Rev. Susan Fortunato, Rector
Phone: 845/452-8220
The Rev. Susan Fortunato came to Christ Church in 2015, drawn by the unique set of challenges inherent in serving an urban parish with a 250-year legacy. She has engaged with the parish and the community on many levels. Through her effective partnership with parishioners, Christ Church has grown significantly in size and scope over the past five years.
Rev. Susan consistently challenges the parish to live out the work of Christ. She has led the call to social action and personal commitment. She helped Christ Church restructure its leadership model and build support for local youth programs, particularly Summer Camp and Backpacks & More.
She led the effort to establish Christ Church as an official shelter for those needing overnight accommodations during the coldest months of the year.
Susan is active in both the diocese and the community. She serves on the Commission on Ministry, the Diocesan Council, Property Support Committee, and is the Chair of the Leadership Development Committee of the Diocese of New York. In Poughkeepsie, Susan serves as the President of the Board of Hudson River Housing and is a proud Rotarian.
She graduated from Seton Hall University and Drew Theological School (magna cum laude), where she received the preaching prize. She has served churches in New York and New Jersey for more than twenty years.
Susan and her wife, Catherine, have an adult son, Graham, a local soccer coach, and several dogs that help to keep life interesting! They enjoy running, kayaking, and enjoying local music and theatre.
Rev. Emily Carter, Associate Rector
The Rev. Emily Carter was ordained a priest at Christ Church in March 2024, and she is looking forward to her ordination to the priesthood. In addition to her ministry at Christ Church, she serves as the Affiliate Advisor to the Episcopal Church at Vassar College (ECVC). She’s an Episcopal Service Corps alum and brings experience in parish ministry, interfaith work, campus and young adult ministry, and hospital chaplaincy.
Emily grew up on Washington State’s beautiful Olympic Peninsula before moving to the East Coast for college.
In her free time, she enjoys running, rock climbing, hiking (especially in New Hampshire’s White Mountains), reading, writing, backpacking, and caring for chickens. She graduated from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale with a diploma in Anglican Studies, from Yale Divinity School with an MDiv, and from Dartmouth College with a BA in government and classical studies.
Rev. John Kater,
Rector Emeritus
John first came to Christ Church as Assistant Minister in 1966, soon after being ordained. He left to attend McGill University in Montreal, receiving his PhD in 1973. John was called to return to Christ Church as Rector in 1974, a position he held for ten years.
Since that time he has had many places to call “home” while serving in ministry and as a teacher: in Poughkeepsie where he was Rector of Christ Church (1974-1984) and taught at Marist and Vassar Colleges; in Sorel and Montreal, Quebec; the Diocese of Panama; Berkeley, CA (Church Divinity School of the Pacific) when he also served parishes in 3 California towns; also as Visiting Lecturer in seminaries and colleges in Brazil, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and in Hong Kong (currently and since 2010) as Associate Professor at Ming Hua Theological College.
During his decade as Rector of Christ Church, John Kater’s leadership focused on finding solutions for social problems in Poughkeepsie with interfaith initiatives shared among 5 downtown churches; on political turmoil in South America; and writing on polarization over issues of faith, politics, and ethics within and among churches. On an evening in May 1982, the disaster of a suspicious fire totally destroyed the Parish House, Christ Church’s education building housing St. George’s School, the Summer Program, and several other activities and services. This tragedy set the parish on a challenging course of reconstruction and reorganization of facilities and service to the community, which continued to grow in response to many needs – a situation that continues as our focus today.
During his decade as Rector of Christ Church, John Kater’s leadership focused on finding solutions for social problems in Poughkeepsie with interfaith initiatives shared among 5 downtown churches; on political turmoil in South America; and writing on polarization over issues of faith, politics, and ethics within and among churches. On an evening in May 1982, the disaster of a suspicious fire totally destroyed the Parish House, Christ Church’s education building housing St. George’s School, the Summer Program, and several other activities and services. This tragedy set the parish on a challenging course of reconstruction and reorganization of facilities and service to the community, which continued to grow in response to many needs – a situation that continues as our focus today.
Avery Duer,
Choir Director
Avery Duer is a recent graduate of Vassar College where she majored in music and Russian, studying organ with Gail Archer, and conducting with Christine Howlett and Eduardo Navega. This past spring, she performed a senior recital on the organ, conducted the Vassar College Treble Choir at the Basilica of Peter and Paul in Prague, as well as Vassar First Inversion in Poughkeepsie.
Additionally, she has had the pleasure of conducting Capella Festiva. Beyond the world of music, Avery enjoys long walks in nature, solving Rubik’s Cubes, and a good cold brew. Avery is extremely grateful to the vestry, choir, and Christ Church community for welcoming her so warmly and enthusiastically!
James Fitzwilliam
Organist
James M. Fitzwilliam is a Hudson Valley pianist, organist and composer. He has served as Organist at Christ Episcopal Church in Poughkeepsie since 2017. As a keyboard performer, he regularly appears with the choirs of Bard and Vassar Colleges; with Cappella Festiva, Kairos and the Hudson Valley Bach Festival.
As a composer, he has had works performed, commissioned and/or recorded by Christ Episcopal Church, Vassar and Bard Colleges, Cappella Festiva, Kairos and most recently by the Hudson Valley American Guild of Organists and the Bruderhof Community. A native of Plattsburgh, NY and educated at the Eastman School of Music (BM ’85 MM ’88), he has two adult children and lives in the wilds of Northern Dutchess County with his wife Julie. Visit him on the web at http://fourpawsmusic.com