Staff at Grace Church
Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins, Rector
The Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins first joined Grace Church as a lay member in 1991. The parish sponsored him for
ordination and he left to attend seminary at Union Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’98). He was ordained as a priest
following graduation and served parishes in Connecticut for 16 years. He earned a Doctor of Divinity degree from
Hartford Seminary in 2011. In the fall of 2014, Fr. Matt was called as Rector of Grace Church. He is married to Mary
Calkins, an art teacher, and has an adult son, Elias, who lives in NYC.
The Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins first joined Grace Church as a lay member in 1991. The parish sponsored him for
ordination and he left to attend seminary at Union Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’98). He was ordained as a priest
following graduation and served parishes in Connecticut for 16 years. He earned a Doctor of Divinity degree from
Hartford Seminary in 2011. In the fall of 2014, Fr. Matt was called as Rector of Grace Church. He is married to Mary
Calkins, an art teacher, and has an adult son, Elias, who lives in NYC.
James Ruff
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James Ruff, Music Director
James is a skilled organist and pianist but his gifts as a singer and vocal teacher, and his mastery of the Gaelic harp, set him apart. James teaches voice at Vassar College and has for a number of years performed in a professional choir at St Mary’s the Virgin in Times Square, a church renowned for its magnificent music. Before that James was the Music Director at Christ the King, Stone Ridge, working with the Rev. Alison Quin. |
Maureen Sarma, Director of Millbrook Community Preschool
Maureen has been connected to the preschool at Grace since enrolling her own children in the program. She was
drawn to the warmth of the teaching staff, the dynamic curriculum, and the welcoming school community. Before
stepping up as program director, Maureen worked for the Department of Education and Science in Ireland. As part of
a national initiative to address early school learning, she worked closely with families and communities in Dublin to
develop and steer programs to support children from elementary to high school school. Maureen believes in
nurturing joy and excellence in early education, and is proud of the unique program at Grace.
Maureen has been connected to the preschool at Grace since enrolling her own children in the program. She was
drawn to the warmth of the teaching staff, the dynamic curriculum, and the welcoming school community. Before
stepping up as program director, Maureen worked for the Department of Education and Science in Ireland. As part of
a national initiative to address early school learning, she worked closely with families and communities in Dublin to
develop and steer programs to support children from elementary to high school school. Maureen believes in
nurturing joy and excellence in early education, and is proud of the unique program at Grace.
David Swift, Facilities Manager
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Marilyn Schiller, Parish Administrator
A native New Yorker, Marilyn is excited for her new post as the Church Administrator for Grace Church. Previously, she was Executive Assistant to the Head of School at St. Luke’s School in the West Village NYC for 11 years. It was there that she discovered her Episcopal identity. Now a neighbor in Millbrook, she loves village life, and you can see her walking most mornings in the Tribute Garden with her two dogs, Juliet and Jack. Previously she was a research scientist in pharmacology before going on to found a web design business in San Francisco. She has also lived in Prague, Belgium, and London. Alex Freeman, Videographer, Sound and Lighting Technician Zoë, Parish Dog Zoë is a native of Dutchess County, where she was born in February of 2017 to her boxer father and her labrador retriever mother, Diesel and Daisy. She loves everyone and is loved by everyone. She has important duties, which include patrolling the grounds and licking people's legs. |
