Meet Our Staff
Pastor
Bob Swartz
Bob has served at St. James since March 2018. He grew up in New Jersey and steadily moved west until he found a place of true belonging in Redding. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School and completed his Lutheran Year studies at Gettysburg Seminary. He leads worship, preaches and teaches, provides pastoral care, and helps our congregation to live into God’s mission of grace. In his free time, Bob reads lots of books, watches baseball (go Phillies!), and fails to keep up with his wife Katie and two children.
Worship Associate
Bill King
Bill has been leading worship for over 20 years and considers it to be his highest calling. He enjoys playing in his two rock bands, watching movies, listening to progressive rock, cooking, and messing around with tech stuff. Most of all, he loves his wife and three daughters.
Christian Education Coordinator
Katie Swartz
Katie has been serving as a church educator for over 10 years. She graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ in 2010 with Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education degrees. After serving as Director of Faith and Family Formation at a Lutheran church in Pennsylvania for 6 years, she and her family headed west for the big adventure of building a new life in California. In her spare time, Katie enjoys reading, attending baseball games, and playing outside with her children, sheep, and chickens!
Nancy Schmitt
Carillons Director
Nancy has been the director of the Carillons Handbell Choir since 1992. Born and raised in Iowa, she took piano lessons in the 4th grade and continued through college. After 22 years teaching in elementary schools, she retired in 2004. She and her husband have two children and four grandchildren. She enjoys gardening, golfing, cross-country skiing, and hiking.
Custodian
Jeff Browne
Communications