The St. James Vestry is pleased to announce that we've called Rev. Heather Caulfield-Mills as our Deacon-In-Charge starting August 1st and as Priest-In-Charge once she is ordained in December.

Rev. Heather lives in the hills of Vermont with her little family. She is a graduate of University of Vermont and the SIT Graduate Institute, and received a Master of Divinity degree and Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary at Yale.

Since 2019, Rev. Heather has served as an instructor of UVM’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate programs. In addition to writing and doula work, her background includes hospice volunteering, spiritual care, and hospital chaplaincy.

Rev. Heather brings with her a love of pastoral care and a passion for collaboration and community organizing – gathering people around a shared vision, providing steadying leadership during uncertain times. She is eager to further develop youth programs and outreach ministries in our communities.  

“From the moment I entered Calvary and St. James, I felt at home,” says Rev. Heather. “What gifts: your spirit of welcome, care for neighbors, strong lay leadership, and embodiment of your mission–to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m overjoyed to be called as your Clergyperson-in-Charge, and honored to join you in the holy work of being the Body of Christ in the world.”

Experiences such as refugee sponsorship during his thirty-plus years as a member of All Saints' Episcopal Church in Johnson City, New York helped form Dave's path to becoming a deacon. He completed a clergy formation program organized by Bexley Hall Seminary and the Diocese of Central New York where he was ordained a deacon in 2005. He and his wife, Fran, moved to Vermont to be near grandchildren. He has served as a deacon at St. Matthew's, Enosburg Falls, and, starting in 2011, at St. James, Essex Junction. Education and employment have been in the areas of financial planning, computer programming, and systems integration - mostly with IBM Corporation. His main activities at St. James are in the areas of outreach and pastoral care. Dave is active in the Essex-Jericho-Underhill Ecumenical Ministry group that runs the Jericho food shelf. His emerging interest is in low cost housing and "Housing First" initiatives.

After graduating from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania with degrees in music and education, Carol taught music at Cedar Crest College and in public schools in Pennsylvania and Vermont. In addition to being the founder and conductor of the Colchester Community Chorus for the past thirty one years, she has been a professional accompanist for choral groups and instrumental and vocal soloists in Burlington and surrounding areas. She has also served as organist, choir director, and director of music in the Episcopal Church for over 50 years and is currently here at St. James Episcopal Church in Essex Junction.

SarahJean has enjoyed serving as an administrative specialist for non-profit organizations for over a decade. A fresh transplant to Vermont, SarahJean worked most recently as the Parish Administrator for Christ Church Anglican Grand Rapids, and prior as the School Administrative Director for Grand Rapids Ballet, Michigan’s only professional ballet company. In her work, SarahJean values being an approachable communicator and an efficient process manager. She draws particular energy from the donning of multiple hats and meaningful interaction with staff, leadership, and community alike.

In addition to working for St James, SarahJean also works as the administrator for All Saints in South Burlington and St Paul's in Vergennes.

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Given her degree in and passion for communications and theatre, SarahJean is an advocate for the gifts of presence, story, and performance, and their capacities for impacting the human spirit.  Outside of work, SarahJean delights in nurturing her two children, reading, hiking, and listening to live music.