FIRST PREsBYTERIAN CHURCH STAFF
Pastor James Klotz, Ph.D.
Rev. Dr. James Klotz has been Pastor of First Presbyterian Church since September 2023. James, a cradle Presbyterian, was born and raised in Georgia, where he pursued a 15-year career in the airline industry before answering the call to ministry. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2015, then returned to Princeton to pursue a doctorate in biblical studies, focusing on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. James was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament by the Presbytery of New Brunswick (now Coastlands) in 2018, and he co-chaired the presbytery’s Commission on Preparation for Ministry, working with seminary students pursuing ordination. While James spent most of his life on the east coast, he has an important New Mexico family connection. His aunt, Dr. Beth Klotz, served for decades as a school psychologist for the BIA at schools in the southeastern part of the Navajo Nation, and in his visits and conversations with her came to love the Land of Enchantment. James’s dissertation, "Let the Desert Bloom: a Close Reading of Isaiah 35 and a History of Consequences in the Development of the Colorado River Basin," explores these passions for biblical poetry and the history of the Southwest, and it was successfully defended in June 2023. James is an amateur church musician, having directed several handbell choirs in the past, and he is a member of the Hymn Society, Handbell Musicians of America, and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, whose annual Montreat Worship & Music Conferences he has been attending with his dad since 2009. James is an avid hiker, history nerd, and Star Trek fan. He and his cat Dodi (Hebrew for “My Beloved”) live in Farmington.
Music MINISTER
Kyle Osborne joins us from Durango, CO where he has most recently been part of the leadership of Third Avenue Arts, served as associate director of the San Juan Symphony Chamber Singers, and directed music ministries at St. Mark's Episcopal Church and Summit Church in Durango. Kyle is a Florida native, and he has decades of experience serving in churches from Florida to Texas to Tennessee to Georgia to Colorado. Kyle is an alum of Stetson University and UNF, then did his master's studies at the University of Tennessee and doctoral studies at the University of Texas. Earlier this year, Kyle took part in a master class at Cambridge University with the legendary Voces8 ensemble. Kyle is a brilliant organist and accomplished director, and he has composed a wide number of sacred choral and organ pieces. He also has a big vision for FPC's role as a hub for music education in our community.
