Our Leadership
St. Paul’s clergy, staff and vestry comprise our leadership. An organizational chart that shows our internal structure, is here.
Search for Our Next Rector
With Fr. Ray and Fr. Adam as our priests and with the Holy Spirit guiding us, St. Paul’s is undertaking the search for our next rector. Diocesan staff, instrumental in making the initial connection between Fr. Ray and St. Paul’s, will continue to provide support during the next phase of our faith journey.
Collect for Our Next Rector
Heavenly Father, source of all knowledge, you know the needs of your church in every place. Look graciously upon the people of St. Paul’s and grant our search committee and Vestry the wisdom and discernment to call, with open hearts and minds, a faithful pastor who will feed us, your flock, and equip us for our ministries.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Rev. Raymond John Hanna
Interim Rector
The Rev. Raymond John Hanna has accepted our call to be St. Paul’s interim rector. Fr. Hanna, or Ray as he prefers to be called, was rector of St. Stephen’s in Goldsboro and previously served as rector for 12 years at Trinity Church in Mt. Airy. He brings with him nearly 30 years of experience as a priest. When St. Paul’s Vestry met with him, it was clear to all that he would be a tremendous asset to St. Paul’s at this stage in our transition.
This is a time for thanksgiving as we extend to Ray a warm welcome.

The Rev. Adam Pierce
Assistant Rector
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Adam and Laurie were married while still in college. A year after they graduated they joined the Peace Corps where they served in China for two years teaching English as a foreign language to university students. Laurie, who is a gifted teacher, connected with her students deeply in the classroom. Adam says he connected more with my students playing basketball and teaching them how to cook Western food. While Adam and Laurie did not attend church while there, Adam felt that the time was deeply formational for him. “I realized that we are created for relationships and in relationships we learn more about ourselves and the gifts we have. My students taught me and I helped them to see strengths and gifts they didn’t know they had; I believe this to be a staple of the Christian life and fundamental to what it is to being a priest,” he says.
After the Peace Corps Adam pursued his call to ordained ministry through Church of the Servant in Wilmington, as well as his time working as a Campus Minister at UNCW working for the diocese. He used many of the lessons he learned in China in his ministry there. He continued to learn and be formed while at Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained on Dec. 22, 2018 at St. Paul’s.
Laurie and Adam now have two beautiful daughters, Aleea and Hazel, and son Lucas.

The Rev. Richard Banks
Priest Associate
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Fr. Richard studied at Virginia Commonwealth University and the National Institute for Lay Training, and holds degrees from the University of the West Indies and the United Theological College of the West Indies. He spent two summers in the Doctor of Ministry program at The Virginia Seminary.
His son Colin lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Jill. Daughter Alison lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with husband Adam and their two small children. Both of his parents and three siblings live in Richmond, Virginia, with their families.
Clergy Corner
Building on the past…Believing in the future…
Dear St. Paul’s Family, Since St. Paul’s founding, our members have offered their hearts and hands in love to build the church we know today. It is on this foundation that we are being called to vision the future of St. Paul’s and shape the church Christ longs...
From the Interim Rector
When the prolific theologian, Karl Barth, was asked to sum up his work into a single sentence, he replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” As Christians, we believe that God said what God needed to say in one word—the Word made flesh, Jesus....
Expanding Our Food Ministries
The Blessing Box is here! Thank you to Bill and Mary Farris for creating this and Ed Ablard for helping to install it. Thank you to our Community Ministry team of Don Brainard, Pat Baker, Joe Farri, Merrilie Crafts, and Steve Bucci for shepherding this project...
♰ Prayer Requests
- CARD: Complete the “Request for Prayer” pew card and leave in the offering plate, or submit the online card below.
- EMAIL to be placed on the prayer list.
- CALL the church office at: (910) 762-4578.

Ronnie D. Wise
Organist, Director of Music

Richard Rhoads
Assistant Director of Music

Parish Administrator

Diane Matz-Kane
Financial Secretary

Walter Alonzo
Handyman

Bob Crafts
Technology and Communications (Volunteer)

Bryce O'Dell
Technology Assistant (Volunteer)
technology-asst@spechurch.com

Laurie Pierce
Children's Minister (Volunteer)
speckids@spechurch.com

Ellen Weig
Archivist (Volunteer)

Teresa Singer
Senior Warden, Facilities Team
teresabsinger@gmail.com

Tom Sramek
Junior Warden, Facilities Team
tomsramek@me.com

Layne S. Dupree
Facilities Team
laynedupree@me.com

Ruth Gates
Facilities Team
starfire47@hotmail.com

Angela Green
Facilities Team
ajgreen4251@yahoo.com

Matt Langley
Human Resources Team
mlangley98@gmail.com

Steve Martin
Stewardship Team
itsstevemartin@yahoo.com

Joan Rosco Miller
Human Resources Team
jroskomiller@gmail.com

Sally Pope
Human Resources Team
brsapope@nc.rr.com

Rhonda Stroud
Stewardship Team
hall.rhonda.e@gmail.com

Meaghan Thomas
Human Resources Team
meaghanmthomas@gmail.com

Merry Ann Wright
Stewardship Team
mawright1776@gmail.com

