Our Clergy and Staff

Office Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The building is open for scheduled activity or by appointment only. If you have a question and are not sure which of our staff members to ask, please call the church office at 317-846-8716. If your request is not urgent, please direct email inquiries to office@stchriscarmel.org.

The Rev. Cara Spaccarelli, Rector
317-846-8716, x12 

It was the desire to help people encounter God in the world that drew Cara into ministry, and it has been her privilege to walk with many as they discover the ways God comes to them “disguised as their life,” as the theologian Richard Rohr would say.  Cara became the sixth Rector of St. Christopher's in 2019.  Prior to moving here, she served as Rector of Christ Church Capitol Hill in Washington, DC for nine years, and Canon for Youth, Young Adults, Outreach, and Adult Education at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for four years.   A Midwesterner by birth and upbringing, the Rev. Cara Spaccarelli grew up in Cincinnati. After graduating from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, with a major in American Studies, she attended the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas and received a Master of Divinity.  

Cara and her husband Michael have been married since 2004 and have two sons. Cara enjoys running, occasionally crafting, and meeting her annual goal to read 52 books.  

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The Rev. Chana Tetzlaff
317-846-8716, ext 12  

Chana’s great joy in ministry is helping people of faith ask the hard questions of life and God, to discover that “it is in the shelter of each other that the people live” (old Irish proverb). Or, as Jesus said it, wetruly show our love for God when we show care and concern for every person we encounter, “like” us or not. Prior to joining St. Christopher’s, Chana was priest-in-charge of congregations in North Carolina
and Kentucky. Chana has over two decades of leadership experience at the parish, Diocesan, and Provincial levels that includes public advocacy, social justice, teaching for transformative change, and interfaith collaboration. She is a cum laude graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary (M.Div) and holds a Bachelor’s of the Arts in International Relations from the University of California at Davis in her beloved native state.

Chana is actively working on fulfilling her bucket list before she turns 65 (so far 23/75!). In her spare time, she can be found drinking coffee, indulging her foodie inclinations, dancing Lindy Hop, or exploring local activities and events with her husband, TJ, and their dog-children, Molly and Momo.

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Youth Leader, Allie Wacker
317-846-8716, ext 11  

Allie  has extensive experience in working with children and youth in both volunteer and paid capacities in educational and religious organizations. She has taught Sunday School, volunteered at Vacation Bible Schools, and served as the Director of a Vacation Bible School with 500 children from eighteen months to sixth grade. A cradle Episcopalian, she graduated from an Episcopal high school in Houston, Texas.

She has a Bachelors of Arts in French and Comparative Literature from Indiana University and a Master of Science  in Library Science from Texas Women's University. She has been a library director and a teacher. Describing herself as a "serial volunteer" Allie has served on city boards and directed large-scale festivals.

Allie and her husband Brian celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary this year. They have two daughters. Allie is passionate about family and children, and says "family is the center of my universe."  In her leisure  time, Allie  loves reading, camping, and taking road trips with her family, stopping along the way to read historical markers.

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Robert Richter, Director of Music & Organist
317-846-8716, ext 15 

Robert is in his sixth year of music ministry and leadership at St. Christopher's. He previously served as Assistant Organist and Choir Director for two years at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, in Indianapolis. 

A native of Illinois, Robert graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music with a degree in Organ Performance. He received his Master of Music, also in Organ Performance, from Arizona State University in 2006.

After earning his Master of Music degree, Robert served for two years as the Organ Scholar at Christ Episcopal Church in Bronxville, New York. From 2008 to 2010 he served as Organ Fellow (Assistant Organist) at the Episcopal Cathedral of All Saints in Albany, New York. Robert also served as a visiting instructor in organ at Anderson University.  
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In his spare time Robert enjoys running, biking, and cooking.

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Cathy Scott, Coordinator, Children's Ministries
317-846-8716 

Cathy has worked with children’s formation programs for many years, beginning at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she progressed from Nursery Volunteer Coordinator to Sunday School teacher and Sunday School Coordinator. 

After moving to Carmel, she worked at Mohawk Trails Elementary as a First Grade teaching assistant and First Grade Christian Formation class teacher at St. Christopher’s. 

Cathy holds Certificates in both Human Development and Learning and Early Childhood Program Administration which she recently earned through the process of completing a Master of Arts in Education through Ball State University.  Additionally, she is a certified Godly Play teacher.
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Favorite activities outside of work include cooking, sewing, reading, and an assortment of arts and crafts.

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Cindy Short, Treasury Assistant
317-846-8716, ext 16 

Cindy is in her sixth year with St. Christopher's. She came to us with 14 years of accounting experience. She has an Associates in Accounting from Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana.

Cindy and her husband have two children. She is an avid reader.