Staff

Priest in Charge

THE REV. WILLIAM ‘FATHER MAC’ MCILMOYL

  Send Email  •  (707)738-8245

Born on Oct. 22, 1949 in Troy, N.Y. to his physician father and socially active mother, Mac attended public schools through the fifth grade, then a military academy through middle school. At 13 he was off to an Episcopal boarding school (Trinity Pawling), and then on to an Episcopal College (Hobart and William Smith 1968-1972). 

His childhood was marked by physical activity and sports. Soccer in the fall, hockey in the winter, and lacrosse in the spring; these were the love and passion of his youth and adolescence. He also had the blessing of a healthy church foundation. His family attended St. John’s Episcopal Church every Sunday (like it or not), so he was raised within the Christian narrative.

After college graduation, Mac began his first career as an authentic American recreational fanatic, aka: ski bum.  He lived and skied for many years in Colorado and Utah before returning to the East Coast to care for his father, who since had retired to Florida. While there, he began attending St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Daytona Beach and quickly became very active there. He was soon to meet his wife, Sandy, discern a call to ordained ministry, and, after the passing of his father, head off to Seminary in Evanston, Ill. During his Middler year, their daughter Biz hit the planet.

Mac returned to Florida to begin his Priesthood as an Associate at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Ormand Beach, where he served for five years before being called to Grace Episcopal Church, St Helena in 1993.  Twenty-four years later, retirement set him adrift until he hit shore again at St. Luke’s in Calistoga, which continues to be one of the greatest blessings in his life.       

 




Mission Committee

LINDA BELDEN

  Send Email  •  (415)608-5160

Linda, a 28-year part-time resident of Calistoga, joined St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in 2018 after searching for years for a spiritual home. Linda is a retired textile designer and nonprofit administrator who now spends time in her studio making art with cloth, paper, stitching, and painting. Since 2021, she has served as the Clerk of St. Luke’s Mission Committee, taking minutes and keeping records of its meetings. She and her husband, Donald Ohlen, can often be seen walking on Bennett Lane with their dog, Nellie.




Senior Warden, Mission Committee

CAROLYN CZAPELSKI

  Send Email  •  (530)906-1060

Carolyn has been a faithful “follower” of Father Mac for a few years, and when he became the priest-in-charge of St. Luke’s became a member. It has evolved into Carolyn being on the Mission Committee and now is the Senior Warden overseeing the running of St. Luke’s. Besides her life with St. Luke’s, she and her husband established Canard Vineyard in 1983. They live in the vineyard home, built in 1857 by pioneer Reason P. Tucker and oversee all aspects of running a family-owned business.

Carolyn had a career in the finance world, spending time at Bank of America before going on to help start a financial software startup in the early '80s. She left that career to start a successful interior design business in Tahoe that serviced second homes throughout the United States.

She stays busy volunteering for several Napa Valley nonprofit organizations and also being a master garden teaching workshops on vineyards.




Treasurer

JANET GENTILE HERRERO

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Janet graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. She immediately started to work in San Francisco advertising agencies and stayed in that field for about seven years. She then changed sides of the desk and began selling commercial printing to the advertising agencies. Feeling constrained by the printing equipment owned by her employer, Janet started her own printing brokerage firm, enabling her to produce projects nationwide.

In 1980 she met Lowell Herrero, an advertising illustrator with art talent far beyond the commercial jobs he was illustrating. Janet and Lowell became partners, both in marriage and in business, and Janet became the business/marketing arm of Lowell’s new fine art business. The collaboration was wildly successful, allowing them to build a home and studio in Calistoga and move away from the hectic life of San Francisco.

Janet is now a widow, but she continues to market Lowell’s art through reproductions and licensing. She followed the Rev. William “Father Mac” McIlmoyl to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Calistoga and his preaching has inspired Janet ever since. She now serves at St. Luke’s Treasurer.




Mission Committee

ELAINE JENNINGS

  Send Email  •  (415)596-3447

Elaine and her husband Michael Jennings joined St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco in 1991 while raising their two young daughters Caitlin and Lily, now 37 and 34. They have both been active on the Vestry, choir, have served on numerous committees. 

Elaine graduated from SFSU Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Business Administration and founded two businesses while raising their two daughters, Concentric Productions, a national event production firm, and in 1995 with Michael launched Small Potatoes Catering & Events, Inc.   Elaine also has a passion for the performing arts, and, once her children were grown, she returned to the stage. They relocated to Calistoga during COVID-19 and now Elaine has focused her time on developing her singing career in The Valley as a jazz vocalist.




Junior Warden, Mission Committee

CONNIE SCHELLENGER

  Send Email  •  (707)396-1238

Connie has lived in Calistoga since 1997 and been member of St. Luke's with her husband Alex shortly after Fr. Mac came on board to preach at our charming St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Connie is administrator of the HVAC and Refrigeration business she shares with her husband. She also runs Calistoga Cat Action Team, a position she assumed from the beloved Kristin Casey. Altar Guild has been a passion for Connie in recent years. She has a knack for managing people, cats, and contractors, and it's come in handy as Junior Warden.




Videographer, Mission Committee

NATHAN SCHWAB

  Send Email  •  (310)463-7057

Nathan is a seeker who works professionally in film and television production. During the summer of 2109 he moved from Los Angeles to St. Helena with his wife Michelle to raise his newborn son Luca. Shortly thereafter, Nathan was baptized at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Calistoga and grounded himself within the church and community. During the state shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nathan was called upon to produce weekly videos of Father Mac’s sermons to be accessible online for partitioners to worship from home.

Today, Nathan serves as a member on the Mission Committee and continues to produce a live video feed of St. Luke’s services every Sunday.




Mission Committee

DAVE STONEBERG

  Send Email  •  (707)802-8285

Dave is a life-long Episcopalian, who has attended either Grace Episcopal Church in St. Helena or St. Luke’s, Calistoga, for the past 25-plus years. He is a retired weekly newspaper editor and both he and his wife, Joni currently enjoy taking exercise classes near their Hidden Valley Lake home. Dave also is an avid bicyclist and enjoys old cars, including working on his 1971 VW bus. He had served as St. Luke’s Zoom master since March 2020 and joined the Mission Committee in January 2021. He and Joni currently share their home with three beloved pets, a dog and two cats.