, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Western Massachusetts, rsimpson@diocesewma.org

Vestry

Senior Warden Jorja Marsden

Senior Warden: Jorja Marsden

Vestry Members Rob Maloney, Chris Johnson, Diane Dillon, Carl Sprague

Vestry Members: Rob Maloney, Chris Johnson, Diane Dillon, Carl Sprague

Junior Warden Martha Bodine, Treasurer John Davies, Vestry Member Diana French, Clerk Sebastian Bonner, Vestry Member Darryl Lafferty

Junior Warden: Martha Bodine, Treasurer: John Davies, Vestry Member: Diana French, Clerk: Sebastian Bonner, Vestry: Member Darryl Lafferty

The Vestry is the “Board” of the Parish. At the Parish’s Annual Meeting, four officers are elected for one-year terms. Other vestry members serve three-year terms. The Vestry shares in leadership of the parish and is the corporate body for parish decision-making. Working collegially with the Rector, the Vestry is charged with wisely managing the legal and fiscal affairs of the parish, ensuring that the buildings and grounds are cared for, supporting the work of the clergy, promoting the spiritual well-being of the congregation, and participating in visioning, goal-setting, and strategizing as needs are assessed and ministries developed. St. Paul’s is blessed by the commitment of the strong lay leadership on our current vestry.

Officers

Senior Warden- Jorja Marsden

Junior Warden- Martha Bodine

Treasurer-John Davies

Secretary-Sebastian Bonner

Vestry Members

Class of 2024: Chris Johnson, Robert Maloney

Class of 2025: Diane Dillon, Carl Sprague

Class of 2026: Diana French, Darryl Lafferty

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild works faithfully behind the scenes to prepare for our worship.  Members of the Altar Guild prepare both the high and nave altars each Sunday.  This ministry embodies the spirit of reverence with which our worship space is so deeply imbued.  Thank you to Jennifer Carmichael, Tracy Johnson, Robin Race, Natalie Boyce, Ginny Willcox and Jorja Marsden.

Profile Committee:

Patty Melville, Duncan Pollock, Rob Maloney, Diane Dillon, Darryl Lafferty, and Mary Berle.  This group reviewed the results of the Holy Cow Congregational Assessment Tool completed by the congregation in summer 2022, held listening sessions with the parish, and spoke with community leaders.  Then they developed the “Four Pillars of St. Paul’s” – a brief narrative of who we are today, and composed answers to the “13 questions” from the Office of Transitional Ministry.

Search Committee:

Anne Covell, Martha Bodine, Darryl Lafferty, Matt Fillio, Donna Gray, Robin Race, and David Pearson.  Once names of prospective rector candidates have been received, this group will interview candidates and enter into discernment before presenting their recommendations to the Vestry.

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