leadership at Incarnation

staff, clergy, and lay leadership

staff and Clergy

  • rector

    AUBREY SPEARS

    Aubrey serves as the Rector (Senior Pastor) of the Church of the Incarnation. He and his wife, Janielle, have five children. Raised in Houston, TX, Aubrey received a BA from Houston Baptist University, a MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Liverpool. Some of the things Aubrey loves are: "My beloved wife and our dear children, good neighborhoods, gardening, the fiction of Dorothy Dunnett, Cry the Beloved Country, coffee, tea, watching and discussing movies, a fire in the fireplace when it's cold out, my parents and wife's parents and our siblings and their families, cooking with my wife, leisurely meals with friends, great discussions about big questions, my work, and the life and thought of Abraham Kuyper." In addition to pastoring the Church of the Incarnation, Aubrey serves as a Fellow in Practical Theology for the St. George's Centre for Biblical and Public Theology and on the committee for the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar. Email Aubrey.

  • associate rector

    KEITH BREAULT

    As the son of an Air Force pilot, Keith grew up all over the United States. Keith and his wife, Joanna, met at the College of William and Mary, were married in 1998, and have five children (two in college, and three still at home). They lived in Charlottesville from 2011 to 2022. After pastoring two churches over the course of 17 years, Keith began exploring ordination in the Anglican tradition. In the fall of 2016, Keith began a curacy at The Church of the Incarnation, then transferred to Church of the Holy Cross in Crozet where he served as an associate pastor. Since transitioning from full-time ministry, Keith worked as vice president for business development with Commonwise Homecare. The Breaults are delighted at the opportunity to worship, grow, and serve within the Incarnation family. Email Keith.

  • executive director

    Laura Lowe

    Laura grew up in the church world, with her father, uncle, and grandfather all pastors in various church traditions. Laura attended James Madison University where she met her husband, grew to love Harrisonburg, and discovered her calling to serve the church. She has held various roles at Incarnation through the years from the first fellow, children’s director, and the Executive Director for the past few years. Laura graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary with a Master's in Biblical Studies in 2022. She has two young sons, Timothy and Matthew, and alongside her husband loves serving the church and the Harrisonburg community. In her rare moments of free time when she is not chasing her sons, she enjoys reading just about anything, cooking, and eating out with her husband and friends.

    Email Laura

  • Director of Music and the arts

    lindi jenkins

    Lindi serves as Director of Worship Arts. Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Lindi is a lover of nature, family, and small-town culture. She and her husband, Chris, live in Luray with their two girls (Nellie and Gwyn). Lindi has a love and passion for worship through the arts. She earned her Bachelor's degree from George Mason University's School of Music, and studied music therapy at Charleston Southern University. Lindi has served in church worship ministry since she was 14 years old, and has served as church worship staff for nearly 10 years. Lindi enjoys hiking, being outside, traveling, cooking, reading, and keeping bees. She and her husband own and operate an event venue and vineyard in Luray. Email Lindi.

  • Bronwyn Link

    Director of Children's Ministry

    Bronwyn link

    Bio Coming Soon. 

    Email Bronwyn.

  • Photo Coming Soon

    Curate (Pastoral Resident)

    WILSON WEST

    Wilson West serves as our curate. He and his wife Callie have two young sons. Wilson received a BA from Mississippi State University, and his MDiv from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Before coming to Incarnation, he served at a church in New Orleans for two years. Wilson's loves are his family, music: discovering, listening to, and playing it; reading, traveling, and spending good time with people. Email Wilson.

  • parish administrative assistant

    BETH NEALON

    Beth is our parish administrative assistant. She grew up in Richmond. She met her husband Dave at UVA. They raised three daughters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Lacey Spring since 1999.  She considers herself an honorary member of COTI, as she has completed our Essentials course, and has fond memories of the Episcopal liturgy of her childhood church.  She enjoys playing folk music, hiking, birding, watching British TV, and hugging trees. Email Beth.

  • Photo Coming Soon

    Media Coordinator

    Brooke Chao

    Brooke came to Harrisonburg to attend JMU.  A few years later, she met and married her husband, Alvin, in 2000, and they have two (mostly) grown children. She works from home as a graphic designer.  In her free time she also loves to garden, paint and dabble in various art mediums. Brooke and Alvin have been part of Incarnation since 2021. They’re members of the Preston Heights small group and love calling the Shenandoah Valley home. Email Brooke.

  • facilities director

    Amanda Staton

    Bio coming soon!

lay leadership

Within the Anglican tradition, the Parish Council (also known as the Vestry) provides counsel to the rector (senior pastor) and manages the church’s property and finances to support the vision and mission of the congregation. Incarnation's Parish Council is comprised of eight lay leaders, the assistant rector, and the rector. Lay members are elected during the annual celebration to represent the larger membership of the church. Lay members can serve up to two consecutive three-year terms. 

Our current lay Parish Council members are: Bob Brown, Nell-Marie Colman, Ed Good, Molly Hollingsworth, Stephanie Layman, Kenlyn Miller, Chris Rooker, Ben Taylor, and Donna Trainum. 

  • rector's warden

    BOB BROWN

    Bob Brown has been a professor of religious studies at JMU for 14 years. He received an M.Div. from Trinity Divinity School, after which he served as Youth Pastor at a church in Indiana. He returned to school and earned a Ph.D. from the Univ. of Iowa, teaching at a number of universities before coming to JMU. His teaching and research interests center around Religion in America. He has been a member at Incarnation since 2012, and helps lead the West Side small group. He served on the parish council from 2016–21, and served as rector's warden from 2019–21. 


  • people's warden

    nell-Marie colman

    Nell-Marie has lived in Harrisonburg for over 25 years — falling in love with Harrisonburg as a JMU student and deciding to make it her home. She is a full-time writer for a global technology company, where she has worked since 2005. Nell-Marie and Gil have two children, Daniel and Anna, and they have been a part of the Incarnation community since early 2012. During that time, she’s served as a small group leader and prayer team member. She and her family belong to the West Wolfe Street small group.

  • Alvin Chao

    treasurer

    ALVIN CHAO

    Alvin Chao came to the valley over 25 years ago to study for his Master's of Business Administration from JMU. He has worked at JMU in the IT department managing web content for the JMU website for most of his time in the valley. He and his wife Brooke have two children, Dylan and Jade and have been at Incarnation since 2021. He has led the Preston Heights/Old Town small group and has served on the parish council as Treasurer since Fall 2022. Email Alvin

  • deacons

    Eric Codding, Martin Rhodes

    Deacons are set apart to share in the humility and service of Jesus Christ for the strengthening of the church. Deacons assist in public worship, concerns and hopes of the world, encouraging and equipping the household of God to care for the stranger, the poor, and the helpless.