Father Charles St. James is an Orthodox Old Catholic priest with St. Barnabas, a graduate of Mid-America Christian University, and a native of Las Vegas. He is married to his wife, Edith, and has served both the church and the community.

Father Charles served 13½ years in the United States Army, including three deployments to Afghanistan totaling nearly three years overseas. Throughout his military career, he was stationed at Fort Drum, Fort Irwin, Camp Stanley in South Korea, and Fort Stewart. He completed numerous military leadership development programs, served as a Platoon Sergeant, and worked as a hand-to-hand combat instructor. His time in the Army shaped his leadership, discipline, and pastoral resilience.

In addition to his military service, Father Charles is a dedicated fitness enthusiast. He holds multiple certifications from the International Sports Sciences Association in fitness training, fitness therapy, and nutrition. Over the years, he has helped many individuals pursue healthier lifestyles, achieve weight loss goals, increase strength, and improve overall athletic performance.

Before entering the Orthodox Old Catholic tradition, Father Charles served for approximately five years as a Protestant pastor. During that time, he began a serious study of early Church history, seeking a deeper connection to the faith of the ancient, undivided Church. His theological pilgrimage led him first to explore the Eastern Orthodox Church and ultimately to discover the Old Catholic Church of North America (OCCNA), an Orthodox Old Catholic Church committed to preserving the apostolic faith, the orthodox theology of the early Church, and the historic liturgical traditions of the West.

While stationed in Korea in 2014, Father Charles began a correspondence with Metropolitan Michael Nesmith, initiating a period of discernment and formation. Upon returning to Las Vegas in 2016, he formally entered the OCCNA and became a member of St. Barnabas in the summer of 2017. He completed seminary formation in 2021, was ordained to the Diaconate on April 23, 2022, and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on May 19, 2024, Pentecost Sunday.

Father Charles brings together pastoral experience, theological conviction, military leadership, and a heart for service in his vocation as a priest.