The Vestry
The Vestry is the governing board of St. James' Church. The Vestry transacts the business of the parish. It makes decisions about the budget and financial matters, cares for the buildings, and attends to other church business. Full minutes of each vestry meeting are posted on the bulletin board in Parish Hall. The Vestry sees that all things needful for public services are furnished. The Vestry performs such duties as are required by the Canons of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America and the Canons of the Diocese of New Jersey, and the parish by-laws. Vestry members act as committee chairpersons. The Vestry members are agents and legal representatives of the Congregation in all matters concerning its corporate property and the relation of the Congregation to its clergy. It is the duty of the Vestry to take charge of the property of the Congregation and to transact the temporal work pertaining to the Congregation.
The Vestry causes a slate of proposed Vestry candidates to be presented to the church as a whole one month before the Annual Parish Meeting. Members of the congregation are elected to the Vestry for three-year terms, two of whom the Vestry elects as Wardens. The priest-in-charge serves on the vestry,sometimes presides, and votes only in case of a tie. The Vestry selects a Secretary and Treasurer who are not voting Vestry members.
Senior Warden
Mr. Kevin Bates
The Senior Warden presides at vestry meetings in the absence of the priest-in-charge. and the junior warden presides at vestry meetings if both the priest-in-charge and the senior warden are absent. In case of clerical vacancy, the senior warden may be the ecclesiastical authority of the parish for certain purposes
Junior Warden
Ms. Susan Hayes Stasio
The Junior Warden is responsible for the upkeep of the church buildings and grounds. The junior warden presides at vestry meetings if both the priest-in-charge and the senior warden are absent. At St. James' the junior warden serves to manage the property and personnel of St. Bridig's Pantry and Sarah's Feast.
The Treasurer ensures that funds of the congregation are properly received and disbursed in accordance with the Canons of the Episcopal Church and vestry policy; verifies and pays bills presented for payment; prepares monthly financial reports for presentation to the vestry, a report to the annual meeting, and the annual financial report to the diocese. The Treasurer presents and recommends an annual budget to the vestry before the annual meeting so that the vestry can present a budget to the people of the community at the Annual Meeting.
