Clergy and Staff

The Rev. Dr. James Taylor is a lifelong Episcopalian. After graduating with his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, he responded to God’s call to the priesthood by enrolling at The Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). He graduated and was ordained in 1992. In 2014 Father Jim completed his Doctor of Ministry degree, writing his Project Thesis on stewardship; Transforming the Giver: Effecting Congregational Giving Patterns Through Faith, Gratitude, Formation, and Proclamation.  

As of January 2022, he is the rector and spiritual leader of St. George Episcopal Church, one of the largest congregations in the Diocese of Central Florida.

“St. George constantly inspires me because it is a loving Christian community that is committed to worshiping God and serving our neighbors. The music program is exceptional and helps to bring the worship service alive. Please join us at St. George to experience the friendliest church in The Villages.”  

The Reverend Janet Richardson was ordained to the priesthood in January 1993. She is a lifelong Episcopalian and grew up in Rochester, New York. She and her husband Mark were married in 1975 and farmed in central Indiana raising purebred Angus cattle until they moved to The Villages. They have 5 children and 18 grandchildren.

Janet graduated from the State University of New York at Brockport in 1968 with a BS in Education and taught school in Canandaigua, New York. She continued her graduate studies in Education attending the University of Reading in England.  In 1981 she earned an Associate’s degree in Business, studying accounting from Finger Lakes Community College. She received her MDiv degree in 1993 from Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana. 

Janet served in small congregations in central Indiana which allowed her and her family to continue living on their farm. Janet also served as a hospice and hospital chaplain for 5 years in Connersville, Indiana. She has been serving at St. George since 2020 as Assistant to the Rector.

In 2015, Nancy was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons in the Diocese of Central Florida. She is a lifelong Episcopalian and was raised in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Nancy received a B.S. in Education from Salem State University. She completed a Master’s degree at Boston College in Special Education and Rehabilitation, and a Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. She completed the diaconal training program at the Institute for Christian Studies in Orlando. 

Nancy has been a teacher and school administrator who dedicated her professional life providing educational opportunities for children with special needs. In addition to diaconal duties and responsibilities at St. George, Nancy is involved with several parish ministries such as The Order of the Daughters of the King, Order of St. Luke the Physician, the healing ministry prayer team, planning special worship services and pastoral care.

Colleen Rutherford is a lifelong Episcopalian and grew up in small towns surrounding Concord, New Hampshire. In August 2023, Colleen was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons in the Diocese of Central Florida after two years of study.

She retired in the fall of 2020 after spending 42+ years working as a Registered Nurse.  She received a diploma in Nursing from Concord Hospital School of Nursing, a B.A. in business from Notre Dame College in Manchester, NH and a Master of Science in Nursing from St. Joseph’s College in Windham, Maine.  Most of her career was spent working in the Emergency Room, Staff Education, and as a Hospital Supervisor. She is also the author of several medical books about surgical equipment and supplies.

She is involved in the healing ministry of the Order of St. Luke and the ECW at St. George.

Making music has always been a passion of Lana’s, beginning with the church choir and violin lessons at age 10. Born in Indiana, she graduated from Ball State University with a BS in Science Education, and Indiana University with a MS in Science Education. Her teaching career was spent in Catholic Schools in VA, where she chaired the Science Department, and organized and led student choirs and musicians for school masses. Lana’s interest in handbells began as a ringer in a church choir. She began directing a few years later and has been directing handbell choirs for the last 29 years. Lana completed a Church Music Certification program through Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk VA, participated as a ringer in the Virginia Wesleyan Festival Handbell Choir and conducted beginning chime workshops for non-ringers. She currently rings with The Village Ringers community handbell choir, an auditioned choir that performs at various local venues. As an active member of Handbell Musicians of America, Lana has participated in numerous area-wide festivals with her church choirs. Prior to moving to The Villages, she was the Handbell Director at Providence Presbyterian and St. Aiden’s Episcopal churches in Virginia Beach, and held the positions of Music Director, Choir Director and Handbell Director at Grace UMC in Parksley VA. Lana and her husband Steve, have two sons who reside in Virginia.