About Us

Meet Our Team

Our staff members work together to bring about the many different ministries at St. James.

The staff members can be reached by calling the primary church phone number 252.752.6154 and selecting the appropriate extension.

Pastoral Staff

Senior Pastor

Rev. Tom Greener

Tom serves as the chief steward of our vision to Follow Jesus, love others, and change the world.

Pastor of Outreach & Incorporation

Dan Baer

Dan works with Pastor Tom to ensure the fulfillment of the fourfold ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service at St. James.

Pastor of Congregational Care

Rev. Joyce Day

Joyce offers church members opportunities for pastoral care and spiritual direction conversations. She also helps various ministry teams provide support and encouragement to the congregation.

Pastor of Children, Youth & Family Ministries

Kuda Kwashe

As Pastor of Family Ministries, Kuda provides a safe space for children, youth, and families to explore their faith in God and foster relationships with their peers as members of the body of Christ.

Worship & Music Staff

Director of Traditional Music

Dr. James Franklin

James has served as Director of Traditional Music at St. James since fall 2016.

Organist

Frances Cain

Frances plays for all traditional services at St. James.

Director of Contemporary Music & Video Ministry

Tim Messina

Tim leads contemporary worship in the Christian Life Ministries Center (CLMC) and oversees social media and video ministries.

Technology Coordinator

Jared Lopez

Jared oversees the seamless integration of technology in both our contemporary and traditional worship spaces. He also assists with all of St. James' technology needs across and beyond our campus.

Children & Youth Staff

Family Ministry Coordinator

Kristine Nelson

As Family Ministry Coordinator, Kristine connects children, youth, and parents to the various ministry opportunities within the church.

Director of Weekday Ministries

Dana Carpenetti

Dana is our Weekday Ministries director. She oversees the preschool and afterschool ministries of church and has served in her current role since December 2017.

Assistant Weekday Ministries Director

Elizabeth Shirley

Administrative Staff

Financial Administrator

Marianne Leventry

For Marianne, it is a blessing to merge her love for accounting and love for God as a career at St. James UMC.

Director of Congregational Engagement

Chris Garcia

Chris' primary focus is to engage members of the congregation and visitors to begin or deepen their connections to the ministry of St. James UMC.

Administrative Assistant

Jacob McCain

Jacob supports the staff, pastors, and the congregation of St. James in many different ways.

Facilities Manager

Stephen Warner

Stephen serves to coordinate the usage and maintenance of the church facilities.

Custodian

Jesse Daniels

Jesse is responsible for keeping the facility in a clean and inviting atmosphere for church members, guests, and staff.

Custodian

Kristoff Jackson

Kristoff is responsible for keeping the facility in a clean and inviting atmosphere for church members, guests, and staff.

Lighthouse Congregation

Approved on January 29, 2023

Our congregation, St. James United Methodist Church, has decided to become a Lighthouse Congregation of The North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church in partnership with The United Methodist Collective and the Office of New Faith Communities. In doing so, not only do we commit to remaining a part of the United Methodist Church, but we also commit to serving those who have lost their church homes through disaffiliation or closure. For more information on the United Methodist Collective, click here.